Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Hood Feminism
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot | Mikki Kendall
A potent and electrifying critique of today's feminist movement announcing a fresh new voice in black feminism Today's feminist movement has a glaring blind spot, and paradoxically, it is women. Mainstream feminists rarely talk about meeting basic needs as a feminist issue, argues Mikki Kendall, but food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. All too often, however, the focus is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few. That feminists refuse to prioritize these issues has only exacerbated the age-old problem of both internecine discord and women who rebuff at carrying the title. Moreover, prominent white feminists broadly suffer from their own myopia with regard to how things like race, class, sexual orientation, and ability intersect with gender. How can we stand in solidarity as a movement, Kendall asks, when there is the distinct likelihood that some women are oppressing others? In her searing collection of essays, Mikki Kendall takes aim at the legitimacy of the modern feminist movement arguing that it has chronically failed to address the needs of all but a few women. Drawing on her own experiences with hunger, violence, and hypersexualization, along with incisive commentary on politics, pop culture, the stigma of mental health, and more, Hood Feminism delivers an irrefutable indictment of a movement in flux. An unforgettable debut, Kendall has written a ferocious clarion call to all would-be feminists to live out the true mandate of the movement in thought and in deed.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
OrangeMooseReads
post image
Pickpick

Oh my! This was amazing. I followed along with my physical copy as I listened to the audio edition. I think there was something on almost every page that I marked or tagged. So much information, so many points that need reiterating. Well written, concise, precise, thought provoking.
5⭐️ must read for anyone calling themselves a feminist.

TheBookHippie Agree. I‘ve read it twice. 6mo
33 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
RebL
post image

As a child, I wore a T-shirt with the slogan, “The best man for a job is a woman.” I call myself a feminist even. However, feminism has not appealed to me the way other inclusive or poverty-related issues were. I even resisted this book. But it is 🔥 & reconciles my thinking. A lot of readers say take it slow, think about it. Sure if you want. Or swallow it whole like Bacchanalian-style. That‘s what I did.

13 likes1 stack add
review
DimeryRene
post image
Pickpick

Definitely a must read for those who consider themselves feminists or claim to care about all women. We all have blind spots, internalized racism, and prejudice. Even if we are constantly working to combat those things, we still live in a society that values white, straight, able-bodied, and not poor individuals over all others and we need to constantly be uplifting voices of those society doesn‘t seek to protect. This is our fight too.

quote
DimeryRene
post image

.. white feminism is going to have to get comfortable with the idea that until they challenge their racist aunts, parents, cousins, and so on, it is definitely all white women who are responsible. ✊🏻✊🏼

review
vonnie862
post image
Pickpick

This was definitely not a light read. I had to take each chapter day-by-day. I can't even begin to formulate my thoughts and feelings on all of the information but all I can say is this is a must read.

There will be parts that will make you feel very uncomfortable but I think it's still important to understand that not all feminism is created equally.

4⭐️
#LMPBC #round17 #groupA

@pogue @TheBookHippie @Readergrrl
This book is going out soon.

Readergrrl I‘ve been keen to read this one! 2y
28 likes1 comment
blurb
vonnie862
post image

Letting my team know that I got the book and I can't wait to dive into it!

#LMPBC #round17 #groupA

@pogue @TheBookHippie @Readergrrl @suvata

vonnie862 @Pogue thanks for the heads up on the book. I'll definitely take advantage of those chocolate pretzels while reading it. Lol 2y
TheBookHippie Enjoy!!! I can‘t wait to reread it! 2y
39 likes2 comments
review
Pogue
Pickpick

This was amazing. I will say that for me the best way to read it was a chapter or two and then think on them. @TheBookHippie @Readergrrl The book is on the way and should be there Saturday #LMPBC

Readergrrl Hi! My book should arrive at your address by Saturday too! Can‘t wait to read HF when my turn comes! (edited) 2y
18 likes1 comment
review
Pogue
post image
Pickpick

This was amazing. I will say that for me the best way to read it was a chapter or two and then think on them. @TheBookHippie @Readergrrl The book is on the way and should be there Saturday #LMPBC

TheBookbabeblog84 This has been on my list Forever. I really need to get to it. 2y
5feet.of.fury I really liked this one. Mikki Kendall is great. 2y
22 likes2 comments
quote
DimeryRene
post image

The hypermasculinity of gang culture can seem like protection if you‘ve never been safe. 💔

review
ICantImReading
post image
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excellently skewers the ways mainstream, white-centered feminism focuses on those whose needs are already mostly met and how the mistreatment of marginalized women ultimately fails ALL women. Kendall illuminates the ways hunger, gun violence, education, and housing are all feminist issues. Definitely recommend! 🎧

ICantImReading “No woman has to be respectable to be valuable.”

“Feminism can‘t afford to prioritize supporting whiteness over actively combating racist and misogynistic policies that will end up hurting everyone.”
2y
54 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
ChaoticMissAdventures
post image

#BlackHistoryMonth Recommendations
Day 9 Nonfiction

What does feminism mean to you? Does it include talks about gun violence? Hunger? Race? Politics? Education? How can you be an ally to not only the women you know but the broader community. Good Feminism takes on all of this in an easy to digest way. The writing of course is excellent, Mikki Kendall is fantastic and this is a fundamental must read.

5feet.of.fury I love this one. I audiobooked it a couple years ago, I might need a reread 2y
ChaoticMissAdventures @5feet.of.fury this is one that is great to occasionally revisit! There are so many topics to be aware of, good to be reminded of some of these areas that are not always in the forefront. 2y
Cosyreader Stacked! Also I love that candle 😍 2y
See All 6 Comments
DimeryRene I am reading this now!! 2y
ChaoticMissAdventures @Cosyreader I got it from someone on TikTok and cannot find who they are!! They are a queer creator and the candles are great though. 2y
ChaoticMissAdventures @DimeryRene awesome!! I hope you learn a lot like I did. So good to look at things like education being feminist issue. 2y
33 likes1 stack add6 comments
review
arlenefinnigan
post image
Pickpick

This is a challenging but important read, which makes no apologies for how uncomfortable it may make some readers. It highlights how middle class white feminists have often (at best) failed to consider issues of race, homophobia, transphobia, class and poverty, and how the feminist movement needs to do better and challenge its own biases if it really wants to fight for the rights of all women.

33 likes1 stack add
blurb
arlenefinnigan
post image

#ReadHarder challenges 4, 5 and 6: an audiobook performed by a person of color of a book written by an author of color; a nonfiction book about intersectional feminism; a book about activism.

21 likes1 stack add
review
Scochrane26
post image
Pickpick

A great NF book that focuses on why women of color aren‘t included in the white feminist movement & how all women can work together. Most of the info I knew, but it made me think about how I can put more effort into certain communities in my area. I used to be more involved when I worked at an underprivileged school, but now I mostly have white clients. Reminds me of bell hooks‘ Ain‘t I a Woman. #doublespin for September

Singout This was an excellent pick for #SheSaid, and I also highly recommend (edited) 2y
Scochrane26 @Singout Thanks, I put that one on my tbr. Think I‘m a little burned out on reading about the topic atm though. (edited) 2y
38 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Shievad
Pickpick

So many good points made in this book. To me they were quite obvious but unfortunately they are not obvious to many people (women included). Kendall talks about how feminism focusing on equal representation in only high profile positions is bound to fail because it neglects addressing the basic needs of poor and marginalized women. This is a short read/listen. I finished it in a day.

review
Robotswithpersonality
post image
Pickpick

"The hood doesn't lack answers; it lacks resources..."
A great place to start considering modern, intersectional feminism. Very clear, accessible writing, gets to the point, galvanizing and always ends chapters with a way forward for the Black community and mainstream white feminism, also considers disabled, Latinx, Indigenous women. Please, please read. ESPECIALLY my fellow white feminists.

quote
Robotswithpersonality
post image

⏫⏫⏫👏🏻⬆️⬆️⬆️👏🏻

3 likes1 stack add
review
eden.s.dipersio
post image
Pickpick

This should be required reading for every person on this planet! Great book. Honest and eye-opening.

blurb
TiminCalifornia
post image

Here‘s my #bookspinbingo list for March. Should be a good month of reading no matter what the bingo board looks like!

review
readwithcori
post image
Pickpick

Rating: 5🌟
Book: 10 of 2022

February #DoubleSpin pick and I loved, LOVED, loved this book. Straightforward and honest, a must read/listen for all!

blurb
Pms

I can‘t shake the feeling like the author is yelling at its readership. May be deserved, but that style is isn‘t for me at this point in my life unfortunately. Only got through 2 chapters and felt the writing was dry, spitting facts without much of anything to draw me in (eg unique stories about real people, wit or humor). To educate readers, this book will most likely satisfy that requirement.

review
Cazxxx
post image
Pickpick

A very well written and informative book which everyone should read

5feet.of.fury I love that one! 3y
Cazxxx @5feet.of.fury it‘s a good one! 3y
Tera66 This was so good. 3y
39 likes3 comments
review
Erin.Elizabeth10
post image
Pickpick

This books almost feels like a collection of essays; each of the 18 chapters talks about a topic (hunger, housing, education, etc) and how it relates to feminism. It‘s a broad primer on intersectional feminism. There were parts of the book that felt a bit too tied to the moment, but most of it was able to use examples while not getting caught in a specific political moment, and was very good. (Review continued in comments…)

Erin.Elizabeth10 I would say the strength & weakness was the same: Because she covered many topics, there was overlap, so it could feel repetitive, but the point of the book was also to show how everything is connected, and it did that very well. 3y
5 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
WorldsOkayestStepMom
post image
Pickpick

I learned so much from Kendall's essays in this book! I knew some of it, but she gave me new perspectives on other parts of intersectionality that I hadn't thought of before.

blurb
WorldsOkayestStepMom

I've been audiobooking the tagged book while I get as many things done for tomorrow that I can. So far I've made oat balls, turkey pinwheels, and arranged the veggie tray. I still have to make green tea and fudge.

mabell I‘ve been thinking about making fudge! Yum! 3y
WorldsOkayestStepMom @mabell my mom gave me a recipe for it and I made a trial run of it last weekend! 3y
31 likes2 comments
review
Singout
Pickpick

Well worth reading: a series of essays looking at racism from a black feminist perspective, particularly challenging and encouraging White feminist to integrate anti-racism and other forms of anti-oppression into their work. The direct and honest essays, which include Kendall‘s personal experiences, focus on issues such as education, beauty and body judgment, pregnancy and parenting, poverty, health access, and sexual expression.
#SheSaid

11 likes1 stack add
quote
Singout

Anger can be cathartic, motivating, and above all else an expression of the innate humanity of any community. Demands that the oppressed be calm and polite and that forgiveness come before all else are fundamentally dehumanizing... anger gets the petitions out, it motivates marches, it gets people to the ballot. Anger is sometimes the only fuel left at the end of a horrible day, week, year, or generation. #SheSaid

review
AnneCecilie
post image
Mehso-so

I didn‘t read the blurb for this before I started reading, and I probably should. This book was not what I thought it would be.

Every essay start with Kendall talking about the subject on her own life before she broadens the argument. She covers subject such as gun violence, poverty, stereotypes and abortion. Some of these arguments felt very American to me and maybe that‘s why I preferred her essays on stereotypes because they are more easily

AnneCecilie transferable to other countries. I‘m glad I read it, I just thought it would be more universal. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Great review 3y
60 likes3 comments
review
Tera66
post image
Pickpick

This book gave me so much to think about, I try to always be an ally but this book shows that I can do more. I need to not just be an ally but an accomplice.This gave me an opportunity to interrogate myself and look at situations in new ways. I definitely would like to read more from this author.

johncadams Sounds like a good read. 3y
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Matilda
post image
Pickpick

Listened to the audiobook last year which is fantastic but also needed a physical copy.

blurb
AnneCecilie
post image

#BookReport

I finished Hood Feminism #SheSaid and continued The Warmth of Other Suns #OtherSuns

I finished Babylon Berlin and Read Family Lexicon. I‘m in the middle of both 304 days and Diary of a Young Naturalist.

Cinfhen It‘s been nominated for an upcoming bookclub read and I‘m wondering if I should vote for it?? 3y
AnneCecilie @Cinfhen I would definitely vote for it. I didn‘t even know that there was a Great Migration, so I‘m learning so much. 3y
See All 7 Comments
Cinfhen Is the length a hinderance?? Can it be read & discussed in a month?? 3y
AnneCecilie @Cinfhen If I don‘t include the index and notes, my edition is 545p. So I guess it depends on how much one can read in a month. 3y
Cinfhen Oh, that‘s good to know!! Because it said page count 672 🤨🤪and THAT had me worried!! 3y
AnneCecilie @Cinfhen My edition is 622p including notes and index 3y
48 likes7 comments
review
MallenNC
post image
Pickpick

I appreciated Mikki Kendall‘s book of essays about how mainstream (white) feminism has not served all women. I especially liked how she argued that feminist issues must go beyond reproductive rights, career issues, and work/life balance.

This was my #BookSpinBingo for October and our #SheSaid selection for the month. @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 3y
26 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
fredthemoose
post image
Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️ A lot of important information related to potential blind spots that feminists and others who care about social justice may have that ultimately weaken their effectiveness or can actually be harmful. Some of her arguments were made more effectively than others for me, and the audio recording seemed to go back and forth between sessions/styles, which was distracting. A bit of a weak pick for me. Looking forward to the #SheSaid discussion!

review
ravenlee
post image
Pickpick

This is a very strong essay collection. I think I understand the racist impacts of traditional feminism better, and I hope now that I know better I can do better. I didn‘t agree with everything here, but that‘s ok. I liked Lorde‘s writing better, but it‘s good to read them in succession and see the torch being passed. I missed last week‘s discussion, so looking forward to this week. Thanks @Riveted_Reader_Melissa for another great #SheSaid pick!

ravenlee This is my October #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks and another #20in4 goal down @Andrew65 3y
fredthemoose I have some similar thoughts and am also looking forward to the discussion! 3y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 3y
Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘m looking forward to the discussion too! Great review. 3y
27 likes5 comments
review
ShelbyA7
post image
Pickpick

Book #56: 🎧Audiobook. Required feminist reading to help educate on intersectional feminism. Going in, I knew what intersectional feminism was on a base level, but I didn‘t understand the specific issues that it included. Kendall does a great job of going into each issue, providing personal anecdotes and examples in politics and pop culture. Always learning!

quote
Singout

In theory, gentrification can bring services and jobs to a community. In practice, it means opportunities for some and criminalization for others. It‘s easy to dismiss claims made by residents about increased police presence as speculative when you‘re new to the area, but for those who‘ve lived through the past few decades in major cities, they‘ve seen a lot of lack of investment in those neighbourhoods as children and later as adults. #SheSaid

quote
Singout

Feminism has told white women that they have the right to occupy every space but it has not passed on the message that they don‘t have a right to force everyone else to comply with their whims.Challenging the patriarchy too often stops at challenging the ways it is used against other people and their communities...white feminist are being validated in their fear of people of color, especially Black people. #SheSaid

quote
megnews
post image

This is criminal.

#SheSaid

BookBosomed1 This book is on my TBR shelf. I‘ve enjoyed reading your snippets 3y
AnneCecilie I noticed that too. It‘s insane. 3y
Sharpeipup It seems backwards. 3y
See All 9 Comments
megnews @Sharpeipup yes it does. 3y
megnews @BookBosomed1 I‘m enjoying discussing it with @Riveted_Reader_Melissa & #SheSaid 3y
BookBosomed1 @megnews Ooo. A new person to follow! Digging @Riveted_Reader_Melissa‘s name and that hashtag. Thanks! 3y
megnews @BookBosomed1 yes, she‘s great and leads the monthly #SheSaid book club. 3y
39 likes9 comments
quote
megnews
post image
quote
megnews
This post contains spoilers
show me
post image

This is where I began to understand my disconnect with the book so far. As an evangelical white woman, the majority of said women definitely do not consider themselves feminists. Are they experiencing the benefits of feminism? Absolutely. They can vote. They can run for political positions and hold jobs never dreamed of previously. Would their predecessors have fought against such rights? Many did. In a similar manner to Kendall exploring why ⬇️

megnews ⬆️ “hood feminism” is different from the mainstream, white evangelical women who benefit from the system but don‘t believe in much of the platform are vastly different from liberal feminist women. Lying somewhere in the middle, I talk with a lot of people on all 3 sides and it‘s easy to see and understand the differences. Is Kendall‘s experience of these groups only from the drama of the Megyn Kelly‘s that play out on center stage? It‘s a ⬇️ 3y
megnews ⬆️ limited viewpoint. I do agree with Kendall regarding all the ways white women, feminist leaning or benefitting, benefit from white supremacy. The lumping of the 2 groups, to which I feel I belong to neither, with what feels like anecdotal evidence or limited viewpoint is what I‘m struggling with. 3y
fredthemoose I was behind in the reading when you initially posted this, but as you saw from some of my #SheSaid posts, I struggled with some of the same issues! 3y
megnews @fredthemoose yes, you described it much more eloquently. 3y
6 likes4 comments
blurb
megnews
This post contains spoilers
show me
post image

The Fear and Feminism essay spoke to me the most so far. It also highlighted why I think I‘ve felt a little disconnected so far. I understand the comments above, while not some of her comments on mainstream feminism. Next post.

#SheSaid

review
BkClubCare
post image
Pickpick

I am glad to read this. I read half via eBook from the library so I captured some notes in gr through the Kindle app; I checked out the hard cover when the 14 day eBook expired. Important to read a variety of perspectives and viewpoints. I have much to learn. #racism #antiracism #allyship #feminism #EstherAssisting #DogsofLitsy

quote
Singout

We love the idea of a strong Black woman...the same feminism that holds them up to fight the battles turns away when the war is over and doesn‘t bother to tend their wounds, emotional or otherwise. We don‘t bother to care about their feelings...We expect marginalized voices to ring out no matter what obstacles they face, and then we penalize them for not saying the right thing in the right way.

quote
Singout

“We see a framework that restricts feminist horizons to structures that expect the individual to fight rather than the collective. This form of individualist feminism relies on the idea that an empowered woman can do anything: it ignores the economic and racial realities that some face...While we stand on the sidelines cheering women on, largely there has been minimal collective efforts to fight oppression across multiple identities.”
#SheSaid