Hood Feminism Notes from the Women That White Feminists Forgot

This is the best book I’ve read in a long time that provides a great summary and language to the issues of modern/white feminism. Very accessible book on intersectional feminism. Going beyond mere representational politics and addressing the material conditions that subject marginalized women into precarious socio-economic conditions is the only way to improve it.

Good but I just don't personally feel like I learned much from it. It feels like a long, segmented opinion piece, likely influenced by Black feminist/womanist writers. Not much sourcing to inspired writers nor case studies or other articles, so it left the journalist in me wanting.

wow que libro tan denso pero tan increíblemente necesario. i find that i like listening to non fiction books rather than read them, but my hardcover copy of this is stunning! miss kendall didn't even stutter while writing this, didn't even stop to catch a f*cking breath. and oh my god i am so happy she didn't. while reading this i found lo mucho que me falta por educarme, to become a genuine accomplice rather than an empty ally. this inspired me to do my best to help all my sisters in feminism and reallyyyy check my privilege even if i think i'm doing the right thing. "there's nothing feminist about having so many resources at your fingertips and choosing to be ignorant. nothing empowering or enlightening in deciding that intent trumps impact."

While Kendall’s politics and critiques are valid, this does not feel like a book for Black feminists- by which I mean the ideology not feminists who are Black. Also as someone who prefers more academic/analytical/historical writing I was not a fan of how much it read like a personal memoir. That’s just mot my taste. I feel like people positioned Hood Feminism as like a ground breaking theory book or academic text which is why I read it and that’s just not true to me. It’s a memoir supported by statistics but there’s very little analysis. This made it a chore to get through. I’d recommend this to a friend as an introduction to intersectional feminism but honestly I think better books and articles have already been written for that purpose, but if you want something more contemporary and in plain language this could be it. Overall not bad but not great and certainly not for me.

no agrega nada a la conversación y repite algo que en latinoamerica se sabe desde hace años

“Instead of a framework that focuses on helping women get basic needs met, all too often the focus is not on survival but on increasing privilege. For a movement that is meant to represent all women, it often centers on those who already have most of their needs met." There are a lot of aspects and circumstances that underlay the sex inequality issues and this book tackles pretty much everything of that. From hunger, to education, poverty, and gentrification. A much needed read for everyone.

I read this as an audiobook since Mikki Kendall reads it herself. This is a MUST read, especially for those who have learned and lived out feminist values through the lens of white feminism. Hood feminism is feminism that fights for ALL women. The book does a great job of addressing issues such as housing, education, poverty, hunger etc and how we can address them. It also reveals how much feminism has historically overlooked women that aren't white.

i am not surprised with the content since i have read a lot about intersectionality, nevertheless, it is still a phenomenal book and i still learned a lot. so much insights to get from it; very educating. everyone should read and thoroughly understand it since it is a very important book.

This book taught me some things I didn't know and effectively kicked me in the ass on things I did know and need to do more about.

Very informative and thought-provoking, and directly challenging of the reader in a way that encourages deeper critical thought through self inspection and questioning. This book brings to light a variety of topics in which the mainstream feminist attitude needs to step up and widen their efforts towards truly supporting women, all women, and especially those marginalized women whose struggles are not fixed, focused on, or even considered in typical feminist efforts. Women within these underprivileged communities have done lots of work themselves internally in their communities, but the larger feminist movement (especially white women) must put more effort and care towards learning and listening to the struggles of those oppressed, and asking them what they need.

Mikki Kendall does an excellent job of also using her own experience and personal logic to help the reader understand concepts in larger society, while also giving examples of every concept she discusses. This is the kind of book I read with a pencil in hand because there was much to be underlined, reread, and emphasized.

so good! kicking myself for not picking this up earlier, this was such a good and insightful read. think everyone who considers themselves a feminist (as you should) should pick this up!

I feel very confident in saying this book is going to be the best book I read in January. It was absolutely wonderful and I have devoured it. I started listening to it one evening, and when I next looked at the clock 6 hours had passed, it was 3 in the morning and the book was over. This is high praise, especially for non-fiction titles. Mikki Kendall takes the time in this book to break down in clear essays some of deeper issues of intersectionality, all integral to the achievement of a more equalitarian society, that the middle-class, mostly white Feminist movement has ignored for years. As a middle-class, white feminist myself (though I am moving to the US in a couple of months and I wonder if once I get there people will still consider me to be white or if I become a latina for form filling purposes, but that’s neither here nor there), I can see how easily so many of the things she deals with in her books have gone completely ignored by so many of us in our feminist ideals. But here’s the thing: everything she says makes sense. We can’t talk about reproductive rights if we can’t guarantee that everyone has access not only to healthcare, but also to the support to raise the children they have chosen to have. We can’t talk equality in the workplace if we can’t guarantee food security, and education, which allows all mothers to take their place in it, or if we continue to discriminate against simple things such as accents or so-called eloquence. When we talk about abortion rights, we have to be careful not to make an able-ist argument out of it. It’s hard to see how often, even unknowingly, we end up oppressing other women (and other people) who are less privileged than us, because of not understanding that being part of one marginalized community doesn’t take away the privileges we have from other facets of our lives. I honestly feel like I already have to re-read this book. We can’t content ourselves with a fight for equal rights or equal pay until we have tackled the problems of poverty, and racism, and mental health, and ableism, and so many others that threaten to overwhelm people far lower in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Everyone should read this book and do their damnedest to support those people who are already fighting this however we can.

It is important to be uncomfortable in order to grow and be more inclusive of other people. It is also important to acknowledge the ways in which your seemingly progressive ideas have actively and passively hurt people. Mikki Kendall's introduction for white women of how we uphold white supremacy was at times deeply uncomfortable, but Kendall also doesn't shy away from saying, "You've messed up, and so have I. Don't wallow in your hurt at the expense of inclusion. Try again. Try better."

2.5 didn’t want to dnf so I skimmed through the last half I didn’t really learn anything new from this book and I’m not sure if I was the target audience tbh

A must-read piece of feminist writing

This book is the definition of intersectionality. The way that it breaks down the need for feminism not just for White women, but for Black and brown women, disabled people, children, and so many more marginalized people is so powerful, yet easy to grasp. One of the best books I've read this year!

Good read and a quick read too. Lots of good points and food for thought.

everyone needs to read this. ASAP. I need to gather my thoughts and notes and then I'll say more.

5/5 for sure. Mikki Kendall explains the nuance that exists when discussing race related issues in the United States. She lays out how interconnected several social issues are and how we can't address one without also addressing another. The book should be required reading to better understand issues facing the Black community, particularly Black women, from the voice of a Black woman.

Fantastic critique on feminism from a marginalized perspective that is structured and expands on specific issues. For this reason it is hyper specific and helpful, but also, for some, probably a lot less inclusive to people who are not awake of the movement and the jargon used in social Justice spaces. I’m pretty well engrained in it and I had to stop to look up some things because I’m in Canada and had never heard some of the terms used. But it does what it sets out to do very well, imo. You need some foundation, after which the ways in which the movement is failing and has failed its mandate to help marginalized peoples in the past. I found the arguments very well thought out and clear.

The content was really good but there were many times that it felt like the author was just listing off facts. I listened to the audiobook and would not recommend as the performance was monotone and flat. That being said, I’d recommend everyone read the first half— the info there is good and since it’s based on her experiences (unlike some of the second half of the book) it was compelling.

This book made me check my privilege. I was not delusional about the inequalities women of color face compared to white women but I have also never been a victim of them either. We live in an era of performative activism and I think that Mikki did an incredible job of detailing how exclusionary waves of feminism have been and still are. As the author states: "Sometimes being a good ally is about opening the door for someone instead of insisting that your voice is the only one that matters". This is a must-read for everyone.

I think this book serves as an excellent beginner to intermediary introduction into the challenges of feminism and race. I firmly believe in teaching yourself to the best of your abilities and listening to voices that have different experiences than your own. And for that I would 100% recommend this to anyone. But as someone who has spent the last decade educating myself on feminism and racism and classism, I valued most hearing the authors personal experiences and her vision as to what an accomplice should be (loved that title btw!). The book was well-researched and written in a way that felt accessible for most.