Securing that equality, Kendall argues, requires that women accept some inconvenient truths, specifically 'the distinct likelihood that some women are oppressing others. Regardless of the topic, each chapter is designed to 'focus largely on the experiences of the marginalized, and address the issues faced by most women, instead of the issues that only concern a few - as has been the common practice of feminists to date - because tackling those larger issues is key to equality for all women.'

Others, such as 'Black Girls Don't Have Eating Disorders' and 'The Hood Doesn't Hate Smart People,' challenge harmful myths that, in the case of the former, can lead to young women not getting the help and support they need and, in the latter, perpetuate race- and class-based stereotypes. Many of the book's essays focus on these overlooked issues, with chapters examining how gun violence, hunger, poverty, education, housing, reproductive justice, and more are all feminist issues. (Also, if you're not one of those someones, I really think you should read Hood Feminism.)Īs the subtitle makes clear, Kendall's central thesis is that mainstream feminism in the United States has been anything but inclusive, despite being 'a movement that draws much of its strength from the claim that it represents over half of the world's population.' In prose that is clean, crisp, and cutting, Kendall reveals how feminism has both failed to take into account populations too often excluded from the banner of feminism and failed to consider the breadth of issues affecting the daily lives of millions of women.

If you're someone who claims the mantel of feminism, who believes in the innate equality of all genders, who thinks that solidarity among communities of women is a core component of the world you want to live in, I strongly encourage you to read Mikki Kendall's debut essay collection, Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title Hood Feminism Subtitle Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot Author Mikki Kendall

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