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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

All too often, however, the focus is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few. 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. Like what you hear? Find more of our programs online.A potent and electrifying critique of today's feminist movement announcing a fresh new voice in black feminismToday's feminist movement has a glaring blind spot, and paradoxically, it is women. Mikki Kendall talked with us about her critique of the current mainstream feminist movement and how she feels it's not serving the needs and rights of black women. And that the same exclusion of black women that operated in 1920 is still alive and well in feminism today. Her new book is called 'Hood Feminism,' and it explores how the traditional feminist movement has failed to include the struggles of black women in their fight for equality. And racism within the movement continues to taint the way it represents and supports Black women in this country, says author and activist Mikki Kendall. And for the past hundred years the feminist movement has continued to advocate for the rights of women.īut that movement established its roots during the time of segregation. In this book, Mikki Kendall illustrates (with examples) how feminism has historically failed women of color, and how white women can broaden their intellectual scope to be more inclusive to the intersectional branches of feminism, including BIPOC women, LGBT+ women, and women living below the party line (and these groups are not mutually. This summer will mark 100 years since the ratification of the 19th Amendment-the amendment that guaranteed women the right to vote. Demonstrators protest on the National Mall in Washington, DC, during the Women's March.ĪNDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall