Book Review | Mikki Kendall’s “Hood Feminism” – Notes from the Women White Feminists Forgot

Mikki Kendall

‘It is absolutely brilliant, I think every woman should read it’ PANDORA SYKES, THE HIGH LOW
‘My wish is that every white woman who calls herself a feminist will read this book in a state of hushed and humble respect … Essential reading’ ELIZABETH GILBERT

All too often the focus of mainstream feminism is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few.


Meeting basic needs is a feminist issue. Food insecurity, the living wage and access to education are feminist issues. The fight against racism, ableism and transmisogyny are all feminist issues.


White feminists often fail to see how race, class, sexual orientation and disability intersect with gender. How can feminists stand in solidarity as a movement when there is a distinct likelihood that some women are oppressing others?


Insightful, incendiary and ultimately hopeful, Hood Feminism is both an irrefutable indictment of a movement in flux and also clear-eyed assessment of how to save it.

About the author

Mikki Kendall lives and works in Chicago where she wields words and raises a family. She has a couple of degrees, a couple of kids, and one patient husbeast. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and DePaul,

Mikki Kendall has been blogging since 2003 under the pen name Karnythia. She has discussed topics ranging from Chicago violence to police brutality, from parenting to racial representation in media, from reproductive health to food insecurity. She has also covered abortion, education, and politics.

In August of 2013, Mikki started the hashtag #solidarityisforwhitewomen.

It sparked a global conversation about racism, solidarity, representation, and access to resources in feminist circles. Her other hashtags (including #fasttailedgirls, #NotJustHello, #AbuserDynamics, #MillenialMammy, #NotYourMandingo, and others designed to make room for hard conversations about feminist issues) have also gone viral.

She has written for NBC Think, Washington Post, The Guardian, Ebony, Essence, Publishers Weekly, Global Comment, Salon, xoJane, The Toast, and other online and print markets.

She has also been published in several anthologies, both fiction and nonfiction. Her professional comics work includes Swords of Sorrow with Dynamite Comics, and Action Lab’s Princeless Charity Series.

Una crítica potente y electrizante del movimiento feminista actual que anuncia una nueva voz del feminismo negro.

El movimiento feminista actual tiene un punto ciego evidente y, paradójicamente, son las mujeres. Las feministas de la corriente principal rara vez hablan de la satisfacción de las necesidades básicas como una cuestión feminista, sostiene Mikki Kendall, pero la inseguridad alimentaria, el acceso a una educación de calidad, los barrios seguros, un salario digno y la atención médica son cuestiones feministas. Sin embargo, a menudo la atención no se centra en la supervivencia básica de la mayoría sino en el aumento de los privilegios de unos pocos.

El hecho de que las feministas se nieguen a dar prioridad a estas cuestiones no ha hecho más que exacerbar el viejo problema tanto de las discordias internas como de las mujeres que se nieganl lamarse como tal. Además, las feministas blancas prominentes sufren en general de su propia miopía con respecto a cómo cosas como la raza, la clase, la orientación sexual y la capacidad se cruzan con el género.

¿Cómo podemos ser solidarias como movimiento, se pregunta Kendall, cuando existe la clara posibilidad de que algunas mujeres estén oprimiendo a otras?

En su mordaz colección de ensayos, Mikki Kendall apunta a la legitimidad del movimiento feminista moderno argumentando que ha fracasado crónicamente a la hora de abordar las necesidades de todas las mujeres excepto unas pocas.

Basándose en sus propias experiencias con el hambre, la violencia y la hipersexualización, junto con comentarios incisivos sobre la política, la cultura pop, el estigma de la salud mental, y mucho más,

‘Feminismo de barrio’ ofrece una acusación irrefutable de un movimiento en proceso de cambio.

Un debut inolvidable, Kendall ha escrito una feroz llamada de atención a todas las aspirantes a feministas para que hagan realidad el verdadero mandato del movimiento con palabras y con hechos.

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women White Feminists Forgot

**Book Review by: Thomas Jerome Baker, MA TEFL, Universidad Andrés Bello, Doctoral Student (Applied Didactics in Education), Universidad Americana de Europa, Cancún, Mexico, Amazon Author and Past-President 2010-2011, TESOL Chile Open Researcher and Contributor ID: 0000-0003-4215-844X, Member of the International Black Doctoral Network (BDN).

**”Empowering Voices: The Essential Intersectionality of ‘Hood Feminism”**

Introduction

Mikki Kendall’s “Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot” is a revolutionary text that redefines the contours of modern feminism. As a Black feminist and intersectional thinker, Kendall compellingly critiques the mainstream feminist movement, emphasizing the often-overlooked voices and struggles of marginalized women.

Through a phenomenological approach, she explores the lived experiences of these women, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of oppression and the urgent need for a more inclusive feminism.

The Mainstream Feminist Movement

Kendall begins by challenging the mainstream feminist movement for its persistent oversight of issues that disproportionately affect women of color, particularly Black women.

She asserts, “Mainstream feminism has focused on increasing privilege for a few rather than addressing the systemic issues that affect the many.”

This critique sets the stage for her broader argument: that feminism must be intersectional to be truly effective. Intersectionality, a concept popularized by Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw, refers to how various forms of oppression—such as race, gender, and class—intersect and compound each other. Kendall’s use of intersectionality is not just theoretical but deeply rooted in real-world implications.

One of the book’s strengths is its focus on phenomenology, or the study of individuals’ lived experiences. Kendall draws on her personal experiences and those of other women from marginalized communities to illustrate her points.

For example, she recounts, “I learned about feminism from women who lived it, who never called themselves feminists. They were just Black women surviving.”

This narrative technique not only humanizes the issues but also underscores the disconnect between academic feminism and the everyday struggles of many women.

Kendall tackles a wide array of topics often neglected by mainstream feminism, including poverty, gun violence, and access to quality education.

She poignantly notes, “For a lot of women, feminism is not a label they want to claim because it seems so removed from their reality.”

By addressing these issues, Kendall broadens the scope of what feminism should encompass, urging the movement to be more inclusive and representative of all women’s experiences.

One particularly compelling chapter discusses food insecurity.

Kendall argues, “When you are hungry, nothing else matters. The fight for equality has to start with making sure people’s basic needs are met.”

This statement is a powerful reminder that social justice must address fundamental human needs before it can tackle broader societal issues. Kendall’s emphasis on basic needs aligns with the thoughts of Bell Hooks (bell hooks), another notable Black feminist, who wrote, “Without justice there can be no love.” Both hooks and Kendall highlight the inseparability of justice and care in the fight for equality.

Kendall also critiques the performative aspects of mainstream feminism.

She states, “It’s easy to put a pink hat on and march. It’s harder to show up for your neighbor when she’s dealing with domestic violence.”

This critique is particularly relevant in today’s age of social media activism, where showing up for the photo op is often mistaken for genuine allyship. Kendall’s call to action is for a deeper, more committed form of feminism that prioritizes tangible support over symbolic gestures.

Education is another critical area Kendall addresses.

She writes, “Educational disparities are a feminist issue. If we are not advocating for equal access to quality education, we are not advocating for equality.”

This perspective is particularly salient for Black women and girls, who face systemic barriers in education that can hinder their social and economic mobility. Kendall’s argument here is that true feminism must advocate for systemic change in education to ensure that all women have the opportunity to succeed.

Moreover, Kendall’s discussion on gun violence highlights another dimension often overlooked by mainstream feminism.

She asserts, “Gun violence is a feminist issue. Women of color, particularly Black women, are disproportionately affected by it.”

By bringing attention to this, Kendall broadens the understanding of feminist issues to include the unique vulnerabilities faced by women in marginalized communities. This inclusion is crucial for a comprehensive feminist agenda that addresses all facets of women’s lives.

Kendall’s work is not without its critiques of the Black community itself. She discusses the need for internal reflection and accountability, stating, “We have to confront the ways in which we contribute to our own oppression.”

This nuanced view acknowledges that while systemic racism and sexism are significant barriers, internal community dynamics also play a role in perpetuating inequality.

This call for self-examination is essential for holistic social change.

Conclusion

In conclusion, “Hood Feminism” is a seminal work that challenges and expands the feminist discourse.

Mikki Kendall’s intersectional and phenomenological approach provides a much-needed critique of the mainstream feminist movement, advocating for a feminism that is inclusive, practical, and deeply connected to the lived experiences of all women, particularly those from marginalized communities.

Her call to address basic human needs, educational disparities, and gun violence, alongside the critique of performative allyship, resonates deeply with the core values of true feminist advocacy.

Kendall’s work aligns with the views of influential Black feminists like bell hooks, who emphasize the necessity of justice and care in the fight for equality.

As Kendall poignantly states, “Feminism is for everybody. It has to be.”

This inclusive vision is crucial for the feminist movement to be genuinely transformative.

“Hood Feminism” is an essential read for anyone committed to social justice.

It offers invaluable insights for both seasoned activists and newcomers to feminist thought.

By centering the experiences of marginalized women, Kendall’s book provides a roadmap for a more equitable and inclusive feminist future.

It is a call to action for all of us to engage in a feminism that leaves no one behind.

Get your copy of “Hood Feminism” today and join the movement for true equality.