Hood Feminism

ultimately the question has to be not only “What women are we empowering?” but also “What are we empowering them to do?”

Conservative feminists figure out reasons to justify why they deserve equality and safety at the expense of others.

And there’s the sad fact that respectability dynamics don’t just impact how the state responds to reports that someone is missing; they impact how the state responds to those who may have harmed them.

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.

We love the idea of a Strong Black Woman, celebrate those who, like Anita Hill, manage to continue to have a successful career in the aftermath. But what about those who can’t do that? For those without a pass back to middle class or the ivory tower, what resources are available? The same feminism that holds them up to fight the battles turns away when the war is over and doesn’t bother to tend the wounds, emotional or otherwise

ut when it comes right down to it, mainstream white feminism often fails to show up for women of color.

as long as he’s preying on girls who society sees as unworthy of protection.

Rape culture is pandemic and must be fought unanimously or we will never defeat it.

Instead of tips on how to not be a rapist, how to teach people not to rape, or even on creating therapeutic outlets for potential rapists, we find a half dozen tips on preventing a mythical stranger from raping an able-bodied, alert, physically fit person with excellent reflexes and an exceptional amount of luck.

True equity starts with ensuring that everyone has access to the most basic of needs.