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bell hooks has brought to light cultural practices and developed concrete strategies that combat internalized sexism. bell hooks is a well-renowned African-American author, feminist, social activist, social critic, professor, and scholar. Several of the writings in bell hooks’ book Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics focuses on internalized sexism, particularly internalized misogyny. Internalized misogyny is a pandemic that exists in patriarchal cultures. Sexist messages have a life-long detrimental impact on self-image functioning as self-hate. Knowing the harmful effects of misogynistic ideologies, why do women continue to hurt themselves and others? bell hooks answers the afore-mentioned question and she describes numerous methods of how women can empower themselves and fellow women. By doing so, women can combat the daily unconscious and conscious practices of internalized misogyny. bell hooks promotes the feminist call-of-action of Sisterhood is Powerful. The following quotes below are excerpts from bell hooks Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics book. The quotes primarily discuss how a woman must critique and transform the inner judgments of her being and cease exhibiting preconceived notions upon herself and other women. bell hooks states:
- “With heightened focus on the construction of woman as a ‘victim’ of gender equality deserving of reparations (whether through changes in discriminatory laws or affirmative action policies) the idea that women needed to first confront their internalized sexism as part of becoming feminist lost currency. Females of all ages acted as though concern for or rage at male domination or gender equality was all that was needed to make one a 'feminist’. Without confronting internalized sexism women who picked up the feminist banner often betrayed the cause in their interactions with other women.”[1]
- “As long as women are using class or race power to dominate other women, feminist sisterhood cannot be fully realized”[1]
- “As long as females take up the banner of feminist politics without addressing and transforming their own sexism, ultimately the movement will be undermined.”[1]
- “That foundation rested on our critique of what we then called 'the enemy within,' referring to our internalized sexism. We all knew firsthand that we had been socialized as females by patriarchal thinking to see ourselves as inferior to men, to see ourselves as always and only in competition with one another for patriarchal approval, to look upon each other with jealousy, fear, and hatred. Sexist thinking made us judge each other without compassion and punish one another harshly. Feminist thinking helped us unlearn female self-hatred. It enabled us to break free of the hold patriarchal thinking had on our consciousness.”[1]
- “Young girls and adolescents will not know that feminist thinkers acknowledge both the value of beauty and adornment if we continue to allow patriarchal sensibilities to inform the beauty industry in all spheres. Rigid feminist dismissal of female longings for beauty has undermined feminist politics. While this sensibility is more uncommon, it is often presented by mass media as the way feminists think. Until feminists go back to the beauty industry, go back to fashion, and create an ongoing, sustained revolution, we will not be free. We will not know how to love our bodies as ourselves.”[1]
The previous quotes can be used as daily positive affirmations that can inspire you to transform your way of thinking.