Bell Hooks, Black Women: Shaping Feminist Theory - Essay Example

Bell Hooks Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center Bell Hooks Feminist Theory: From Marginto Center The purpose of this essay is to identify the role of gender and sexuality among black women by analyzing the Feminist Theory, From Margin to Center by Bell Hooks. The reason why I have selected Bell Hooks for this essay is that she has effectively covered every aspect of gender and sexuality among the Black women of the 70’s and how the American culture treated and oppressed them. The content of the book revolves around women, gender role, and class differences in the American culture.

She has effectively explored various aspects of feminism, role of women and feminist movement and race. According to Hooks, women strongly shared the ‘bonds of sisterhood’ across various ethnicities and backgrounds and removed the barrier between classes (Hooks 16). However, Hooks has highlighted the other aspect of the American culture and society that how women have been the victim of sexual oppression and how they are beaten, victimized, and tortured both physically and mentally, on a routine basis.

Furthermore, she has also discussed how class differences have been ruling the American society. The rich white women were the most privileged while the poor white and Black ones were happy in their world. They were destined to be a maid, clerk, factory worker, babysitter, or may be a prostitute (Hooks 5). By classifying Black women as a minority within a minority, Hook has effectively raised her voice to end the sexist oppression while she has also criticized the sisterhood phenomenon which has barred the black women from their basic rights over the white ones (Hooks 7).

Thus, it can be said that Hooks in her book has effectively criticized the Feminist movement as it has greatly oppressed the rights of black women over white women and black men while the major problems of their identity and other sexual issues are also discussed. Works CitedHooks, Bell. Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. Boston: Boston South End Press, 1984. Print.