bell hooks - Are You Still a Slave? Liberating the Black Female Body | Eugene Lang College

The New School (www.newschool.edu) presents a conversation with bell hooks, scholar-in-residence at Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts (www.newschool.edu/lang) and other leading voices in black feminism and the LGBTQ community: author Marci Blackman (Tradition), film director Shola Lynch (Free Angela and All Political Prisoners), and author and activist Janet Mock (Redefining Realness), about liberating the black female body.
For more than three decades, bell hooks (née Gloria Watkins) has been recognized internationally as a scholar, poet, author, and radical thinker. The dozens of books and articles she has published span several genres, including cultural and political analyses and critiques, personal memoirs, poetry collections, and children's books. Her writings cover topics of gender, race, class, spirituality, teaching, and the significance of media in contemporary culture. According to Dr. hooks, these topics must be understood as interconnected in the production of systems of oppression and class domination.
The bell hooks residency at The New School is an opportunity for students to engage with education as a practice of freedom. They can participate in a series of intimate conversations and public dialogues on subjects ranging from politics to love, race to spirituality, gender to lived bodies.
More information for the bell hooks scholar-in-residence
| www.newschool.edu/lang/bell-ho...
Location: The Auditorium, Alvin Johnson/J.M. Kaplan Hall
Tuesday May 6, 2014 at 4 pm

[@movingdragons]

There's no money in Liberation. That's the sad truth.

[@emma13254]

I am "celibate," or at least have been for some time, for the exact reason bell hooks mentioned. I also found the audience reaction very interesting. She had earlier called out our culture for idolizing fame, money, etc. ... Sex is also high on that list of status symbols. I agree with her on how narrow and unimaginative our definition of sex is ... And that being a sexual being does not necessitate engaging in some prescribed behavior. At any rate, for the exact attitude personified in the audience reaction, I don't find this an easy topic to discuss. But I do wonder about the "sex positive" messages that seem to assume there is some vast pool of potential partners that are respectful and just waiting to safely explore any kind of behavior with utmost reverence ... and that any "negative" messages only exist in a person's head. I don't feel this is going to be particularly liberatory for young women, who will soon find lots of "nice guys" are not so nice in bed. Celibacy can be a form of self respect and preservation.

[@aminahmooniriebey9595]

ya i agree abt the celibacy! id much rather be with myself then to enter a situation where i dont feel comfortable or and not 100 percent sure. it seems like my interactions with men (in the past) have been exactly what lead me to become celibate. i have dealt with abuse in the past and knowng how that feels makes me even stronger in my stance.

[@ahnmichael1484]

I am definitely considering this question deeply, myself, and am always shocked (or perhaps not shocked, just hoping for more) when people are holding space for meaningful discourse, participating in imaginative work together, and then part of it is abandoned. That is a lonely feeling, and I am thankful to see that bell was not alone in that and that we aren't, either. :)

[@DJJR617]

conversation about Beyonce begins at 28:40

[@GoogleUser-wy2vv]

"We have to create our own standards". "The cost of liberation." This is refreshing...

[@SheedahSunshine]

A beautiful conversation. I could watch it over and over.

[@strugglefoodnetwork]

on the beyonce thing, I think many are too hung up on the hyperbole of the word "terrorism" and the (un-implied) implications of respectability politics here. Here's what I think: Beyonce Knowles can do and be whatever type of woman and artist she wants to be and DESERVES to occupy a huge space in pop, her fans' hearts, and to sell out entire stadiums. But when "Beyonce" is constantly SELECTED to be on the cover of almost every magazine (cultural and fashion), all over TV and the radio almost more than any other female artist, and has the formal audience of the President of the United States and endorsement of the First Lady, it creates a DOMINANCE of "that" image and an amplification of "its" impact in the extremely influential visual/political space that implies the SUPREMACY of her type of femininity in a space that TRULY lacks varied representations and celebrations of other types of women and femininity. So, Beyonce Knowles, as an individual artist and person, is not an anti-feminist terrorist (she is a proud feminist), but "Beyonce's" CO-OPTED image by the massively influential visual media/political space BECOMES a WMU (weapon of mass undermining) of the strides we are trying to make to teach and show people many, varying types of femininity that are worthy of the same representation, respect, admiration, compensation, etc as the different types of masculinity. Like Lena Dunham, Carrie Bradshaw, and Kim K - who aren't "bad" women for doing what they do and creating what they create, but are nevertheless VERY impactful agents of imbalance to equal representation of women and feminism when they are SELECTED and HERALDED as the dominant and supreme female images in the visual/political space. Beyonce's image is certainly a hegemonic device for patriarchy and capitalism. No doubt. She's not "bad" as an artist though, but her image DEFINITELY needs to be COUNTERBALANCED with other ones! I think the more constructive thing to do here in the service of promoting feminism and varied female representation is to demand of entities like Sony, television, radio, magazines MORE counter-hegemonic representations so that they can reach the same level as the Beyonces and the Britneys and the Lenas and have the same impact as them. It's not gonna do any good to keep criticizing Beyonce personally for not portraying different types of femininity or political ideals because she was never meant to do that and probably never will (authentically), so we should stop trying to put so much on her. As a comedian once said, "TV, mags, and radio are called 'mediums' because their content is usually neither 'rare' or 'well-done' (lol steak jokes yyyyyyeaaaahhh). So instead of asking King B to dismantle the system from within (impotently using the "master's tools" as bell astutely pointed out), we should put the pressure on these mediums OURSELVES. For example, this current bruhaha references Beyonce's recent TIME magazine cover and whether or not she had her own agency in choosing how she was represented on it/in it. Does any care or notice that TIME magazine is historically and invariably a propagandist rag??? I'm not gonna be mad at Beyonce for being semi-nude, with blonde hair, and cast in greytone on the cover! I'm gonna STAY mad at TIME magazine for doing business as usual and heralding pro-capitalist, pro-patriarchal, western imperialist figures and villifying non-patriarchal, non-capitalist, non-western imperialist figures. Same with Sony, TV, the music industry, etc. We have to implore and PROVIDE the change we want to see and change the DEMAND for what they keep offering, and not just expect them or people like Bey to do it on their own. I also think we should CONTINUE (because I see alot of men and women doing this these days and it makes me so proud) to provide and celebrate counter-hegemonic examples of femininity (and masculinity) in our everyday conversations, debates, and interactions with our friends and the people we meet. That helps alot. p.s. I'm going to also offer one of my personal (and ugliest) opinions here just to put it out there for someone to correct me or add some insight here but...........I PERSONALLY think Beyonce should NOT be slated as a feminist icon (outside of pop) because she has done NOTHING to empower women OUTSIDE of sexuality and materialism. And furthermore, the Beyhive (i'm talking the hardcore fans), to me, speak to her lack of effectiveness and power of harmful disparate impact in those areas, because when I look at the beyhive i notice how they are often some of the LEAST sexually empowered, most financially unstable/disempowered, and least educated (and I don't just mean formal, snobby, education/degree holding) people ever and therefore are the LEAST likely to wield their agency as women, men, or people of the LGBT community and make effective challenges to the patriarchal system or change ANYTHING for that matter. Sorry but I really do think that and I'm not proud of it. Beyonce is like the damn Khalessi of pop music and she has a bunch of slaves that are only good at helping HER and her few friends achieve the Iron Throne and are the least likely to ever achieve power or autonomy for their own authentic wishes and interests.

[@BlackmanVision]

[@strugglefoodnetwork]

BlackmanVision thanks for the support. i'm slowly finding that it's much easier to place the blame and responsibility on one person or a small group, but that it's more productive to put the responsibility on ourselves and larger groups/institutions in order to make change. If you have a chance, come check out my lil "response" video! p.s. this whole "beyonce" outrage reminds me so much of the donald sterling, paula deen outrage. folks getting mad at a couple of knuckleheads who have a limited impact on our community rather than the institutions that supported them or the other political and social actors that do alot more damage to blacks than those two racist idiots. smh!

[@akenyaseymour3407]

I love what you're saying and how you express yourself. But there are some major issues that aren't being addressed and some important questions that aren't being asked: You say that we need to hold these companies accountable for the images they produce, and understand that Beyonce is basically just a part of a larger machine and that who she is as an individual isn't indicative of the industry that she's a part of. And I'm totally here for that. But, when do we hold Bey accountable for the companies, agencies, and orgs that she chooses to affiliate and conduct business with? And when do we hold her accountable for doing nothing to change the situation? Not to change herself and not to demand that she represent different kinds of beauty and personas, but that she help to facilitate that possibility? ESPECIALLY being someone with that amount of influence, agency and WEALTH. I understand she needs her endorsements and sponsorships and whatnot, but when does she go from just existing within the system to being a part of the system and a part of the larger problem at hand? Not to say that her kind of identity and femininity and womanhood shouldn't exist; it should and you so eloquently state that in your first paragraph. But, as you also point out, her being this co-opted image is terrifying, and while she isn't the main culprit, she can't be removed from the equation. I mean quite literally: she is the image that's being mass marketed and upheld as the ultimate, leaving no room for variation. Yes, it's bigger than Bey, and yes if she opted out they'd find someone else to replace her; that's a no brainer. But, when do we hold Beyonce accountable for her role and her influence and say, "DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS!" Use your wealth and influence and do something to change the system. Start your own magazine and highlight different realities and existences, use your social media voice to give power and presence to the voiceless and invisible, and don't associate with the people or entities who use you as the main variable for their imperialistic, white supremacist, patriarchal, capitalist agenda! She can literally afford to do it on all accounts. The fact that it's not happening makes me start to question her motives and makes me wonder if bell is on to something in calling her a terrorist...

[@historiesinrust]

@Savory StruggleFood this is a brilliant response. do you write somewhere, a blog or something?

[@strugglefoodnetwork]

historiesinrust thank you. No, I don't really write

[@mcgubbin]

Considering Beyomce branded her self as a " feminist" the way she exploits her sexualism is not good loads of people say that shes taking control of her image and sending a message but tbh its all bullshit she doesnt giv a shit about any of that she just does what ever to make money , theres loads of her photos where she is lightened up and given straight hair to the point where she almost looks like a white woman !? , if she was supposedly a true feminist and all that , revealing her self like that to public does not send good message to young girls , especially the fact she is some ones mother now , im not having a rant at the end of the day shes a singer she has the right to do what she wants , but when she dares to call her self a feminist and act like shes for a self less cause its not right , bell hooks is right in using them words obviously when people hear the word terroeist they freak out but everyone knows what shes trying to say but instead decide to cause an argumdnt cuz they like beyonces music , im obviously not a girl , im a guy and im not black im white so people might say its not my buisness but its just pure commen sense how fake it all is

[@TaniaElizabethMusic]

Dear New School - Thank you so much for posting these conversations freely for all of us to see. What a beautiful gift to the world. On a side note, it would be so wonderful if we could find a woke sound technician to make sure that these amazing and important voices were heard without feedback or other technical issues.

[@ahnmichael1484]

If there are other gender non-conforming black femmes + other folks watching this, please feel free to reach out - I would really love to build relationships with others who are trying to create space for us/ourselves in this world that isn't ready. I will hold space for you, and need others to hold space for me, too.

[@AnaMony]

agreed. rape scenes (no matter what gender/race) should not be entertainment. movies with violence are desensitizing and not uplifting the vibration.

[@TINKERB121]

Ana Mony 12YAS did not present Patsy's rape as entertainment (it was extremely brief with dark lighting).

[@RoarkyRaw]

Ana Mony Thats why we have a free market media with a wide selection of genres to pick from with ratings that escalate from appropiate for children and all ages to mature audience only. What you are advocating for is simply censorship. Simply watch/read light hearted entertainment sources and stay away from the more action packed ones.

[@auditionvideoa7236]

This is an interesting conversation to me as a straight, African-American woman. While I have my theological viewpoints re: sexuality, I have to applaud Bell for this riveting discussion that challenges gender, patriarchal, bigoted viewpoints of White Male Privilege. Bravo!

[@sajansuganth7086]

Who hurt you so bad?

[@sajansuganth7086]

that you forgot how to trust

[@sajansuganth7086]

***** That's even scarier, to be honest

[@sajansuganth7086]

***** Nobody feels such hatred towards innocent people for no reason

[@sajansuganth7086]

I think that does who mention "white male privilege" with reference to the 21st century western world are fuelled by some distorted sense of entitlement

[@strugglefoodnetwork]

what a great discussion....long overdue! thanks for posting!

[@obscurity87]

I love when Marci blackman speaks at 53 minutes and shola interjects just wonderful

[@arleentorres4690]

Thank you for this brilliant and wonderful conversation.

[@GoogleUser-wy2vv]

I agree with bell hooks comment about watching Patsy's torture in 12 years as a Slave. How can we watch that naked violence without a point-of-view and think "what a great movie"? Enough already. I'm looking to see black women's thoughts, ideas and wisdom shown as an example of the best thought. The kind of thinking bell hooks shares in her communications. Enough demonstrations of twitching flesh.

[@GarfieldEats420]

@The New School could you put subtitles on this? this video is used for one of my courses and I'm having trouble understanding it. thank you!

[@alfredmoraka9030]

As always! wonderful and critical. Thank you The New School! please please keep loading all the videos. #bellhooks #southafricalovesbellhooks

[@mayavril1]

if that woman said "like in the angela davis movie" one more time 😠😡

[@martinalbert1910]

bell hooks is a revelation

[@JetSpencer]

+The New School I like what you are doing. You are Waking People Up. Thank you.

[@janedoe5082]

What a brilliant panel!

[@ishimoiishimwa351]

I am here for Marci Blackman, thank you!!!!! Just bought PO MAN'S CHILD, will read it soon.

[@MsOmoy]

The point is to tell ALL of our stories, you cannot silence the voices and experiences of hurt or abused black women because you feel uncomfortable Bell Hooks. The point should be that the black woman's narrative should comprise of an array of experiences, not just the pain, rape or even hurt.

[@DiamondStylz]

was that Laverne cox twin brother at 1:39:59 ? they sound alike and similar vocal tonation...and they are both from Mobile

[@oddbutcomplete]

yes that's him.

[@senorxcoldhands9671]

"Master's tools". Tools in their very essence are impartial. The problem comes in when you assume they have designated users and designated purposes whilst limiting your perspective on them only in this way.

[@Alexkiplivelight]

Great vid! Way to go!!

[@flordeamara]

someone could include a legend alguem proderia colocar uma legenda em protugues

[@dundunkini]

Had none of the panel/audience heard of Harriet Tubman?!

[@Cordial_Lump]

this video is everything

[@giaglass8545]

I understood what the woman who was asking about Scandal meant...and her question was not properly answered.

[@hyuspirituallifelearning1554]

thanks for sending this

[@marcuswardshow]

Marcus Ward Show "Why I Don't Like Black Girls" kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y57UiamcpNemkJo

[@assianeu197]

????!! you ve lost yourself.

[@lifestraight]

Can these talks be attended by the general public or are they only open to students and faculty connected to the university?

[@thenewschool]

+lifestraight Thanks so much for your question! New School events are open to the general public. To find more specific information and access our rich calendar of events, please visit: events.newschool.edu/

[@peterpan4962]

+The New School Identity politics question.... O god, a 2 hour discussion over it in a actual College ? What waste of tax payer dollars. Let me answer that question and any other identity politics question : "NO, you are not identified by your Gender, your Race, the Color of your skin or eyes or anything else you have no control over, your identity is made by your personal experiences and the choices you made to deal with what life gave you and will be judged by such" So if you are going to act like a bunch of whiney bitches over things that in reality have no grounds, you will be treated as idiots. That isn't oppression, that's the consequences of your idiotic statements. Idiots... Claiming how oppressed you are in one of the most liberal countries in the world, as if you live in the Congo and then you waste tax payer dollars to indoctrinate students with this non-sense. The small problems in our societies pales when compared to the FACT that in Islamic countries a woman is literally worth half a man. "there is institutionalized racism/sexism!", etc, O really ? what is the address of the institution for oppression ? what is their mission statement ? Do you people know what a institution and individual bigot is ? you do realize that the actual institution of Law, will force any individual bigot to pay hefty fine for any of the said offenses you claim of which we have plenty of proof And last time I checked slavery is illegal and heavily punished regardless of skin or gender. Really, first woman speaker "there are obstacles"; o really ? SHOW ME! Because last time I checked for STEM fields there is actually affirmative action of females only and females are more likely to get a job in a STEM field despite having LOWER qualifications then a men by a ratio of 3 to 1...... Hmmm Gee maybe if woman didn't chose idiotic things like "gender studies" or "communications" as majors and take technology majors and working in those fields instead of bitching like this on stage, something could be done about it! But lack of equal outcome does not proof lack of equal opportunity at all. The ignorance of you people is astounding, the moment you feel woman are under represented, it must be sexism! It can't possible be that there simply aren't enough woman interested or holding proper papers, no it must be Sexism! Because that is what the Gender Studies courses a majority of woman are taking tells them... Ironically not seeing such a degree will never get you a proper job and is the reason why woman are underrepresented in STEM fields..... And on those same grounds, we NEVER hear you people about the lack of Females as Sewage workers and stuff, might this have something to do with the fatality rates in the work force are 98% and come from such jobs as Sewage worker or Construction worker ? but ofc we need quota's for boardrooms, but not for those professions. Give me a break, you people don't want equality, you want special treatment. You cry oppression when you can't get a management job and will yell misogynist when you suggest woman should not only expect equal representation in the top of the work force but also the bottom and die in droves like men do. O, and to finish off, there are only 2 biological genders, I don't care what you people "self identify" as in your distorted sense of reality. There's 2 genders, thanks to modern medicine you can change between them. But biologically speaking, your genome's and DNA keep saying you are still the gender you are born with, period. Again emotional opinion does not trump scientific fact. And schools should be teaching facts, not mental gymnastics to sell your emotional feelings and opinions as a conspiracy of how the world must work. Let us know when you people get back to reality, we can have a actual debate where facts matter, instead of your emotional opinion.

[@lifestraight]

Peter Pan Head back to never land.

[@peterpan4962]

lifestraight Thanks for proving my point, you can't debate on facts, always personal attacks. Emotional garbage arguments and this is what people get taught in a actual education..... I pity the future generations.

[@paulfrench9323]

I love Bell Hooks's "you're full of shit" look whenever Janet says anything.

[@BenevolentXMachine]

@18:15 How is this whole discussion about dressing for each other not a manifestation of patriarchal industrial capitalism?

[@TheCozyUploader]

+BenevolentXMachine /s

[@lifestraight]

38:00 and great question at 1:11:00 I also liked the question and answer 1:15:00 1:22:25 I would say if you feel that uncomfortable then maybe don't teach and seek education at these predominately white institutions. And an especially great and very well articulated question at 1:25:12 (really begins at 1:25:23)

[@jaduyare]

Bell Hooks: "One of the aspects of the film (12 years a slave) I found so incredibly upsetting was the representation of the black female body... coated again as sexual servants, victims only there to satisfy the needs of someone else." Uh, yeah. The movie naturally portrayed slaves (both male and female) as victims... How would she like to have them portrayed? As a happy-go-lucky gang? Now that would've be offensive. The movie didn't in any way celebrate slavery or any act of violence, it did the opposite.

[@PresidentSunday]

@@XAudreyS ...What? They were SLAVES. Of course they were victims. That doesn't mean some of them didn't try to fight back and do something about it (they didn't PLAY victims), but they were definitely victims.

[@Aleu]

Great lecture/panel, but I have to disagree with the dissection of Beyonce. She's not globally adored because she's wealthy, she's wealthy because she's globally adored. She has an amazing voice, a sassy style and markets herself as a black, female BOSS in her craft. Confidence is infectious and people gravitate towards her for that reason.

[@arss066]

Aleu totally agree

[@lifestraight]

+Aleu That is an oversimplified conclusion though. Beyonce is definitely not the only talented Black woman who has an amazing voice and markets herself as a confident boss. One can argue the Erykah Badu or Alicia Keys market themselves in a similar manner but without the hypersexualization. I'm not even sure Beyonce markets herself as Black for real.

[@bal4525]

Or the only one with a body. I'm not going to say amazing that would sound like I've never seen a woman's body before.

[@lifestraight]

Michael Ballard If Beyonce toned down the hypersexualization of Beyonce and took on a more earthy/soulful vibe her record sales would decline as would her global popularity.

[@martinalbert1910]

You have to be wealthy to market yourself as sassy bossy etc...

[@retrorevival1]

"let’s say if Beyoncé is a homeless woman" why insist on using hypotheticals ? This kind of odd logic applies to anyone and everyone who is famous and wealthy. What has it got to do with Beyoncé specifically? :S If someone’s not famous, or well known on any level - it would be impossible to be interested in them specifically because we wouldn’t know who they are.

[@Aleu]

I agree. I felt that this comment was extremely irrelevant considering a homeless woman would not look like Beyonce does because she wouldn't have the makeup, hair and all of that. What was the point of bringing up this hypothetical?

[@lifestraight]

+Aleu To highlight the fact that the infatuation and obsession many people have of Beyonce transcends her physical beauty and talent and extends into her class status. That the acquisition of material wealth, or rather success measured in material wealth, is an all too common, superficial, and inadequate barometer of a person's individual worth and significance. Think about it:Don't we often measure a person's value by how many records they've sold? Their net worth? How many number one singles they have? How many awards they've won? How many records they've broken? We would be dishonest if we were to say Beyonce won all these things on talent and looks alone as there are other talented Black female singers who are equally attractive (Alicia Keys). Part of it is definitely the fact that she fits the hypersexualized image that is acceptable and appeals to the mainstream.

[@janicejones4028]

lifestraigll

[@janicejones4028]

lifestraight

[@ct5951]

@@lifestraight Alicia Keys is not Black and she has been accused of being a lesbian because of her style of dress.

[@slavbarbie]

If you're against gender boxes, why do you perform patriarchal femininity?

[@Dredre405]

thank yu

[@RB-oz1mm]

People need to ask direct, concise questions! 🙄

[@MrSteven2945]

.. the master tolols witll never dismantle the masters house .... WOW

[@aerobiclust]

queer past gay 1:28:10 not about who you're sleeping with, always not fitting

[@BlackWilshere]

Conversation with a black feminist

[@blitherbox7467]

" I don't see the box ." Is not the same as, "There is no box." Its not even the same as, "Where is the box?" Or. "Show me the box." Its a statement of denial about the box. That becomes a surprise later on down the road. The box was real the whole time. Its there right now.

[@macphallic]

+Blither box arched my eyebrow at Marci's comment, i thought the same thing. Denial!

[@MultiCommissar]

+Blither box Storage wars.

[@heygurl2712]

all I can say is- its very disappointing when strong and accredited activist make valid-thought provoking statements or observations then do some thing to sugar coat the string of the truth or for lack of a better word retract what was said either verbally directly or subliminally through their actions. bell hooks statement when read or listened to in its entirety about beyonce is very much so sadly true--but to make that analysis and then upload a video of yourself dancing to one of her songs is quite a weak antithesis. don't stand for something and then sleep on it, come back and switch it up- why do everyone fear beyonce- although her stans would love to think so, SHE IS NEITHER GOD NOR JESUS! but she is definitely a poor excuse of a role model. #sorrysolong but this type of stuff ticks me off!

[@SquareNoggin]

Why isn't her name capitalized?

[@mryamahaxeno]

+Ginger Fitzgerald From Wikipedia: She adopted her grandmother's name as a pen name because her grandmother "was known for her snappy and bold tongue, which [she] greatly admired". She put the name in lowercase letters "to distinguish [herself from] her great-grandmother." She said that her unconventional lowercasing of her name signifies what is most important is her works: the "substance of books, not who I am."

[@helenamoniqueclarke8135]

The problem with issues of class and race in America is that there is something in America that seems to make the people who live there believe that feelings can somehow change things in reality. They cant. That takes the will to act on the feelings you claim to have. If you fell bad about the inequalities black people suffer, show it in your social welfare program funding. If you care about the gender inequality, create a less patriarchal society.

[@JASHTONR]

Oy'...

[@junior3003]

Just to let you know, this isn't about Beyonce, at all.

[@janedoe5082]

At 30:59 around bell hooks talks about being telephoned at hotels and sexually harassed by white men. I wanted to ask any women of color willing to answer - if this is something that happens often? Has it happened to you or to your friends? I have never heard of this as a white woman.

[@lynitadalitso5]

I was sexually harassed as a freshman in high school by an older white student who didn't really know, or have a relationship with me outside of class, but felt free to make inappropriate and sexual comments to me in the school environment. Many Black women, especially those with white male partners, are assumed to be mistresses or sex workers employed by their partners. Examples from the news include the arrest of actress Daniele Watts. In short...it happens. And it sucks.

[@janedoe5082]

lynitadalitso5 Thank you for sharing. I never heard of Daniele Watts. I am going to look that up right now. I am sorry that happened to you and ... wow. I just ... the difference between experiences as black and white women is so profound and must be a highlight of all feminism. I don't know you but I am telling you, I am starting to make myself imagine what it would feel like to have those experiences and it grieves me dearly. God. How depressing.

[@CapiTen10]

Jane Doe it doesn't happen as often as white women are harrassed by moc, they won't talk about that ofcourse.

[@assianeu197]

she shared the experience of her reality. what are you trying too proove with this question? why does white ppl always want to insidiously validate black ppl's experience of reality through their own twisted-mind-shaming-rape-culture criterias, for what? IT IS REAL, what do you need to know, how curious are you, the length of her skirt that day? No one ask for your validation.

[@CapiTen10]

Kennedy Is I'm aware of how Irrelevant it is to either of our points. In other words you have no response. Thought so. Come back to me when you can hold a conversation and speak for yourself not simply regurgitate the last tumblr post you read. You've been called on you're bullshit & proven wrong, now run along.

[@pgroove163]

liberate your freaking mind first............

[@watchfilmeatpopcorn3718]

why is Janet mock here????

[@rogerwinters9856]

If you have a horse and paint strips on it, is it a zebra or still an horse?

[@bakaXO]

The very fact that Bell Hooks looked at Patsey's character and reduced her only to a symbol of black female dehumanization used for "entertainment" rather than a historical, important and necessary depiction of black women during slavery, and then expanded such symbol to represent the entirety of the black female population is so hypocritical. You ask filmmakers to stop characterizing black women only within the scope of slavery yet you did they exact same thing.

[@emilyeerosew]

She said she's tired of seeing that same image

[@N8_R]

Only true feminists don't want the brownstone. Build your own house. I am 100% serious. It will turn out better then the mens'.

[@ayanda5883]

Triple Simp!

[@DCCandiGurl]

Of course Becky with the good hair advertises her "nice hair". How tone deaf....

[@dattebenforcer]

Liberating them from whom?

[@lynitadalitso5]

A society and media culture that alternately oversexualizes, desexualizes, and generally asserts ownership over the Black female body.

[@dattebenforcer]

Ganga Din Well, maybe warthogs think they're sexy, but that's about it.

[@TINKERB121]

Kennedy Is Pornography is not the best source to point out fetishes, lol.

[@Cordial_Lump]

***** this fucked up society that allows others to treat them so poorly.

[@dattebenforcer]

Kennedy Is So "beautiful" black women choose to take their clothes off, and that's wrong because... they're allowed to make a choice?

[@mrsjessilicious]

ok so I don´t think I can fully understand bells problem with Beyonce...maybe because I´m white and I cannot truly relate ! But I think that like janet said, she speaks for so many young ladies ( especially african american)and she can show them that no matter what skin color you have you can be one of the most influential people in music or whatever. I think the term "terrorist" is totally wrong. She´s always trying to empower women to do thinks on their own and to make money on their own and to not hiding their body and that´s one reason why I love her so much! Even though I am not a black women i get the feeling that she is talking to all the women in general no matter what race. And I think that its so important that people like that have so much power over the media. No matter what she says that could be controversial ..in my opinion it just shows that she does´t give a fuck about what others think..and for me that is the message she is trying to spread. Bell hooks should maybe do a background check about Beyonce before calling her an anti-feminist or a terrorist

[@watermelonygoodness]

Jessica Rossi Beyonce's image is a series of sexist tropes. Her "empowered image" is a perpetuation of patriarchal myths about female sexuality. This is consistent throughout pop music, the thing that makes Beyonce different is that she brands this as feminism. In other words: she is rebranding sexism as feminism. "Do everything patriarchy expects of you! As long as YOU CHOOSE to perpetuate rape culture and perpetuate misogyny and perpetuate sexism, it's feminism! All that matters is your choice!" Can you see how that is detrimental to a movement for women's liberation - which is what feminism is? This is a trend within liberal feminism currently, but again, Beyonce has put herself at the crest of that wave, and she has profited tremendously from it. There is nothing innovative or creative or liberating about her image. The fact that she's influential or rich is totally irrelevant. How are women liberated because Beyonce's album went platinum, or because she was on the cover of a magazine? Objectified, objectifying herself, whichever. How is that revolutionary? How does that challenge patriarchy? It doesn't; it reinforces it. Feminism is about women's liberation and much of liberal feminism (Beyonce included) is antithetical to that aim. I'm pretty sure Bell Hooks has done a "background check" on Beyonce... Maybe Beyonce - and you - should do a background check on feminism?

[@MsDidi38]

ugh no, this is supposed to be about the black female body and she starts throwing out the ciswoman privilege crap and basically erasing the foundation of body experience for most women as the oppressed sex

[@jonathongooding5320]

wasnt slavery abolished in January 31, 1865? sssoo??

[@martinalbert1910]

+Jonathon Gooding So, you haven't listened.

[@jonathongooding5320]

naa watched the whole thing. rather listened..

[@myasalaam8948]

Too much learning has made these women Mad (#spiritofDumb) "smh"

[@Happey67]

Lets see now, when this woman go into hotels she is followed by white men who think she is there to turn tricks. Oh my, I dress modestly also my friends and we travelled all over North America and the Caribbean and no one has ever, even white guys followed me thinking I am there to turn tricks. What a life.

[@Geezyone]

Words mean things and the first idiocy was invoking slavery. Sorry bell hooks needs to venture beyond the academy into real life .

[@Happey67]

What a gloomy life, a record number of black girls are taking their lives because they cannot find a place in this society. When she goes through a airport only she alone is searched and someone patting her butt. The Muslims are saying everyone think of them as terrorists. The white women are saying if you are not a rich white male in this society no take takes you seriously, White men are saying the media is picking on them. White women are saying that they are pressured to look thin and beautiful, Black women are crying about every and anything. Italians are saying people are prejudice against them. Mexicans are saying no one like them. Asians are saying they are ignored. My God in heaven what a society of verbose, crying babies.

[@Vanessa-iq3vt]

maybe you should add the people who cry about the "crying babies" on your list as well.

[@thetimeisninefifteen]

It is important to me to not exist in an echo chamber, so I listened to this talk. That being said, this was intellectually painful. This was so self aggrandizing, racist and self pitying. In art, for instance, there are terrible things that happen to all people. Rape, murder, dismemberment, etc. Black people have no monopoly on it. And there is no individual that has the responsibility of portraying you the way you want. Want there to be this super feminist movie? Make it yourself and see how it is received. The white, supremacist, capitalist, imperialist patriarchy? This postmodern word salad is meaningless and nonexistent, save for the capitalist portion. If it exists, point to an individual that perpetuates this and explain how. And this fetishism of being black. Your skin color doesn't matter as much as you would like it to. Just because your ancestors were enslaved, sold by other blacks, does not mean that you get to use the suffering of your ancestors as your personal badge. There is too much for me to cover in a comment, but thanks for the upload.

[@Crabbyslitzy]

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaa! You so know how we laugh at you?

[@ncamara670]

Where did she claim that black people have a monopoly on suffering? That's only your own misinterpretation of things. You are using a strawman's argument here saying that these things happened to other groups of people (you yourself did not point out anyone specific neither) so black people have no right to speak up about what is happening in their own communities. Calling that self-aggrandising or even racist is just laughable. Trying to silence someone and deny them their right to speak up is the epitome of those things. So you're saying that media have no social responsibility towards black people? Really? Well, if that was so there would not be any laws that regulate what's on the media and hell, all of the individuals that portray someone have full responsibility for it and should be held accountable if that portrayal is wrong. The fact you are trying to portray talking about one's skin colour as fetishism just shows that you should grab a dictionary and learn what that word actually means. I don't know since when it's fetishist to talk about issues that affect my existence and experiences. You are someone who obviously cannot take when people of colour speak up and claim their rights and demand respect we deserve. Well, tough, that's how freedom of speech works.