good hooks for feminism essay

Essay on Feminism

500 words essay on feminism.

Feminism is a social and political movement that advocates for the rights of women on the grounds of equality of sexes. It does not deny the biological differences between the sexes but demands equality in opportunities. It covers everything from social and political to economic arenas. In fact, feminist campaigns have been a crucial part of history in women empowerment. The feminist campaigns of the twentieth century made the right to vote, public property, work and education possible. Thus, an essay on feminism will discuss its importance and impact.

Importance of Feminism

Feminism is not just important for women but for every sex, gender, caste, creed and more. It empowers the people and society as a whole. A very common misconception is that only women can be feminists.

It is absolutely wrong but feminism does not just benefit women. It strives for equality of the sexes, not the superiority of women. Feminism takes the gender roles which have been around for many years and tries to deconstruct them.

This allows people to live freely and empower lives without getting tied down by traditional restrictions. In other words, it benefits women as well as men. For instance, while it advocates that women must be free to earn it also advocates that why should men be the sole breadwinner of the family? It tries to give freedom to all.

Most importantly, it is essential for young people to get involved in the feminist movement. This way, we can achieve faster results. It is no less than a dream to live in a world full of equality.

Thus, we must all look at our own cultures and communities for making this dream a reality. We have not yet reached the result but we are on the journey, so we must continue on this mission to achieve successful results.

Impact of Feminism

Feminism has had a life-changing impact on everyone, especially women. If we look at history, we see that it is what gave women the right to vote. It was no small feat but was achieved successfully by women.

Further, if we look at modern feminism, we see how feminism involves in life-altering campaigns. For instance, campaigns that support the abortion of unwanted pregnancy and reproductive rights allow women to have freedom of choice.

Moreover, feminism constantly questions patriarchy and strives to renounce gender roles. It allows men to be whoever they wish to be without getting judged. It is not taboo for men to cry anymore because they must be allowed to express themselves freely.

Similarly, it also helps the LGBTQ community greatly as it advocates for their right too. Feminism gives a place for everyone and it is best to practice intersectional feminism to understand everyone’s struggle.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Feminism

The key message of feminism must be to highlight the choice in bringing personal meaning to feminism. It is to recognize other’s right for doing the same thing. The sad part is that despite feminism being a strong movement, there are still parts of the world where inequality and exploitation of women take places. Thus, we must all try to practice intersectional feminism.

FAQ of Essay on Feminism

Question 1: What are feminist beliefs?

Answer 1: Feminist beliefs are the desire for equality between the sexes. It is the belief that men and women must have equal rights and opportunities. Thus, it covers everything from social and political to economic equality.

Question 2: What started feminism?

Answer 2: The first wave of feminism occurred in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It emerged out of an environment of urban industrialism and liberal, socialist politics. This wave aimed to open up new doors for women with a focus on suffrage.

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101 Feminism Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Feminism is a powerful and important movement that has been shaping the world for centuries. It has brought about significant changes in society and continues to push for gender equality and women's rights. If you are tasked with writing an essay on feminism but are struggling to come up with a topic, fear not! Here are 101 feminism essay topic ideas and examples to help inspire you:

The history of feminism and its impact on society
The different waves of feminism and their significance
The portrayal of feminism in popular culture
Feminism and the media: How women are represented in the media
Intersectionality and feminism: The importance of considering race, class, and sexuality in feminist discourse
Feminism and reproductive rights
The wage gap and feminism: How women are still paid less than men for the same work
Feminism and body image: The pressure on women to conform to unrealistic beauty standards
Feminism and motherhood: The challenges faced by working mothers
Feminism and sexual harassment: The #MeToo movement and its impact on society
Feminism and the LGBTQ+ community: How feminism intersects with queer rights
Feminism and education: The importance of empowering girls and women through education
Feminism and politics: The representation of women in government
Feminism and environmentalism: How women are disproportionately affected by climate change
Feminism and technology: The lack of diversity in the tech industry
Feminism and healthcare: The impact of gender bias in medical treatment
Feminism and literature: The portrayal of women in classic and contemporary literature
Feminism and sports: The challenges faced by female athletes
Feminism and religion: How different religions view women's rights
Feminism and fashion: The objectification of women in the fashion industry
Feminism and art: How women artists are often marginalized in the art world
Feminism and mental health: The stigma surrounding women's mental health issues
Feminism and domestic violence: The prevalence of domestic violence against women
Feminism and sex work: The debate over whether sex work can be empowering for women
Feminism and technology: How women are underrepresented in STEM fields
Feminism and aging: The challenges faced by older women in society
Feminism and disability rights: The intersection of feminism and disability advocacy
Feminism and social media: The role of social media in the feminist movement
Feminism and global activism: How women around the world are fighting for their rights
Feminism and language: The importance of using gender-inclusive language
Feminism and the law: The fight for legal protections for women
Feminism and reproductive justice: The right of all women to make decisions about their own bodies
Feminism and sex education: The importance of comprehensive sex education for girls and boys
Feminism and mental health: The impact of gender roles on mental health
Feminism and social justice: How feminist activism intersects with other social justice movements
Feminism and race: The experiences of women of color in the feminist movement
Feminism and disability rights: The unique challenges faced by disabled women
Feminism and body positivity: The movement to embrace all body types
Feminism and sex work: The rights of sex workers and the need for decriminalization
Feminism and the workplace: The fight for equal pay and opportunities for women
Feminism and reproductive rights: The impact of restrictive abortion laws on women's health
Feminism and education: The importance of empowering girls through education
Feminism and media representation: The portrayal of women in the media
Feminism and LGBTQ+ rights: How feminism intersects with queer rights
Feminism and reproductive justice: The fight for the right of all women to make decisions about their own bodies

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How To Write a College Essay on Feminism

Given today’s political climate, every person and institution is becoming more vocal about their stances and opinions. In a way this is great because your choice of essay topics has expanded to include politically-focused narratives. It is tricky, though, for a couple of reasons: 1) many people will be writing with this in mind and 2) your essay still has to be about you. It has to be your own and tell a story that reflects who you are and what you have experienced, not just a statement about something you believe.

Feminism is a topic that many people feel very strongly about. People are inclined to write about it because their experience with feminism reflects who they are. But feminism is multidimensional and feminism is intersectional. The topic spans centuries of history and has a place in everything that is happening today, politically and socially. We want to give you some tips on writing a feminist Common App essay, because here’s the good news: there’s no need to be scared to “go there” right now. We’re already there.

An important thing to consider about your feminist story is making sure that it centers around you and YOUR personal narrative . A truthful and genuine moment or series of moments that you experienced and your own personal evolution of thought on the matter(s). This is not the time to pontificate on second wave vs. third wave vs. whatever this wave is feminism. This is not a research paper , nor is it a time to put your foot down politically and spend 650 words defending the right to choose. Rather, this is a time to share a critical growth moment that happened intellectually and/or emotionally. Just like any other Common App essay, there needs to be a beginning, a middle, and an end . The difference with writing an essay about your experience with feminism is that it’s critical to incorporate the origins of your beliefs and outlook in a creative way.

Our students routinely write political essays rooted in feminism, and we always suggest is that they read some feminist texts that are based in personal narrative. When you read these, take note of how they voice their experiences and keep them local. They do not globalize their experiences or aggrandize them to make sweeping generalizations about feminism or race. They stay focused on their story and keep you deeply invested in understanding their perspective and the ramifications of their experiences. Some books that we recommend to familiarize yourself with this story-telling method include:

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
Sex Object by Jessica Valenti
Men Explain Things To Me by Rebecca Solnit
All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks

A way to approach this essay if you want to address the larger feminist movement is to tell a story about your actual lived experience that--through your story--you can tie to the larger feminist movement. But again, this is not a research paper or a synthesis essay. Even if you’ve read 100 feminist texts, the essay needs to be about you.

There’s no doubt that top universities are becoming more vocal about their viewpoints and are looking for change-makers and thought leaders who are opinionated. More than that, though, they are looking for curious students who are talented at articulating their opinions in such a way that weaves into a larger, thought-provoking history and who are eager to learn about the complexity of the narratives at play. Going down this path for your Common App essay is undoubtedly challenging. It will take a lot of work to craft an essay that tells a compelling story and also subtly comments on our current political atmosphere, but the payoff has the potential to be huge. And by that we mean: acceptance letters.

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Feminism Essay: Outline, Topics, & Examples

The picture introduces the basic themes of a feminism essay.

If you think that gender inequality is not an important issue anymore, bad news, you are wrong.

Women earn ~20% less than men , which will not change in the nearest 38 years unless every member of the society takes action.

In your essay on feminism, you might want to focus on the history or theory of the movement. Another idea is to write a feminist criticism paper on a film or a literary piece.

Wondering how to start a women empowerment essay? Want to know how to write about feminism? Outlining and planning your paper has never been easier! Take a look at a feminism essay outline sample and topics that we collected below. We also added several good feminism essay examples to inspire you even more.

🗃️ Feminism Essay: The 4 Steps to Write It

📝 feminism essay prompts, 💯 100+ feminism essay topics.

📜 Essay Samples

So, what should you do?

Before you start making your first draft, you need some pre-work. It consists of four stages: choosing the topic, researching, outlining, and writing.

Our experts prepared a step-by-step guide for you.

Follow it to write an excellent feminism argumentative essay.

Step 1: Choose a Feminism Essay Topic

At first, you need to decide what concerns you the most. Feminism is a rather broad topic, so there’s something worth attention for everyone.

Your topic should be comprehensive. However, don’t narrow it down too much. There might not be enough information.

How to choose a good topic for a feminism essay?

Brainstorm your ideas. Try to remember everything you’ve heard or read; jot it down.
Avoid mainstream or simple issues. It will be very hard to say something new about it.
Formulate your topic as a research question. You will need to introduce and answer it in your paper.
Do some research. You need to estimate if you can find enough information.
Check if the topic is relevant. Consult your instructor if you hesitate.

For instance, look at these two topics:

A bad topic example: Feminism is a popular movement. A good topic example: Why is feminism popular among working women in the United States? *The second topic is narrow enough to study feminism in the particular context – working women in the United States. It also poses a specific question. However, there’s a need to define the meaning of popularity in this case.

Step 2: Conduct Your Research

After you’ve chosen the topic, get to researching. This might be the most essential part of your preparation.

The quality of your sources defines the quality of your paper. You can find many sources for your essay about feminism online, but not all of them are credible.

How to find reliable information?

Use library databases and catalogs . Your college should provide access to them.
Pay attention to the following: author, publisher, and date of publication. This will help you estimate the relevance of the source before you start reading it.
Ask your instructor for help. They can recommend the sources or another area of research.
Avoid such sources as social media, Wikipedia, forums, etc. They might help you to understand your topic better. Though, don’t use them as references in your paper.

Step 3: Feminism Essay Outline

Before making a draft, you should outline your paper. A feminism essay outline below is based on a typical 5-paragraph essay format.

	State the issue and research question and explain the relevance of the research. Try to hook your readers by asking a provocative question or presenting impressive statistics. Provide a literature review or background of the issue if your task requires it. A thesis statement should be the last sentence of the introduction. For example, in an essay about the gender wage gap, you could start with a statistical fact: on average, women earn for every $1 earned by men. Your thesis statement could be as follows: Gender equality is beneficial for the economy.
	While introducing arguments, provide some evidence supporting them. At least three paragraphs are required, each focusing on a certain argument. In your essay on the gender wage gap, you could elaborate on the three key factors that drive it:
	your findings and analyze them while answering the research question. Suggest your solutions to the discussed problems. Explain the importance of the paper once again. Concluding your essay on the gender wage gap, you could summarize your arguments. It is also a good idea to offer several solutions to the issue – for example, some changes to parental leave policies.

Step 4: Write Your Feminism Essay

Now it’s time to write!

Use your drafts to create an essay on women empowerment.

The core part of your paper is argumentation. Choose the most substantial arguments and evidence. Put them at the beginning and the end of your argumentation line. Make sure that the structure is logical.

Proofread your essay. Pay information to your writing tone, grammar, and spelling. Ask somebody to read it and tell their opinion. You need to be sure that a person who hasn’t researched the topic can understand your writing.

Once you have finished, leave your essay for a couple of hours. Then re-read it and make final edits.

Check if you followed all the instructions. What is the formatting style? Should you save your essay in PDF? If everything is OK, congratulations! You have done it!

Do you need some inspiration and advice?

In this passage, we will discuss the most popular topics in the context of feminism.

The picture introduces the best ideas for a women empowerment essay.

Feminism Definition Essay

As the term “feminism” has many interpretations, you can discuss one or compare several. Of course, the movement has changed throughout history. Feminism is not the same thing as it was 100 or even 20 years ago.

Here are the points you can examine:

Feminism as intellectual commitment. Explain the vision of feminism and how knowledge has changed the world.
Feminism as a political movement. Describe the women’s activism in the United States or Europe from the late 19 th century to the present day.
Different types of feminism and their philosophies. Here you have to explain the values of the movements. Describe their members.
The concept of feminism in different countries. Highlight the similarities and the differences. You can compare several countries or do a thorough analysis of two.
The meaning of feminism in the 21 st century. Describe how feminism changed and what are the key priorities today. You can also mention the key activists that lead the movement.

Women Empowerment Essay

Start with the main principles of women’s empowerment. These include understanding self-worth and the ability to make choices and influence society. After you define the concept, proceed with more specific areas.

How can you do it?

Tell a story. Pick one life-changing story for your women in power essay. You can describe how it made a difference in one woman’s life and how it inspired others.
Explain how the process has changed the lives of women. Choose less emancipated countries and describe how to modify the situation there.
Choose the course of action. Define the areas which are essential in women’s empowerment today. It can be education, career, family, etc. Suggest your plan to implement the changes.
Explain how feminism contributes to women’s empowerment. Pick particular examples of activism, movements, speeches, and courses of action.

Why We Need Feminism Essay

This type of essay is perfect for an argumentative topic. The need for feminism varies for each country, person, or society. In this case, you have to frame your research to a specific person or group of people.

Here are the possible areas for discussion:

Explain the values of modern feminism and why it is necessary to accept them. Write about the importance of popularizing them.
Describe the misconceptions that evolved around feminism. Explain the reasons for negative stigmas and why they are wrong.
Write about the problems that feminism fights. For example, rape, violence, and body legislation. Discuss why we need to pay attention to them and how feminist activists contribute to them.
Describe the role of feminism in your life. You can include the positive impact, the change in your life views, and the opportunities it gave you.

Feminism in the Workplace Essay

Women changed their occupations a lot since feminists started fighting for equal job opportunities. However, we still see the need for improvements. Everyone has a right to work, but there is inequality and problems to discuss.

Take a look at this list of ideas for your essay:

Write about women in the labor force from a historical perspective. It is better to choose a specific time frame and define problems and changes.
Describe the current situation. Highlight the problems such as the wage gap or different responsibilities outside the job. You can also write about the jobs that are not available for women.
Suggest the solutions to the problems. Write about the companies that promote gender equality. Describe their impact and strategy.
Research a particular country about its professional sphere. You can also compare two or three of them.

Ready to choose your topic? We are sure that you will find something worth attention here.

Here is our selection of essay titles:

Gender roles in society: The need for change.
Why is it essential to study feminism for students?
Social issues: Abortion in the US.
Black feminism in the United States. The key values, challenges, and goals.
What does it mean for a woman to be successful? The truth behind the stereotypes.
The possible ways to establish feminist values in Asian countries.
Philosophical issue: Should abortion be legal?
What are the current trends in liberal feminism?
Women’s role in the Victorian society.
How to prevent sexual harassment and rapes in the United States?
The role of women in the Arabian Gulf.
Does feminism move the world towards a matriarchal society?
Abortion: Supporting and opposing arguments.
How does feminism contribute to the economy of the United States?
Women’s history and the American experience.
Gender roles. Who is responsible for creating them?
Exploring influences on gender roles.
The third wave of feminism: The key achievements.
Gender inequality in the workplace and career.
Eating disorders and their consequences among women.
The turning point for women in history.
A modern CV. Should there be written information about gender and age?
Violence against Native American women.
What is the difference between gender and sex?
Feminism and the LGBT community. The similarity of values.
Why is it better to educate men than to protect women?
Legislation denying women’s right of abortion.
The main concepts of the second wave of feminism.
Women in authoritative work roles.
How does feminism influence the perception of women’s sexuality?
Gender discrimination at work in the United States.
Why should we pay more attention to girls’ education?
American women in careers in films of the 1930s.
Gender bias in profession choice. Why should we fight stereotypes?
Feminism in the hip-hop culture.
What are the factors determining abusive relationships?
Gender discrimination in public and work places.
Female writers in the 19 th century. The struggles of the career.
Gender bias in professional sports.
How would modern society be different without gender stereotypes?
Women in sports: wage gap and social responsibility.
Do we need gender-binary bathrooms in public places?
Gender studies: Nature versus nurture.
Fashion and retail. Why are goods designed for women more expensive?
Women in politics. The challenges of gaining recognition.
Is “pink tax” just about business, or does it involve politics?
Women’s experiences at work and their gender roles.
The goals of intersectional feminism in the United States.
Gendered division of labour and its history.
How feminism supports the diversity of women in Europe?
Gender roles in Northern India.
Should a woman look feminine to be attractive?
Reproductive health issues: Women fertility rights.
What values do radical feminists project on the young generation?
Women and the pornography industry.
How does Netflix contribute to feminism and promote gender equality?
The role of Chinese women in the past and present.
Can feminism provoke hatred of women towards men?
The portrayal of women in media. What’s wrong with it?
The key features and goals of postmodern feminism.
Gender and education in developing countries.
Do radical feminists try to discriminate against men and their rights?
Attitudes toward women after 1865.
What is the point of the anti-feminist movement in the 21 st century?
Women rights to land and property in the 18th century.
Why don’t women leave their abusive husbands or partners?
Women’s rights movements during the Reconstruction period.
What are the achievements of ecofeminism in the last ten years?
Women in the history of different religions.
The portrayal of women’s empowerment in cinematography and literature.
Women in the military: World War II.
Feminism in Scandinavian countries. Are they the most emancipated?
Activism, philosophy, and political career of women by the case of Angela Davis.
How can we eliminate sexism in advertising and marketing?
Black women’s struggles in the workplace.
Beauty standards. Why do women harm themselves to look good?
Saudi women in the British media and Saudi media.
Feminism anarchists. What values do they promote?
Prevalence of violence against women by an intimate partner.
Feminism in India. How does Urdu culture influence gender equality?
Case management: Domestic violence against women.
Why are there more dangers for women than men in society?
Disregard of women in Trifles by Susan Glaspell.
Online activism. How does it contribute to global feminism?
Does the hospitality industry provide dignity at work for women?
The changes in feminist philosophy in the last 30 years.
How the Arab pop world objectifies the women’s body.
Fat shaming. Why are women so concerned about their looks?
Why should birth control pills exist for men as well?
Native American women raising children off the reservation.
The ways to fight women’s oppression in Arab countries.
How do businesses earn on gender inequality and patriarchal values?
Pro-choice movement: Benefits of women’s abortion rights.
The portrayal of a typical feminist in the 21 st century.
In what ways do radical and liberal feminism movements contradict each other?
Saudi Arabia: Gender roles and human rights.
Body positivity and feminism. Similarities and differences in values.
Feminism in African countries. What do they fight for?
Pro-life or pro-choice? Feminism and attitude to abortions.
Sexism in business. The misconceptions about female entrepreneurs.
Feminism and transgender people. What challenges do they face?
Is feminism becoming a mainstream movement in the United States?
How feminism helps women to understand their self-worth?
The history of radical feminism in the United States.
Role of black feminism in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Why are there more men than women in Forbes?
Religion and feminism. The key contradictions and arguments.
The connection between economic advancement and feminism in Europe.
How do women in politics contribute to gender equality?
Women in the sex industry. What is feminists’ attitude to them?
Women in politics. The challenges of the career.
How to explain feminism to children in simple terms?
Gender inequality in higher education.
Feminism among teenagers. Positive and negative aspects of activism.
Feminism and parenting. Should there be gender roles in children’s upbringing?
Gender roles and norms in early world history.
Victim blaming. The reasons for supporting victimized women.
Are there true feminists among men? The controversy of the issue.
The value of the feminism movement is sociological research.
Why should men support women’s empowerment?
How and why has the word “feminism” changed its meaning in the English language?
Gender and sexuality in popular media.
Career and family life. How to promote equal responsibilities for men and women?
How should parents treat their children to avoid gender inequality issues in the future?
Why do women stay in abusive relationships?
Do we still need gender roles in the 21 st century?
How to define gender as a sociological concept?
Why are some men afraid of the feminist movement?
The efficiency of speeches for students on feminism.
Gender representation in children’s media.
The most powerful and recognized feminists of the 20 th century.
Domestic violence in the United States. How can we protect women?
Girls’ role models. How did they change because of feminism?
Gender and harassment of sexual nature at workplaces.
The main feminist activists in Europe in the 21 st century?
Gender bias in the US family law system.
The best ways of self-protection for women in the United States.
Black power movement and feminism. What do they have in common?
Gender inequality in employment.
Why should teenagers study feminism in high school?
Avoiding wage discrimination based on gender.
What is the impact of feminism on your life?
Rape and violence against women: Cultural indoctrination.
What can every person do to contribute to feminism?
How does feminism support same-sex marriages?
Disabled women sexuality and reproductive health.
Should everyone be a feminist? The possibility of this scenario.
Women-leaders in government organizations.
Men’s attitude to modern feminism. How do they perceive the movement?
Black feminism movement analysis.
Queer feminists in the United States. Activism and social positions.
First, second, and third waves of feminism.
How to become a feminist? What should you know and do?
Feminism in post-colonial period against the backdrop of clash of cultures.
Career opportunities in the military for female soldiers.
Development of women’s rights in the United Arab Emirates.
#Metoo movement and its impact on males and females.
Gender issues perception and changes over time.
Why do some women resist and criticize feminism?
Counseling women and girls: The feminist therapy.

📜 Feminism Essay Examples

Before you start writing, take a look at these samples. We have prepared one argumentative and one descriptive essay example for you. You can use them as a reference for your paper.

Gender Wage Gaps & Feminism Argumentative Essay

The gender wage gap is a problem that many women face in their careers. Regardless of their position, a female on average earns 82 cents to every dollar a male earns. As a result, they are not able to have the same pensions and social security as men after retirement. Women should receive the same payments as men as they are equally productive. Besides, they provide for their families too, and it would be beneficial for the economy. Gender doesn’t affect productivity, especially when it comes to intellectual jobs. Women receive equal education and pay for the tuition. It is unfair that after graduation, they start working for less money. For example, according to the research held by the American Association of University Women, female physicians and surgeons in total earn $19 billion less annually than men. It is unfair because they have the same responsibilities and workload. Moreover, it is more challenging to get a job because the market is not favorable for women. Women also take part in forming family budgets. Working women pay rent or mortgage, pay for food expenses, and contribute to their children’s well-being. Single mothers have to provide for their families alone. They are in the most vulnerable position as lower salaries make them work more. That is why they should receive fair payment. In addition, women also spend more money on goods designed for them, such as clothes or healthcare products. Higher prices and lower salaries make it harder for women to make a living. If women earn as much as men, it means they will pay more taxes and will be able to spend more money. It would be better for the economy, as money turnover is a critical factor determining economic growth.

Essay on Empowerment of Women in India

India is on its way to women’s empowerment. The situation has gotten much better in the last thirty years. Female political, business, and medicine participation increased. But there are still various challenges as India is still not even close to the Scandinavian women’s empowerment model. Women in India are only 21% of the labor force and are not paid for most of their jobs. Gender inequality can be reduced if the government and society apply specific changes, which will be discussed in this essay. There are several milestones achieved in India when it comes to women’s empowerment. For example, the Mahila-E-Haat project , established in 2016, is an online marketing campaign. It supports women entrepreneurs, self-help groups, and non-government organizations. The Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana scheme started functionating in January 2015. It focuses on generating greater welfare for little girls. Also, the World Bank works on the improvement of maternity and child healthcare in India. However, India faces various challenges trying to implement gender equality. According to the World Economic Forum gender equality ranking, India dropped from 108 th in 2018 to 112 th in 2020 . Women are weakly represented in politics of higher standing. There are only 14.4% of women in the parliament and 23% in the cabinet . Females earn only one-fifth of what males make in India. Almost half of the Indian women don’t even have their own bank account. Most of them don’t even possess any valuable properties. More than half of the crimes committed in India are against women, which leads to greater physical insecurity. India has a potential for changes. There are various opportunities in the private sector and legislation. The IMF estimates that by 2025 women will add $700 billion to the economy and raise GDP by 27% . Japanese model is also a valuable lesson for India.

We hope our article helped you to figure out how and what to write about feminism and women empowerment.

If you need additional assistance, don’t hesitate to contact our expert team. They are always ready to help.

Good luck and happy writing!

good article… it will help me……

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Essays About Feminism: Top 5 Examples Plus Prompts

When writing essays about feminism, there are a lot of aspects you can focus on. We have collected some of the best essay examples with prompts.

Feminism is a socio-political movement that is about fighting for equal rights and opportunities for all genders. While many point its beginnings to the women’s rights movements in the 19th century, when women were liberated and finally allowed to vote, feminist thinking can actually be traced back to as early as the late 14th century with the works of French writer Christine De Pizan , touted the first feminist philosopher.

Today, the definition of feminism has expanded to end discrimination, oppression and stereotyping of all genders from all walks of life. It aims to make radical reforms to eliminate cultural norms and push the legislation of equality-supporting laws.

Because feminism is a widely relevant topic, you may be asked to write an essay about feminism either as a student or a professional. However, it may be difficult to find a starting point given the broad spectrum of areas in which feminism is found relevant.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essays on feminism to provide inspiration:

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1. Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit

2. bad feminist by roxane gay, 3. civic memory, feminist future by lidia yuknavitch, 4. trickle-down feminism by sarah jaffe, 5. emily ratajkowski explores what it means to be hyper feminine by emily ratajkowski , 1. definition of feminism, 2. does feminism still matter in the workplace, 3. would you consider yourself a feminist, 4. historical evolution of feminism, 5. criticisms against feminism, 6. how can we achieve gender equality , 7. who are the feminists in your community and what are they fighting for.

“The battle with Men Who Explain Things has trampled down many women — of my generation, of the up-and-coming generation we need so badly, here and in Pakistan and Bolivia and Java, not to speak of the countless women who came before me and were not allowed into the laboratory, or the library, or the conversation, or the revolution, or even the category called human.

Solnit starts with amusing narratives of real-life experiences with men who have critiqued her books wrongly. Solnit points out that men’s arrogance and tendency to explain things to women, thinking they know better, have forced women into silence and weakened their credibility even in places where their voices are crucial – such as in the court stand when women testify to being raped. Solnit, thus, emphasizes that the fight against mansplainers is important to the feminist movement. For more, check out these articles about feminism .

“I want to be independent, but I want to be taken care of and have someone to come home to. I have a job I’m pretty good at. I am in charge of things. I am on committees. People respect me and take my counsel. I want to be strong and professional, but I resent how hard I have to work to be taken seriously, to receive a fraction of the consideration I might otherwise receive. Sometimes I feel an overwhelming need to cry at work, so I close my office door and lose it.”

Gay reveals a series of secrets that make her believe she is a “bad feminst.” At first, she had tried to hide her fondness for men, fashion and thuggish rap, among many other things that gave her joy but went against the ideal feminist image etched in the mind of many. Eventually, Gay embraces the “mess of contradictions” that she is, proudly owning the label of a “bad feminist” while she speaks up on issues critical to the feminist movement and debunks myths on the unrealistic standards surrounding the sisterhood.

“There is no photo for what my father did to his daughters. It came into our bodies as a habit of being, a structure of consciousness, a way of life. Maybe it is akin to feeling discovered and conquered and colonized. Maybe the first colonizations are of the bodies of women and children, and from there they extend like the outstretched hand of a man grabbing land. Cultures.”

Yuknavitch highlights her rage against “fathers” both in her personal life and in each political administration that she survived. Yuknavitch described how these fathers and father images try to take control of others’ bodies and lives and crush others’ spirits. In her confrontation and memory of such men, however, Yuknavitch also learned to create art and find her feminist purpose.

“Women may be overrepresented in the growing sectors of the economy, but those sectors pay poverty wages. The public sector job cuts that have been largely responsible for unemployment remaining at or near 8 percent have fallen disproportionately on women (and women of color are hit the hardest). Those good union jobs disappear, and are replaced with a minimum-wage gig at Walmart—and even in retail, women make only 90 percent of what men make.”

Jaffe gives an in-depth view of the gains and impasse in the fight to improve women’s working opportunities. She stresses that women’s breakthroughs in the workplace may not always be a cause for celebration if these do not translate to long-term and more concrete changes for women to be treated better in the workplace. Jaffe encouraged feminists to continue organizing themselves to focus on solutions that can address the continued low wages of women, gender pay gaps and the minimal choice of professions offered to women.

“I often think about this. Why, as a culture, do we insist on separating smart and serious from sexy? Give women the opportunity to be whatever they want and as multifaceted as they can be.”

American model Ratajkowski writes a candid memoir on what it means to be hyper feminine in a society that represses and shames sexuality. She recounts how a misogynistic culture heavily influenced her early adventures on exploring her feminine side, how she took it to her advantage and turned being “sexy” into her strength. Ratajkowski also reveals how she feels about feminism today and women, in general, having their own decision and choices.

Writing Prompts on Essays about Feminism

For more help in picking your next essay topic, check out these seven essay prompts that can get you started:

Feminism is largely believed to be women’s fight against the patriarchy. Could it be a fight against all forms of oppression, discrimination, objectification and stereotyping? Could it be something more? You may even investigate some common myths about feminism. You might be interested in our list of adjectives for strong women .

Essays about Feminism: Does feminism still matter in the workplace?

Now that several women are climbing to the top of corporate ladders, have the right to vote and could get a doctorate, does feminism remain relevant?

Your article can explore the continued challenges of women in the workplace. You may also interview some working women who have faced obstacles toward certain goals due to discrimination and how they overcame the situation.

This would tie in closely to the topic on the definition of feminism. But this topic adds value and a personal touch as you share the reasons and narratives that made you realize you are or are not a feminist.

A common misconception is that only women can be feminists.

The First Wave of feminism started in the 19th century as protests on the streets and evolved into today’s Fourth Wave where technologial tools are leveraged to promote feminist advocacies. Look at each period of feminism and compare their objectives and challenges.

While feminism aims to benefit everybody, the movement has also earned the ire of many. Some people blame feminism for enabling hostility towards men, promiscuity and pornography, among others. You can also touch on the more controversial issue on abortion which feminists fight for with the popularizd slogan “My body, my choice.” You can discuss the law of abortion in your state or your country and what feminist groups have to say about these existing regulations.

Gender equality is pursued in various fields, especially where women have had little representation in the past. One example is the tech industry. Choose one sector you relate closely with and research on how gender equality has advanced in this area. It may be fun to also interview some industry leaders to know what policy frameworks they are implementing, and what will be their strategic direction moving forward.

Everyone surely knows a handful of feminists in their social media networks. Interview some friends and ask about feminist projects they have worked on or are working on. Of course, do not forget to ask about the outcomes or targets of the project and find out who has benefitted from the cause. Are these mothers or young women?

WRITING TIPS: Before you head on to write about feminism, check out our essay writing tips so you can have a struggle-free writing process.

If writing an essay still feels like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Gender Equality — Essay On Feminism In Society

Essay on Feminism in Society

Categories: Gender Equality Women's Rights

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Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 1481 | Pages: 3 | 8 min read

I. introduction, ii. history of feminism, iii. feminism in the workplace, iv. feminism in politics, v. feminism in media and pop culture, vi. feminism in education, vii. criticisms of feminism, viii. conclusion.

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Perspective

With the death of bell hooks, a generation of feminists lost a foundational figure.

Lisa B. Thompson

Author and cultural critic bell hooks poses for a portrait on December 16, 1996 in New York City, New York. Karjean Levine/Getty Images hide caption

Author and cultural critic bell hooks poses for a portrait on December 16, 1996 in New York City, New York.

"We black women who advocate feminist ideology, are pioneers. We are clearing a path for ourselves and our sisters. We hope that as they see us reach our goal – no longer victimized, no longer unrecognized, no longer afraid – they will take courage and follow." bell hooks, Ain't I a Woman

Arts & Life

Trailblazing feminist author, critic and activist bell hooks has died at 69.

There are well-worn bell hooks books scattered throughout my library. She's in nearly every section – race, class, film, cultural studies – and, as expected, her books take up an entire shelf in the feminism section. I doubt I would have survived this long without her work, and the work of other Black feminist thinkers of her generation, to guide me. I've retrieved every bell hooks book today, and the unwieldy stack comforts me as I assess the impact of her loss.

If you ever heard hooks speak, it would come as no surprise that she first attended college to study drama, as she recounted in a 1992 essay. In the 1990s she blessed my college campus for a week, and I was mesmerized by lectures that were deliciously brilliant yet full of humor. Her banter with the audience during the Q&A floated easily between thoughtful answers, deep questioning and sly quips that kept us at rapt attention. Her words garner just as much attention on the page. She was a prolific writer, and her intellectual curiosity was boundless.

Discovering bell hooks changed the lives of countless Black women and girls. After picking up one of her many titles – Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center; Yearning: Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics; Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism – the world suddenly made sense. She reordered the universe by boldly gifting us with the language and theories to understand who we were in an often hostile and alienating society.

She also made clear that, as Black women, we belonged to no one but ourselves. A bad feminist from the start, hooks was clearly uninterested in being safe, respectable or acceptable, and charted a career on her own terms. She implored us to transgress and struggle, but to do so with love and fearlessness. Her brave, bold and beautiful words not only spoke truth to power, but also risked speaking that same truth to and about our beloved icons and culture.

As we traversed hostile spaces in academia, corporate America, the arts, medicine and sometimes our own families, hooks not only taught us how to love ourselves, but also insisted that we seek justice. She helped us to better understand and, if necessary, forgive the women who birthed and raised us. She claimed feminism without apology, and encouraged Black women in particular to embrace feminism, and to do more than simply identify their oppression, but to envision new ways of being in the world. She called on us to honor early pioneers such as Anna Julia Cooper and Mary Church Terrell, who first claimed the mantle of women's rights.

The lower-case name bell hooks published under challenged a system of academic writing that historically belittled and ignored the work of Black scholars. She also used language that was as plain and as clear as her politics. While her writing was deeply personal, often carved from her own experiences, her ideas were relentlessly rigorous and full of citations—even though she eschewed footnotes, another refusal of the academy's standards that endeared her to those of us determined to remake intellectual traditions that denied our very humanity.

Rejecting footnotes seemed to symbolize the fact that the knowledge hooks most valued could not fit into those tiny spaces. Her writing style hinted at the fact that her ideas were always more expansive than even her books could hold. While there were no footnotes, her books were love notes to a people she loved fiercely.

No matter where she taught or lived, bell hooks always kept Kentucky and her family ties close. She frequently claimed her southern Black working-class background and an abiding love for her home. Although she was educated at prestigious schools, she always spoke with the wisdom and wit of our mothers, grandmothers and aunties. Her return to the Bluegrass State and Berea College towards the end of her career has a narrative elegance. A generation of feminists has lost a foundational figure and a beloved icon, but her legacy lives on in her writing, which will provide sustenance for generations to come.

Lisa B. Thompson is a playwright and the Bobby and Sherri Patton Professor of African & African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Follow her @drlisabthompson on Twitter and Instagram .

Feminism in the Past and Nowadays Essay

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Introduction

Liberal feminism, radical feminism, works cited.

The feminist movement is spread all over the world, and more and more people are sharing their values. In the context of the modern era, the position of women has changed. Discrimination based on gender is slowly vanishing from our reality, though it is still an issue in emerging countries. The patriarchal type of relations has almost disappeared, and household duties are usually shared by family members. Such positive changes would be impossible without the influence of passionate women, who stand for their rights. Although the feminist movement is still making a huge impact on global society, some of its aspects have changed throughout time, and this paper is focused on observing the present-day agenda in comparison with previous goals and achievements of feminism.

The definition of liberal feminism is the following: “a particular approach to achieving equality between men and women that emphasizes the power of an individual person to alter discriminatory practices against women” (“Liberal Feminism: Definition & Theory” par. 2). In other words, it is based on the idea that in a democratic system women can create an equal society where law and men respect them. It should be noted that democratic institutions have developed significantly, so nowadays women have more opportunities for action. However, every movement has different directions, and liberal feminism can be addressed from two points of view: middle-class and working-class feminism.

Middle-class Feminism

The division by class here is for a reason. A famous activist bell hook claims that in the US middle-class white women had more opportunities to fight for their interests than women from other class and race (hooks 6). It means that privileged women had access to media, universities, and other public institutions, unlike others, so they could easier address the large audience.

The problems that middle-class feminists were highlighting mostly concerned about their isolation and inequality in the labor market. “The Feminine Mystique” by Betty Friedan, which illustrated the sad truth about the life goals of women, provoked a massive reaction and protest. Friedan disagreed with the nationwide promotion of early marriages and family as the only goal for women and revealed the problem of never questioning. It was torturing women, who did not even realize their true state of mind (Friedan 54). Hence, the movement became focused on highlighting women’s individuality and abilities to make an impact in society along with men.

Working-class Feminism

The status of working-class women was always vulnerable and open to debate. Firstly, as workers, they had to face the dehumanizing nature of labor and suffered from poverty daily. Furthermore, they were suspicious about middle-class women’s attempts to get a place at the labor market and knew that this liberation movement threatened their jobs (hooks 98). Therefore, the main struggle for them was to get decently paid and to avoid total discrimination.

All in all, liberal feminism was reflected in massive protests and public speeches, which finally reached many of its primary goals. In 1920 American women finally obtained the right to vote. Later, it became possible for women to work in the same positions as men. Today’s feminism missions would be much more complicated without this progress. Gender discrimination at work is gradually vanishing, and women keep raising awareness about it in order to eliminate it completely. Erasing these inequalities contributes to making a healthy society, where people respect each other and value work of the others.

Another school of feminism is called radical and focuses on fighting against male violence and patriarchy. Challenging the patriarchy means dealing with male dominance at home and at work (Mackay 4). Unfortunately, men’s supremacy has been a feature of every community for a long time. Hence, the concepts of radical feminism are interconnected with ideas of the liberal school, as male supremacy was always one of the major concerns for all women.

Radicals stress the topic of rape and violence. This is a critical issue that has always been hard to discuss. Women had never been eager to share their traumatic experiences and to combat violence at home until some brave activists began the public protest. It caused a tidal wave of disagreement, and it is noteworthy that women living in civilized countries can feel safe nowadays. Law protects them and brings confidence to millions of women across the world.

However, there are still many countries where the state does not protect from violence. It happens because of the reluctance of members of these societies to make a change. Possibly, they underestimate the features of healthy societies, and it results in indifference.

Modern feminism would not have been what it is without influencers and activists from the past. Literature, music, and other cultural ways of transferring a message helped feminists to widespread their ideas and beliefs. Second-wave feminism was the period when the movement was at its peak, so most of the remarkable works concerning the position of women in society were created at this time. Along with authors who discussed basic women’s rights, like bell hooks, others promoted the topics which had never been talked about before. For example, Erica Jong developed a theme of female sexuality in her novel “Fear of Flying” published in 1973. It was a provocative subject for those days, but it was time for the society to reconsider conservative views and accept the natural causes of the phenomenon.

Another outstanding example in modern feminism is Alice Walker, a writer who coined the term “womanism.” It was meant to symbolize all women, including the black ones, as “feminism” did not usually encompass them. According to Walker, “womanism” is a philosophy of women who love their gender, which also addresses all issues mentioned above (Junior 16). Although the opposite term “misogyny” has been popular lately, there are still many proponents of Walker’s views.

In the context of education, the feminist movement became a global appeal for critical thinking and overviewing the common concepts of the position of women. Women started asking themselves, and they finally realized that their opinion and self-respect matter. It is important that the ideas of feminism gave a sense of community to women, and this sense of participation brought power and confidence to many of them. Women became capable of debating openly over controversial topics. This is how the slogan “the personal is political” occurred – it addressed the connection between the self and political reality. It was one of the first steps in discussing the subject of political consciousness among women, and it seems especially important today when we finally see women-politicians, women-presidents.

To sum up, the contemporary feminist movement has progressed to the state of a global and powerful philosophy which helps women worldwide. Fashion claims that the future is feminine, men join the movement and support active women, and this would never be true without the founders and previous activists, who were first to declare women’s rights. Besides, today’s agenda has become more diversified, and feminists’ concerns are not only about women but also about global development in general. Thus, the efforts of the first feminists were not useless, and future generations can rely on modern activists.

Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique . W.W. Norton and Co, 1963

Hooks, bell. Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center . Routledge, 2014.

Jong, Erica. Fear of Flying . Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973.

Junior, Nyasha. An Introduction to Womanist Biblical Interpretation . Presbyterian Publishing Corp, 2015.

Mackay, Finn. Radical Feminism: Feminist Activism in Movement. Springer, 2015.

“Liberal Feminism: Definition & Theory.” Web.

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IvyPanda . 2020. "Feminism in the Past and Nowadays." September 26, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/feminism-in-the-past-and-nowadays/.

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IvyPanda . "Feminism in the Past and Nowadays." September 26, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/feminism-in-the-past-and-nowadays/.

5 Essays About Feminism

On the surface, the definition of feminism is simple. It’s the belief that women should be politically, socially, and economically equal to men. Over the years, the movement expanded from a focus on voting rights to worker rights, reproductive rights, gender roles, and beyond. Modern feminism is moving to a more inclusive and intersectional place. Here are five essays about feminism that tackle topics like trans activism, progress, and privilege:

“Trickle-Down Feminism” – Sarah Jaffe

Feminists celebrate successful women who have seemingly smashed through the glass ceiling, but the reality is that most women are still under it. Even in fast-growing fields where women dominate (retail sales, food service, etc), women make less money than men. In this essay from Dissent Magazine, author Sarah Jaffe argues that when the fastest-growing fields are low-wage, it isn’t a victory for women. At the same time, it does present an opportunity to change the way we value service work. It isn’t enough to focus only on “equal pay for equal work” as that argument mostly focuses on jobs where someone can negotiate their salary. This essay explores how feminism can’t succeed if only the concerns of the wealthiest, most privileged women are prioritized.

Sarah Jaffe writes about organizing, social movements, and the economy with publications like Dissent, the Nation, Jacobin, and others. She is the former labor editor at Alternet.

“What No One Else Will Tell You About Feminism” – Lindy West

Written in Lindy West’s distinct voice, this essay provides a clear, condensed history of feminism’s different “waves.” The first wave focused on the right to vote, which established women as equal citizens. In the second wave, after WWII, women began taking on issues that couldn’t be legally-challenged, like gender roles. As the third wave began, the scope of feminism began to encompass others besides middle-class white women. Women should be allowed to define their womanhood for themselves. West also points out that “waves” may not even exist since history is a continuum. She concludes the essay by declaring if you believe all people are equal, you are a feminist.

Jezebel reprinted this essay with permission from How To Be A Person, The Stranger’s Guide to College by Lindy West, Dan Savage, Christopher Frizelle, and Bethany Jean Clement. Lindy West is an activist, comedian, and writer who focuses on topics like feminism, pop culture, and fat acceptance.

“Toward a Trans* Feminism” – Jack Halberstam

The history of transactivsm and feminism is messy. This essay begins with the author’s personal experience with gender and terms like trans*, which Halberstam prefers. The asterisk serves to “open the meaning,” allowing people to choose their categorization as they see fit. The main body of the essay focuses on the less-known history of feminists and trans* folks. He references essays from the 1970s and other literature that help paint a more complete picture. In current times, the tension between radical feminism and trans* feminism remains, but changes that are good for trans* women are good for everyone.

This essay was adapted from Trans*: A Quick and Quirky Account of Gender Variability by Jack Halberstam. Halberstam is the Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity, Gender Studies and Comparative Literature at the University of Southern California. He is also the author of several books.

“Rebecca Solnit: How Change Happens” – Rebecca Solnit

The world is changing. Rebecca Solnit describes this transformation as an assembly of ideas, visions, values, essays, books, protests, and more. It has many layers involving race, class, gender, power, climate, justice, etc, as well as many voices. This has led to more clarity about injustice. Solnit describes watching the transformation and how progress and “ wokeness ” are part of a historical process. Progress is hard work. Not exclusively about feminism, this essay takes a more intersectional look at how progress as a whole occurs.

“How Change Happens” was adapted from the introduction to Whose Story Is it? Rebecca Solnit is a writer, activist, and historian. She’s the author of over 20 books on art, politics, feminism, and more.

“Bad Feminist” extract – Roxane Gay

People are complicated and imperfect. In this excerpt from her book Bad Feminist: Essays , Roxane Gay explores her contradictions. The opening sentence is, “I am failing as a woman.” She goes on to describe how she wants to be independent, but also to be taken care of. She wants to be strong and in charge, but she also wants to surrender sometimes. For a long time, she denied that she was human and flawed. However, the work it took to deny her humanness is harder than accepting who she is. While Gay might be a “bad feminist,” she is also deeply committed to issues that are important to feminism. This is a must-read essay for any feminists who worry that they aren’t perfect.

Roxane Gay is a professor, speaker, editor, writer, and social commentator. She is the author of Bad Feminist , a New York Times bestseller, Hunger (a memoir), and works of fiction.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

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✍️Essay on Feminism for Students: Samples 150, 250 Words

Updated on
Nov 2, 2023

In a society, men and women should be considered equal in every aspect. This thought is advocated by a social and political movement i.e. feminism . The word feminism was coined by the French Philosopher Charles Fourier in 1837. He was known for his strong belief in equal rights for women as men in every sector, be it the right to vote, right to work, right to decide, right to participate in public life, right to own property, etc. Feminism advocates the rights of women with respect to the equality of gender . There are different types of feminism i.e. liberal, radical, Marxist, cultural, and eco-feminism. Stay tuned and have a look at the following sample essay on feminism!

Also Read: Popular Struggles and Movements

Essay on Feminism 150 Words

India is a land of diversity of which 52.2% are women as per an estimate for the year 2023. This doesn’t mean that every woman is getting basic fundamental rights in society. We should not neglect the rights of women and treat them as a weaker sex. Women are equally strong and capable as men. To advocate this thought a movement called Feminism came into existence in 1837. Feminism is a movement that advocates the equality of women in social, political, and economic areas.

India is up eight notches in #WorldEconomicForum ’s annual gender ranking. And Iceland is #1 for women, again, for the 14th year in a row. @namitabhandare ’s newsletter, #HTMindtheGap looks at why. Plus the week’s other gender stories https://t.co/9Fen6TaEnb Subscribe here… pic.twitter.com/r6XfFMINO0 — Hindustan Times (@htTweets) June 25, 2023

Traditionally, women were believed to stay at home and there were severe restrictions imposed on them. They were not allowed to go out, study, work, vote, own property, etc. However, with the passage of time, people are becoming aware of the objective of feminism. Any person who supports feminism and is a proponent of equal human rights for women is considered a feminist.

Feminism is a challenge to the patriarchal systems existing in society. Despite this strong movement burning in high flames to burn the orthodox and dominant culture, there are still some parts of the world that are facing gender inequality. So, it is our duty to make a world free of any discrimination.

Essay on Feminism 250 Words

Talking about feminism in a broader sense, then, it is not restricted only to women. It refers to the equality of every sex or gender. Some people feel offended by the concept of feminism as they take it in the wrong way. There is a misconception that only women are feminists. But this is not the case. Feminists can be anyone who supports the noble cause of supporting the concept of providing equal rights to women.

Feminism is not restricted to single-sex i.e. women, but it advocates for every person irrespective of caste, creed, colour, sex, or gender. As an individual, it is our duty to help every person achieve equal status in society and eradicate any kind of gender discrimination .

Equality helps people to live freely without any traditional restrictions. At present, the Government of India is also contributing to providing equal rights to the female sector through various Government schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra, One Stop Center, and many more.

Apart from these Government policies, campaigns like reproductive rights or abortion of unwanted pregnancy also give women the right to choose and lead their life without any external authority of a male.

Feminism has also supported the LGBTIQA+ community so that people belonging to this community could come out and reveal their identity without any shame. The concept of feminism also helped them to ask for equal rights as men and women. Thus, it could be concluded that feminism is for all genders and a true feminist will support every person to achieve equal rights and hold a respectable position in society.

Check Out: Women Equality Day

Kajal Thareja

Hi, I am Kajal, a pharmacy graduate, currently pursuing management and is an experienced content writer. I have 2-years of writing experience in Ed-tech (digital marketing) company. I am passionate towards writing blogs and am on the path of discovering true potential professionally in the field of content marketing. I am engaged in writing creative content for students which is simple yet creative and engaging and leaves an impact on the reader's mind.

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Hook Feminism Essay

Feminism is for everyone explains the emotional encounters of the struggles and challenges faced by the feminist movement. The experiences of the feminist movement helped shaped a strong case that the inclusion of men is required within the movement. One main goal of the feminist movement is to end all forms of sexism, sexist exploitations, and oppression (Hook). The key argument that Hook makes throughout her novel is that feminism is about creating a world free of sexism. The only way to make this possible is by having both males and females fight to end sexist causes. The patriarchal society is based on powers in relationships—whether that power is men over women, bosses over their workers and even parents over their children. Relationships

Feminism, By Bell Hook And Sheryl Sandberg Essay

“If my generation was too naïve, the generations that have followed may be too practical. We knew too little, and now girls know too much.” (Sandberg. Pg. 646) In the past, the call for women’s rights was heated as much as it was alive; many women today believe that they no longer need feminism in their lives. The misconception that feminist ideals are outdated has lead modern women to fall short in their desire to accomplish more. Sheryl Sandberg refuels feminist goals in the article “Lean In: What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid.” She addresses lack of females in the work force, as well as, the way society prompts boys compared to girls. Bell Hook, in contrast, provides a deeper understanding of feminist ideals, along with, an in depth analysis of Sandberg’s work. The articles written by Bell Hook and Sheryl Sandberg express each woman’s perspective on modern feminism; although they both call for action, Sandberg focuses on the inequality between the sexes, while Hook broadens the overall argument to include topics such as race, sexuality and class equality.

Reactions to Hooks’ Feminism is for Everybody Essay

In Feminism is for Everybody, hooks introduces a popular theory of feminism rooted in common sense and the wisdom of her own personal experience. In my opinion, hooks’ book is perfectly poised to become THE OFFICIAL “handbook” or “cliff notes” to feminism. Although it’s short, Feminism is for Everybody is powerful. It addresses all of the most prevalent issues facing the contemporary feminist movement, everything from where feminism stands, reproductive choice, beauty, violence, race, class, work, all the way to where feminism will go in the future. She uses simple, direct language to express complex issues. However, that is not to say that she “dumbs-down” such topics. Rather, she makes them more comprehensible to those not as familiar with feminism as a discipline. This book offers everyone (man or woman) a chance to explore feminism. It serves as an eye-opener to all those “would be” feminists who are afraid to label themselves as such for fear of being called a man hater or worse, a lesbian! She dispels these myths and others, forcing her audience

Bell Hooks Feminist Theory Analysis

In the Feminist Theory, bell hooks provide vivid examples and assertions on how mainstream feminism exclude the issues of women of color. Mainstream feminism in America pertains to the ideals of “white, middle-class privileged woman” as they “reinforce white supremacy by negating the issue of race and class amongst woman of color” (hooks, 2000, pg. ). Due to not fulfilling the attempt to gain equality, as they may claim to do, it also can be an organization that displays “narcissism, insensitivity, sentimentality, and self-indulgence” (hooks, 2000, pg. 3). As mainstream feminism shuns the needs and interests of African-American women, it allows current social issues and inequalities to persist.

Patriarchy By Bell Hooks, The Ideology Of Patriarchy

In the article "Understanding Patriarchy” by Bell Hooks, the ideology of patriarchy is presented to her audience while she explains some of the basics of feminism and how they relate to current challenges to gender roles. Hook begins the article by establishing her relevance to the topic by giving specific examples of her childhood living in a patriarchal home. She explains in detail some of the occurrences growing up in an isolated area in a home with patriarchal views and how they affected her. Hook then transitions into her professional life as a feminist and shows her views on patriarchy, gender roles, and gives a possible solutions to the societal issues brought about by patriarchy. The relevance of patriarchy is brought to the forefront in this article addressing the cultural denial of patriarchy by society. Hook explains how children growing up even in single parent families or non-patriarchal families still get patriarchal ideologies from the world around them. Approaching the end of the article Hook begins to go into detail on the impacts of patriarchal views on both men and women. Hook references patriarchy’s impact on gender roles. She pleads for the acknowledgment of patriarchy and its harmful effects on society and focuses on its effects on males. Hook concludes by giving a solution to the ill effects of patriarchy, stating it must be taken seriously, and addressed by men and women alike.

The Issue Of Sexual Assault On College Campuses

Feminism is a means through which we can finally achieve gender equality. The goal of feminism is for women to finally have the same rights and opportunities that men are given. This is a nearly exact definition of equality. The rights these women are asking for are nothing unreasonable. Feminists seek equal

Feminism Is For Everyone By Bell Hook

bell hook is a famous feminist author who wrote the book “Feminism Is For Everybody” hooks attempt to create a quick, simple start on feminist history, theory, and politics to the masses who receive a misinformation, misunderstood, and maligned version of the feminist movement. Hooks says “To understand feminism it implies one has to necessarily understand sexism”.We define feminism as the advocacy of women 's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.Where she simply define and shows that being feminism does not mean women have to become mean or they are better than men,she simply saying that men and women need to be equal like the civil right movements. The book begins with a brief statement of feminist political positions, then discusses some history of the movement.She discusses the change in the movement from personal to groups where women have close relationships with one another and began to feel personally empowered by their participation in the establishment of large, and how some women feel like they are working for the high middle-class women.Every single time it doesn’t matter you a women or men, you will always have someone in the higher level than you.hooks feel like it will very exciting for the women who have the power to work with other so they could build each other up..Hooks views the formation of large women’s organizations as the beginning of a stage where the movement took on the role of

Feminist Approaches To Social Work

According to Hooks (2000) as cited in Considine and Dukelow (2009:141) “Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression”. It is necessary to explain the different types of feminism that are present in society first. Freedman

Libertarian Feminism Essay

9 Works Cited

Among all these different kind of feminism, a single political agenda binds them together, a common purpose; gender equality. Like most things, there are misconceptions about certain subjects. For example the media tends to focus on feminist extremist, and (knowingly or unknowingly) perpetuates the stereotype that feminists hate men, and that their agenda includes the eventual societal elevation above men. Nothing could be further from the truth since the actual definition of feminism is, “The advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.” (Oxford Dictionary, 2014). Here we see that it is not a competition to the top of the pyramid, rather it is an effort to join the sexes in equality. The problem that arises from the definition is the lack of explanation of the methods, and ideologies, and that is breeding ground for speculation and therefore misconceptions. The solution to this problem is simple; we must acknowledge that there are different methods employed by different women to reach equality.

Liberal Feminism vs. Radical Feminism Essay

The goal of feminism as both a social movement and political movement is to make women and men equal not only culturally, but socially and legally. Even though there are various types of feminism that focus on different goals and issues, the ultimate end to feminism is abolishing gender inequality that has negative effects on women in our society. The issues and goals that a feminist may have are dependent on the social organization or the type of economic structure that is present. However, an ultimate end (a goal, achievement and/or accomplishment) would have to be social equality between men and women. This would mean the elimination of bias and discrimination towards women and the elimination

Feminist Movement Essay

In the aftermath of World War II, the lives of the women have changed dramatically. Women spoke their minds out and wanted to be heard. World War II brought them a new outlook on how they should live their lives. It encouraged women organize social movements such as boycotts and public marches pushing for their human rights and protect them against discrimination. Alongside, they formed their own organization representing them against the federal government like the NOW or National Organization for Women. Through the years, women have been struggling to fight for equal rights and unfortunately still exist even at the present in some areas. Yes, women’s status was not like what they used to back then, where their

Women 's Equality For Women

For many years, women have aimed for gaining equality with men. They’re opportunities were taken away because of the fact that they were women. Overtime feminism has expanded and diversified in many different aspects including approach and priorities. The changes in them are result of many different social economic groups of women because of the various goals set for methods of creating change, which are implemented within the movement. The feminist movement has been trying to give equal rights to women who have been destitute of their equality and privileges that man have never given them. Feminism is beneficial to men, women, and their families because it is allowing everyone to have an equal opportunity in life to achieve all they can without any discrimination based on their sex.

Feminism Definition Essay

What is feminism? The definition is often argued over by feminists and anti-feminists. Feminists believe that the expectations for women are far too high to be attainable for most—they are expected to be the perfect weight, the perfect height, the perfect everything in the eyes of society in order to be seen as worth anything. Feminists believe that women are seen by society as less powerful, less smart, simply less than men. Feminists also believe that feminism promotes gender equality, not misandry. They aim to fix this. Anti-feminists, on the other hand believe that feminism is women being obnoxious and putting themselves above men. They think feminism in 2015 in unnecessary. Women already have the right to vote, what more could they possibly want? This oppression is just one reason why feminism exists and—in my opinion—is extremely important in today’s world.

Gender Inequality and Patriarchy Essay

Patriarchy usually means a family that is male-dominated and headed by the father. It is a social construct in which men and masculine roles are considered to be absolutely superior to women and feminine roles. A society is considered patriarchal when it is male-dominated, male-centered, and male-identified. Being a male-dominated culture means that positions of power and authority in the political, economic, legal, religious, domestic, educational, and military spheres are usually reserved only for men. Male-identification means that a culture’s ‘normal’ way of living is based on men and their lives. Male-dominance means that the culture has been shaped by men in a way that mostly serves male interests. Patriarchal societies are male-identified because their core ideals concerning what is morally right, desirable or normal are connected with how they think about masculinity or men in general. They are always male-centered, with the culture’s focus is

The Patriarchal System Essay

8 Works Cited

The purpose of this paper is to explore patriarchal values that reinforce violence towards women in intimate partner relationships. This paper argues that patriarchy and the social construction of masculinity reproduce male violence against women. The following sub-issues that that will be discussed are patriarchy, capitalism, the religion of Islam, and the construction of masculinity and femininity. All the sub-issues encompass patriarchy values which allows inmate partner violence.

Feminism Essay examples

Feminism is the belief that women should have economic political and social equality with men. This term also refers to a political movement that works to gain equality within a male and female relationship. In a male and female relationship both the roles of the male and female should be equal. Equal in many ways ten one: they should trust each other, share responsibilities, listen to one another, respect each other, and of course love one another equally.

Feminism is for Everybody

A study guide of the bell hook’s 2000 book ‘Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics.’

Summary, part 1

Chapter 1: feminist politics.

“ Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” (p. xii).

hooks first offered this definition more than 10 years ago in her book Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. This definition is one she still adheres to since it clearly states that the movement is not anti-male.

As the movement progressed, it became clear that the problem is the overarching patriarchy, sexism and sexist thinking in both men and women. Women cannot group together under a single banner unless they confront their own sexist thoughts. She also highlights the importance of intersectionality in her discussion, focusing on the impossible nature of a united sisterhood if women continue to oppress other women for their varying overlapping marginalized identities, such as race or class. To learn more about the origins of intersectionality, visit our study guide here .

She draws a distinction between the women in the movement:

Reformist thinkers : those who simply wanted to emphasise gender equality and work within the existing structure

Revolutionary/visionary thinkers (identifying as one herself) : those who wanted to do away with the patriarchal superstructure entirely

Used as a tool for class mobility, reformist feminism can lead to fellow women trampling on other women to acquire higher societal standing. Thus, allowing these women to lead double lives where they get to choose their roles as oppressors and oppressed while living comfortably within the existing sexist structure.

This is what hooks calls “ lifestyle feminism ,” or the idea that no matter your politics, you could still be a feminist (e.g., an anti-abortionist could still be a feminist). Lifestyle feminism allows for the removal of politics from a fundamentally political and radical movement, pushing radical feminism into an esoteric academic circle and delineating it from public life. hooks believes that this loss of values led to the loss of momentum in the movement, and argues that reformist feminism has to change for the movement to begin anew.

Chapter 2: Consciousness-raising (CR)

In a sexist society, everyone is encultured to uphold sexist views, and so feminists are not born, they need to be made. They are made through the rejection of patriarchal paradigms by the politically conscious. Therefore, to change the patriarchy, women have to first change themselves.

This essential unlearning is revolutionary feminist consciousness-raising. It involves careful analysis of the importance of learning about patriarchy as a system of domination, its institutionalization, and its maintenance.

In the beginning, consciousness-raising (CR) groups were used therapeutically by women to vent their frustration and anger without any structures in place for affirmative action. They then became places of conversion where feminist thinkers could find new recruits afterward replaced by women's studies classes in universities. To learn more about consciousness-raising, visit our study guide about the Stonewall protests here .

This caused radical thinkers who were not white, rich, or middle class to be sidelined in public discussions since universities are conservative corporate structures. Hence, by the 1980s, “lifestyle feminism” came into play which “suggested any woman could be a feminist no matter what her political beliefs” (p. 11).

hooks’ call is for CRs to attain their original importance, this time including CRs for men, since the anti-sexism goal of feminism cannot be fully realized without male comrades.

Chapter 3: Sisterhood is Still Powerful

Feminist thinking helped women unlearn the “enemy within” of sexist thinking and self-hatred. It created grounds for female solidarity, especially since female bonding is an act of treason within the patriarchy, unlike male bonding, which is the expected norm (p. 12).

The bond created was not anti-male. The feminists of the time understood that the bond went beyond mere shared sympathy. They belived, “Feminist sisterhood is rooted in shared commitment to struggle against patriarchal injustice, no matter the form that injustice takes”(p. 15).

As long as women are using class or race to dominate other women, feminist sisterhood cannot be fully realized. Bonding is only possible when women in dominant positions let go of their power to unite with their fellow women.

As women (particularly privileged white women) began to acquire class power without divesting of internalized sexism, divisions intensified. White women turned their backs to the critiques offered by Black women which called to attention the need to confront class and race in society and the feminist movement which alienated disappointed radical feminists and stratified the hard-earned ‘sisterhood.’ Hence, older feminists need to teach the younger ones to reignite political solidarity and the renewed movement must once again raise the banner,“Sisterhood is powerful” (p. 18).

Chapter 4: Feminist Education for Critical Consciousness

Creating a body of feminist literature along with the demand for the recovery of women’s history was one of the most powerful and successful interventions of contemporary feminism. The entry of academic feminist studies bolstered the dissemination of feminism in the youth of the time.

Simply being victimized and oppressed by the patriarchy does not give one the cognitive tools to understand why it exists and how to go about changing it. Hence, preceding Black studies, it was the one place to learn about gender and women from an unbiased perspective. To its credit, by the late 80s, feminist theory had become aware of race and class in its discussions.

The academization of feminist theory also created a new set of problems. It deradicalized and decoupled feminism from public life. Suddenly, feminism became an elite, jargon-heavy, academic ‘in group.’ This had greatly hurt the movement since sharing the thoughts and practice of feminist knowledge was supposed to sustain the movement.

hooks is critical of the standard (patriarchal) education system and offers suggestions for spreading feminism through community-based feminist studies :

Creating a mass-based movement where people go door to door, explaining the principles of the movement (like religious groups do)

Creating a feminist curriculum in public schools

Making feminist books available in all possible formats in songs, TV, and radio shows. She particularly emphasized the need for a feminist TV network.

Chapter 5: Our Bodies, Ourselves

“One of the first issues which served as a catalyst for the formation of the movement was sexuality — the issue being the rights of women to choose when and with whom they would be sexual” (p. 25).

Historically, white women with class privilege have had access to safe, effective birth control and abortions care while most other women in the United States did not. Pioneering feminist thinkers were firm in their belief that before hoping to accomplish any gender equity, both women and men needed access to safe abortions and birth control.

The abortion issue gained attention over all other reproductive issues as it affected white women the most and, was a direct challenge to the fundamentalist Christian thinking of the U.S.

The right has now become endangered again due to the fall of an organized, radical feminist movement and backlash from the religious fundamentalist right-wing political front.

While she does not seek to trivialize the importance of providing access to legal, safe, and affordable abortions, hooks wants to bring to the forefront other issues as well such as basic sex education, preventive health care, etc .

“Feminist focus on reproductive rights is needed to protect and sustain our freedom” (p. 30).

Hooks, B. (2000). Feminism is for everybody: Passionate politics . Pluto Press.

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10 Essential Feminist Texts That Everyone Should Read

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique , a book that, as the Times put it, “ignited the contemporary women’s movement in 1963 and as a result permanently transformed the social fabric of the United States and countries around the world.” To celebrate the book’s anniversary, we’ve put together a list of ten essential feminist reads, from fiction and poetry to essays and nonfiction dissections. Read through our picks after the jump — and since there are so many more than ten important feminist texts worthy of pressing into any friend’s hands, add your own favorites to our list in the comments.

The Feminine Mystique , Betty Friedan

Friedan’s 1963 investigation into “the problem that has no name” — that is, the unrepentant unhappiness she found among housewives — is one of the most influential books of the 20th century, and is generally credited with being the catalyst for the rise of second-wave feminism in the United States.

Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics , bell hooks

Well, you heard her — this is by its very project a book for everyone. bell hooks has written a host of books that could fit this list, but this one is a primer of sorts to the movement — or at least hooks’s interpretation of the movement. She calls for a feminism that breaks barriers: “A genuine feminist politics always brings us from bondage to freedom, from lovelessness to loving,” she writes. “There can be no love without justice.”

A Room of One’s Own , Virginia Woolf

Another classic, we’d recommend Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own — an extended essay that explores women’s relationship to writing — to just about anyone. The Woolf devotees in this writer’s life happen to be almost exclusively men, so this might be a particularly good place to start for all you literary boys curious about feminism.

The Beauty Myth , Naomi Wolf

This 1991 text, which dissects the relationship between the growing social prominence of women and society’s demands for them to conform to specific standards of beauty, is as relevant now as it was 20 years ago — since, sadly, nothing much has changed in this arena since then. Betty Friedan herself wrote in Allure that “ The Beauty Myth and the controversy it is eliciting could be a hopeful sign of a new surge of feminist consciousness.”

Sister Outsider , Audre Lorde

One of the most influential voices of the feminist movement rings out in this collection of 15 essays and speeches by Caribbean-American activist Audre Lorde. “Perhaps,” Lorde challenges her reader in “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action,” “I am the face of one of your fears. Because I am a woman, because I am Black, because I am a lesbian, because I am myself — a Black woman warrior poet doing my work — come to ask you, are you doing yours?”

The Second Sex , Simone de Beauvoir

“I hesitated a long time before writing a book on woman,” De Beauvoir begins. “The subject is irritating, especially for women; and it is not new. Enough ink has flowed over the quarrel about feminism; it is now almost over: let’s not talk about it anymore.” This was in 1959 — and the sentiment is as fresh now as it was then, just like (most of) the rest of De Beauvoir’s lucid, equal parts literary and philosophical, book. Another installment in the classic-for-a-reason file.

The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton , Lucille Clifton

Feminism and poetry have a long and storied history together , and Lucille Clifton is one of the most beloved of its flagbearers, her poems ringing with race, sex, and the ever-present body. This volume, which collects all 11 of Lucille Clifton’s published collections, plus 50-odd unpublished works, is not only an essential text for those interested in feminism, but a must for all readers of poems, heralded by Publisher’s Weekly as “the most important book of poetry to appear in years.”

The Woman Warrior , Maxine Hong Kingston

Maxine Hong Kingston’s take on the memoir blends her personal experiences with traditional Chinese folktales, examining the Chinese-American experience as well as the female one, taking on the cultural source of oppression. She writes: “There is a Chinese word for the female I — which is ‘slave’. Break the women with their own tongues!” So why not seek the attention reserved for boys by channeling Fa Mu Lan and swapping out her gender? “I refused to cook. When I had to wash dishes, I would crack one or two. ‘Bad girl,’ my mother yelled, and sometimes that made me gloat rather than cry. Isn’t a bad girl almost a boy?”

Sexual Politics , Kate Millett

For the staunchly literary-minded among you, try Kate Millett’s 1970 book, widely heralded as the very first work of “academic feminist literary criticism,” which started as her doctoral dissertation. Though the book stirred up as much denunciation as it did praise, we think it’s an essential lens (one of many) for looking at the Western canon.

How to Be a Woman , Caitlin Moran

This list is filled with books written decades ago, so we thought we’d conclude with a recent triumph: Caitlin Moran’s manifesto on being a woman today, filled with brash, no-nonsense criticism steeped in a saucy sense of humor. An example: “We need to reclaim the word ‘feminism’. We need the word ‘feminism’ back real bad. When statistics come in saying that only 29% of American women would describe themselves as feminist – and only 42% of British women – I used to think, What do you think feminism IS, ladies? What part of ‘liberation for women’ is not for you? Is it freedom to vote? The right not to be owned by the man you marry? The campaign for equal pay? ‘Vogue’ by Madonna? Jeans? Did all that good shit GET ON YOUR NERVES? Or were you just DRUNK AT THE TIME OF THE SURVEY?”

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Feminism Takes Form in Essays, Questions and Manifestos

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By Moira Weigel

June 7, 2017

DEAR IJEAWELE, Or, A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 63 pp. Knopf, $15.

When historians write about the mainstreaming of feminism in the early 21st century, they may well begin with “We Should All Be Feminists,” a TED talk Adichie gave in 2012. One year later, Beyoncé sampled it in “Flawless,” and by the time Adichie published a version as a short book, countless listeners knew her words by heart.

Her new book is another brief manifesto, and it is easy to imagine her speaking it in the same contralto. “A couple of years ago,” Adichie begins, “a friend of mine from childhood, who’d grown into a brilliant, strong, kind woman, asked me to tell her how to raise her baby girl a feminist.” Adichie decided to write her a letter. “This book is a version of that letter, with some details changed.”

Each suggestion starts with an imperative. Some are concrete: “Teach Chizalum to read.” Others are more abstract: “Teach her that the idea of ‘gender roles’ is absolute nonsense.” Embedding us in the intimacy of a friendship, the prose makes reflections that might seem common sense in the abstract feel like discoveries. The form of the letter also enacts what Adichie says is her one fixed belief: “Feminism is always contextual.”

WHY I AM NOT A FEMINIST A Feminist Manifesto By Jessa Crispin 151 pp. Melville House, paper, $15.99.

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Feminist Theory

40 pages • 1 hour read

Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Preface 1-Chapter 2

Chapters 3-5

Chapters 6-8

Chapters 9-12

Key Figures

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

In what ways does bell hooks disagree with the feminist movement at the time of writing Feminist Theory: From Margins to Center ? Choose three aspects of the feminist movement that hooks aims to reform and explain the changes she argues for.

hooks frequently quotes major feminist texts, post-colonial texts, and social criticism within her own writing. How does this reflect her understanding of community, education, and solidarity?

Explain hooks’s understanding of solidarity. How would it change the feminist movement? How does hooks propose bringing about this solidarity within the movement?

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18 Essential Feminist Reads, According to 6 Feminist Authors

A collage of 12 Essential Feminist reads

As the great bell hooks stated, “feminism is for everybody.” Indeed, every person on earth is affected by the patriarchy in some way—though certainly, some more so than others. Thanks to the work of renowned professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, society has begun to understand the myriad ways in which race, class, sexual orientation, and other individual characteristics intersect to aggravate oppression. But the point is, we are all tasked with the responsibility of creating a new, just reality in which sexism and oppression have no place.

So where to begin when seeking to learn the ins and outs of the feminist movement? And what books can someone turn to when yearning to go deeper into its implications? To help us chart a way forward, we asked six feminist authors—across a wide array of backgrounds and literary genres—to share a few of the books they regard as essential reading for understanding both the myriad manifestations of the female experience and the sustained importance of feminism. Here are their suggested must-reads —in their own words.

Kate Baer, Author of What Kind of Woman and I Hope This Finds You Well

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay : By now, most have heard of writer, feminist, and cultural critic Roxane Gay. Known for her funny, insightful, and moving essays, her reach is ever expanding and necessary. This book in particular has become my go-to recommendation for anyone searching for memoir, humor, or essays on intersectional feminism. Gay also stands out for her acceptance of imperfection, noting, “I am a bad feminist. I would rather be a bad feminist than no feminist at all.” [It’s a] phenomenal read.

Feminism Is for Everybody by bell hooks: This book should be required reading for every high school student, every first-time mother and father, every woman, and every man. Pair it with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s We Should All Be Feminists , and you’ll find the perfect place to start if you’re interested in feminist studies and [desire to be] well-read on the subject. This book is literally for everyone.

Diving Into the Wreck: Poems 1971-1972 by Adrienne Rich: Reading any Adrienne Rich is like taking a shot of feminine rage—it leaves a burning in your belly and a face flushed with indignation. This collection in particular calls the reader to examine how both men and women contribute to a harmful patriarchy. “You worship the blood you call it hysterical bleeding / you want to drink it like milk / you dip your finger into it and write / you faint at the smell of it / you dream of dumping me into the sea.” To know Rich’s poetry is to know the power of language.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou: Angelou’s 1969 autobiography turned American classic is perhaps one of our country’s most important reads on racism, sexism, and identity. Not only is this book a master class on prose, it gives readers a poignant and nuanced look into the upbringing of a remarkable American woman. Incredible and worth a reread if it’s been a decade or two.

Leah Thomas , Author of The Intersectional Environmentalist

All About Love by bell hooks: This is one of the most transformational books I’ve read, which explores the question “What is love?,”—love for ourselves, for others, for society. For Black women living in a patriarchal society built on racism, learning to love ourselves is a revolutionary act. Taking the time to assess generational trauma and unhealthy relational dynamics, [working toward] receiving healthy love between ourselves, our communities, and others is crucial to promoting a society rooted in love vs. oppression. bell hooks is a feminist icon, and this book demonstrates how love can be a healing tool for not only ourselves, but society as a whole.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston: Black feminism flows throughout this book, even though it’s not explicitly stated. But the experiences of the main character, Janie, demonstrate the struggles of Black women navigating both gender-based and racial discrimination and their ongoing quest for respect, rights, and dignity in the U.S. It also touches on colorism and lateral oppression, dynamics that occur within a minority group; through Janie’s struggles and experiences, she gets closer and closer to expressing her independence and finding empowerment in a patriarchal and racist society.

Rebecca Solnit, Author of Men Explain Things to Me and Recollections of My Nonexistence

Women and Power by Mary Beard: Mary Beard’s “The Public Voice of Women” [from] her small volume Women and Power is a great summary of the history of the problem of unequal voices—unequal in who is allowed to speak, who is listened to, who is believed and respected—all central to questions of inequality.

Woman and Nature: The Roaring Inside Her by Susan Griffin: Susan Griffin’s furious, lyrical Woman and Nature: The Roaring Inside Her still gives us valuable ways to think about gender in relationship to speed, technology, violence, domestic animals, to all the metaphors and analogies that stitch our world together in often-constricting ways.

How to Raise a Feminist Son by Sonora Jha: I love Sonora Jha’s How to Raise a Feminist Son because it addresses something really important, that how we raise children to see themselves, others, and the world is a central act in making a better world, and so feminism is taking place in a billion tiny acts every day, everywhere.

Know My Name by Chanel Miller: Chanel Miller’s memoir Know My Name describes how an act of violence and violation against an individual can ripple through dozens of lives, how the legal system often serves as a long episode of punishment and degradation following the original attack, and how a young woman can find her voice and use it to define herself, reach out to others, and claim the power she deserves.

Gabriela García, Author of Of Women and Salt

The Selected Works of Audre Lorde edited by Roxane Gay: I first encountered Audre Lorde’s essays and speeches as a young woman coming into my own feminist politic, particularly Sister Outsider , often quoted but sometimes divorced of its radical underpinnings. But I’d never read her essays alongside her poetry as in this new collection, and I was struck by the resonances between them—how theory grounded in the communal makes way for poetics of yearning, seething, loving that is painstakingly personal yet grounded in collaborative liberation and care.

Diving Into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich: I turn to Adrienne Rich’s poems often, and almost half a century after its publication, Diving Into the Wreck still strikes me as an utterly relevant exploration of both patriarchal power and mythology, and the complicated contours of feminine interiority. Rich explored varied territory–motherhood, the figure of daughter-in-law, the mechanical processing of a sexual assault by a cop–with language that was precise, incisive, and nuanced; the poems in this collection yield new insights each time I revisit.

Angela Garbes, Author of Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy and Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change (Forthcoming May 2022)

Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong: Reading Minor Feelings in early 2020, just after it was published, I experienced the rare, intense pleasure of realizing, with each page, that it would be canonical to me. Here was the confusion, hypervigilance, desire, and pride and painful self-awareness that defines my (I thought) illegible, private journey into consciousness excised and biopsied with microscopic precision. Each essay is specific to Hong's experience as a Korean American woman, but as a Filipina American I am equally included and implicated. Here too, is anger—anger Asian women are not publicly entitled to, that increasingly threatens to consume us—finally directed outward, sublimated into powerful, destabilizing art.

“Welfare is a Women’s Issue,” essay by Johnnie Tillmon: Since the 1960s, mainstream American feminism has preached satisfaction and self-expression through work outside the home, a “lean-in” approach that values personal growth and gain. The beneficiaries have primarily been white women, as this empowerment has relied on outsourcing domestic labor to women of color at low wages. We hear a lot about Betty Friedan and The Feminine Mystique but far less about women such as Johnnie Tillmon and the National Welfare Rights Organization who, working at the same time, developed a platform for a Guaranteed Adequate Income to benefit all Americans. This essay, published in Ms. Magazine in 1972, shows that true feminism—inclusive and aimed at capitalist patriarchy’s root—can change everything. That, in Tillmon’s words, “Maybe it is we poor welfare women who will really liberate women in this country.”

“Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power,” from Sister Outsider , by Audre Lorde: “ As women, we have come to distrust that power which rises from our deepest and nonrational knowledge,” Lorde writes. “Uses of the Erotic” instantly clarified something I had always suspected as a young woman: that the feeling of being “too much,” too emotional, too dark, too big, too sensitive, was not actually a problem. That it may actually be my great power. This essay is a loving, sensual invitation for all of us to see that we are not in conflict with ourselves, but with a culture that insists we'd be better off without our bodies. It’s true that all of Sister Outsider is essential reading, but I recommend doubling down and going deep on “Uses of the Erotic,” a short essay so densely packed with provocations and dares to live a full, embodied, and pleasurable physical life that I still marvel at it—and Lorde’s power—with every reading.

Zaina Arafat, Author of You Exist Too Much

Master of the Eclipse , Etel Adnan: The stories in Lebanese poet Etel Adnan’s Master of the Eclipse subversively resist an ingrained patriarchy through romantic relationships and female friendships. What results is a cauldron of displacement, nostalgia, love, and loss, all manifested in the trajectories of empowered female characters.

Meaty: Essays by Samantha Irby: This book, like so much of Irby’s work, delves into the unruly and at times uncooperative female body, along with love of food. By unabashedly displaying societally deemed “shameful” acts and realities, Irby empowers us to do the same, and to embrace our own bodily chaos and appetites.

Chloe Caldwell, The Red Zone: A Love Story (forthcoming April 2022): The necessity and urgency of The Red Zone made me wonder how I—or any woman—had lived so long without it. Through the lens of PMDD [premenstrual dysphoric disorder] and the female body, Caldwell refracts every issue imaginable, from relationships to hormones to queerness to stepmotherhood to blended families, all with hilarity, intimacy, and depth. Feeling seen by this book is an understatement; it’s a survival guide.

How to Write a Great Essay Hook, With Examples

When you’re writing an essay , you naturally want people to read it. Just like the baited hook on a fishing line entices fish, your essay’s hook engages readers and makes them want to keep reading your essay.

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What is an essay hook?

An essay hook is a sentence or two that piques the reader’s interest, compelling them to continue reading. In most cases, the hook is the first sentence or two, but it may be the entire opening paragraph. Hooks for essays are always in the first section because this is where the essay needs to hook its reader. If the reader isn’t engaged within the first few lines, they’ll likely stop reading.

An essay hook also sets the tone for the rest of your essay. For example, an unexpected statistic in an essay’s first line can tell the reader that the rest of the essay will dispel myths and shed light on the essay’s topic .

6 types of essay hooks

1 rhetorical questions.

Rhetorical questions are popular essay hooks because they make readers think. For example, an essay might start with the question “Is it ethical to eat animals?” Before reading the rest of the essay, the reader answers the question in their mind. As they continue to read, the writer’s arguments challenge the reader’s answer and may change their mind.

2 Fact/statistic

When an essay discusses scientific subjects, social issues, current events, or controversial subjects, a fact or statistic related to the essay’s topic can be a compelling hook. For example, an essay about elementary student literacy might hook readers with a statistic about the percentage of fourth graders that are proficient readers.

The hook could be a fact or statistic that’s well-known and frames the topic in a relatable way, or it could be a completely unexpected or seemingly unintuitive one that surprises the reader. In any case, they set the tone for the rest of the essay by supporting the writer’s position from the outset.

Quotes are often used as essay hooks because they’re succinct, often recognizable, and when they’re from an expert source, they can support the writer’s position.

For example, an analytical essay comparing two books might hook readers with a quote from one of the books’ authors that sets the tone for the rest of the essay and gives a glimpse into that author’s work.

Anecdotes are often used as hooks in personal essays. A personal story makes the essay relatable, creating familiarity with the reader that makes them want to read more. An example of an anecdote hook is a persuasive essay about rerouting traffic on campus that starts with a personal story of a vehicular close call.

5 Description

A description focuses on specific imagery related to the essay’s subject. For example, an argumentative essay in support of new recycling policies might hook readers with a bleak description of what happens to batteries and other hazardous materials when they aren’t recycled.

6 Common misconception

Similar to an unexpected fact, a hook that dispels a common misconception surprises the reader and educates them about something they likely misunderstood. For example, a compare-and-contrast essay about different mindfulness strategies might start with a common misconception about how mindfulness works.

Creating a hook for different writing prompts

Strong hooks for essays align with the essays’ tones, types, and topics. As you start working on an essay, think about your topic and goals for the essay. Are you trying to persuade the reader? Dispelling a common misconception can be the hook you need. Are you telling an entertaining personal story with bigger themes about your life experience? Start it off with an engaging anecdote. Are you defending a position? Share an unexpected fact and let the truth speak for itself.

Sometimes, it’s not easy to tell which kind of hook your essay needs. When this is the case, it can be helpful to write the rest of your essay, then come back to your introduction and write the kind of hook that would make you want to read that whole essay. Refer to your essay outline to ensure that it fits your essay goals.

Essay hook examples

Is it too late to save our planet from climate change?
Before I could speak, I sang.
“If we are truly a great nation, the truth cannot destroy us.” —Nikole Hannah-Jones
Contrary to popular belief, rats are among the most fastidious animals.
I can’t be late for class—this could be the most important day of my life!

Essay hook FAQs

An essay hook is a sentence or two that grabs the reader’s attention and piques their interest, enticing them to continue reading.

What are the different types of essay hooks?

Rhetorical questions
Description
Fact/statistic
Common misconception

Why is it important to have a good essay hook?

It’s important that hooks for essays be well crafted, because in many cases, the reader won’t continue reading an essay if it doesn’t hold their interest. The hook grabs their attention and makes them want to read on.

How to Write a Hook for an Essay

Ever hear that you never get a second chance to make a first impression? Well, that’s just as true for your writing as it is for meeting new people!

That’s because, to a reader, diving into something you have written is often the very first chance they have to discover anything about you. The first things they read help shape how they feel about you. And, of course, whether they want to keep reading at all!

To make a great impression, and to keep readers excited and engaged, you need a good hook. But what is a hook, and how can you craft an awesome one? That’s what we’ll explore below, by talking through different kinds of writing you may want to write a hook for, and then offering specific examples that you can use for inspiration.

What is a hook in an essay?

The hook is the first statement in a piece of writing. It may be composed of one sentence (generally for shorter pieces) or multiple sentences (for longer ones), but the goal of any good hook is to firmly get the reader’s attention.

This is one reason why both high school teachers and college professors often emphasize the importance of essay hooks when writing college essays (for example, with a Literary Analysis ). The title of your written work may be enough to get people to check it out, the same way you might click on an online article with an interesting title. However, an essay hook does the same thing for your essay that an exciting opening does for any article: it makes the reader excited to keep reading!

In this guide, we are mostly focusing on writing good hooks for essays. However, the general principles here extend to almost any form of audience communication. From personal statements to speeches and presentations, it’s virtually always important to strike a good impression by getting someone’s attention in an interesting way.

What are some good hooks for essays?

There are several standard approaches to writing a hook that can work well for many different types of writing:

An intriguing rhetorical question

A suprising fact or statistic

A relevant quotation

An interesting anecdote

An evocative image or description

A common misconception

But some of these approaches work better (sometimes much better) than others depending on what you’re writing. For example, a good hook for a personal narrative probably doesn’t fit with a research paper. So below, we have examples of a hook in an essay for different styles of papers. Use these sections, along with resources in our College Writing Center , to develop your own hooks for the writing tasks in front of you!

Adjusting hooks based on prompt and purpose

Creating the hook in an essay is often a difficult skill for writers to master. That’s because there is no “one size fits all” for how to create a hook for an essay. Instead, learning how to make a hook for an essay depends on your exact writing prompt as well as your exact purpose.

Below, we have important info on how to start a hook for an essay for a wide variety of different prompts and purposes. This information can help you create more dynamic essays no matter what your ultimate goal may be.

Writing a hook for an argumentative essay

“What is a hook in an essay?” This is something students usually first learn about when they are writing essays for high school classes, though sometimes students make it to college without a clear understanding of what a hook is and how to build one. And when the essay is argumentative , it’s important to learn how to create a properly argumentative hook.

A hook in an essay making a firm argument needs to do more than get the reader’s attention. Ideally, such a hook will also serve to set up and frame the argument so as to subtly get the reader on your side before they even discover your thesis. In this way, you can change the conversation before the reader even knows what you are talking about!

While not the only way to make argumentative hooks, one effective technique is to ask an interesting rhetorical question and using the word “you.” Because readers naturally want to answer questions, and because they are being directly addressed, these readers will perk up when reading your hook.

Finally, consider that because the hook is at the very beginning of your essay, this gives you creative freedom to be a tad mysterious in how you present certain ideas. In fact, the hook is basically the only part of your essay where being mysterious may be beneficial!

Example of a hook for an argumentative essay

Again, in an argumentative essay, the best hooks are the ones that both get the reader’s attention and get them to almost subconsciously take your side even before they know what that side is. For example, let’s say that you are writing a paper in which you oppose creating additional firearm legislation. Such a paper might start with a hook such as “What if your government were putting your family in danger, and you didn’t even know it?”

Here, we are deliberately playing into the mystery by not explicitly mentioning guns (but note that we probably don’t want to keep it mysterious for too long, or we might lose our reader). This makes the reader curious about the “danger” they are in, especially when we mention their family. At the same time, we are creating an oppositional view of the government, planting seeds for our eventual anti-legislation thesis.

Writing a hook for a personal statement

How to write a hook in an essay is a bit different when you are writing a personal statement . That’s because you aren’t introducing readers to an argumentative thesis. Instead, you are getting their attention in a way that also creates a positive impression of you as both a person and a writer.

In other words, a personal statement addressed to, say, a university undergraduate admissions committee has one major goal: to sell you to the reader. To clarify: most undergraduate colleges in the US admit most students who apply . But if you’re applying to competitive schools, your personal statement needs to demonstrate the kind of value you plan to bring to the institution.

Because of this, you need to craft your hook to match the rest of the statement. For example, if you are going to describe how you overcame an unforeseen challenge, a good hook might start with a moment of high tension before you present the challenge as it appeared to you at first: encompassing and insurmountable. This adds narrative weight to the part of your statement where you describe overcoming what seemed to be impossible. Or if you’re building a montage , an intriguing image might pull us in.

Long story short? You need to figure out how you want to structure your essay content . Then, you can craft a hook that perfectly leads into the rest of the work. Again, don’t underestimate how you can portray things mysteriously at the beginning of the essay to both showcase your creativity and to build reader interest!

Example of a hook for a personal statement

It’s easier said than done, but a good hook for a personal statement helps to establish tone and focus or even what kind of person you are while setting up the rest of the statement. For instance, let’s say I am writing a statement for a university application and the prompt asks the writer to describe a time when they overcame a great challenge or obstacle. The hook for such an essay might go like this: “I found myself face down on the wet mud, covered in equal parts hot shame and cold dirt. Nobody was as surprised as me, though, when I began to get back up again.”

Here, we use sensory details to capture the reader’s imagination and really put them into the moment. In this case, the moment is one of great failure and humiliation. Crucially, though, part of the hook involves quite literally rising from this failure. This shows the admission committee what kind of person you are: one who may get knocked down 10 times but will get up 11.

Writing a hook for a personal narrative

Writing a good hook for an essay may seem particularly daunting when you are writing a personal narrative. By definition, a personal narrative is a story of your life. Therefore, good essay hooks for such narratives need to both get the readers’ attention and introduce you to readers as a sympathetic character.

What does this mean in practice? Rather than touching on much (if anything) about the outside world, a personal narrative hook should usually share something about you as a person. Ideally, this shouldn’t just be basic info. Instead, it should be something that reveals more intimate information about you to your reader.

This might include writing about how you felt when a loved one died, or how it felt when you tried your best and you failed. It can be tough to write, but this level of vulnerability never fails to get the reader’s attention. And done well, such a hook instantly tells readers more about what kind of person you are. This may add some much-needed flavor and context to the rest of the narrative.

Example of a hook for a personal narrative

Writing a personal narrative involves a high degree of vulnerability. You are letting readers see past your exterior and glimpse who you really are. Therefore, a good hook for such a narrative should lean into this emotional rawness while telling us more about who you are as a person. For example, such a hook may read, “Nothing was ever the same since my grandmother died. Or at least, nothing would ever be the same about me again.”

There is obviously a kinship between the personal statement and the personal narrative. However, personal statements are generally about helping readers understand your values, insights, skills, qualities, and interests. Personal narratives, however, get more into how both the challenges and triumphs of your life have defined who you are as a person. And our hook above sets up a great personal tragedy that serves as a defining point of the writer’s life.

Writing a hook for literary analysis

Good essay hooks can be particularly difficult when you are writing a literary analysis (for an in-depth guide, head to that link). After all, when you are writing about someone else’s work, it can be daunting to try to come up with something very memorable on your own.

One possible approach to this hook is the classic: “if you can’t beat’em, join’em.” For example, you could always begin your literary analysis with a quote from the literature in question. You then follow this up with interesting commentary that helps to contextualize the rest of your intro.

You could also return to the argumentative technique of asking a rhetorical question but focusing it on something related to the literature. This helps readers think about old works in new ways and serves as a jumping off point for your own analysis.

However you begin the hook to your literary analysis essay, it’s important to demonstrate two things at the same time: one, that you know the written material very well. And two, that you know how to get the reader’s attention from the very first sentence.

Example of a hook in a literary analysis

When you write a literary analysis, it is sometimes difficult to find something new and unique to say. The last thing you want to do is just retell what happened in the story without adding anything to it! That’s why your hook needs to both get the reader’s attention and also showcase that you have something unique to say about the work you are analyzing.

One way to do this is to use a rhetorical question regarding some aspect of the work. The question needs to get the reader’s attention while simultaneously demonstrating your knowledge of the subject and the uniqueness of what you have to say. For example, in a literary analysis of The Great Gatsby , you might have a hook that begins, “What happens when you finally grasp the American dream and then feel it slip through your hands like a warm summer rain? This perfectly describes both Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway. But as you read The Great Gatsby , it’s impossible to shake the feeling that it will describe all of us sooner or later.”

This hook serves as a dynamic introduction to your paper. It also helps set the stage for analyzing how the rise and fall of these characters is mirrored by the rise and fall of America itself. Finally, that evocative first line shows that not only do you have something unique to say, but that you have a way of expressing it that is worthy of this classic work of literature.

Writing a hook for a research paper

The methods for how to write a good hook for an essay change a bit when you are writing a research paper . That’s because research essays are typically a bit more down-to-earth than, say, an argumentative essay. As such, your hooks shouldn’t swing for the fences so much as they should provide surprising insights based on the research itself.

For example, depending on your research essay topic, one or more “scary stats” can really get readers’ attention because these stats help quantify some of the things you plan to write about. It’s one thing to call something like obesity in America a “growing” concern, and this may even elicit a mild chuckle from your reader (puns!). However, a cited statistic about how nearly 72% of the country is overweight instantly makes your reader sit up and pay closer attention.

While startling facts or stats are a great fit for almost any type of research paper, they resonate particularly well if you are arguing about the need to solve a major dilemma. Because these stats help outline why the problem is so major even as they get readers’ attention, you’ll be likelier to have these readers on your side as you begin discussing the need to solve this dilemma.

Example of a hook in a research paper

In a research paper, one of your major goals should be to establish your authority and expertise. The essay itself is going to build on the research you have conducted. And fittingly enough, clever use of the right research can help you create an unforgettable hook.

For example, let’s say that you are writing on the topic of solving homelessness in America. One very evocative way of beginning your essay would be to write, “America currently has more than 17 million vacant homes, yet somehow, homelessness has never been a bigger problem.”

The eye-opening stat alone is sure to get your reader’s attention. At the same time, it helps to highlight the absurdity of this particular problem by highlighting the obvious possible solution. This helps to get the reader on your side as you passionately argue for solving the issue.

Hook vs lead-in transition to the thesis

As you can tell, writing a hook for an essay can be challenging enough on its own. However, it can be extra challenging when you confuse the hook with other important parts of your intro.

For example, some writers confuse the hook with the lead-in transition to the thesis itself. To avoid this confusion, it’s important to learn how these different intro components play very different roles in your writing.

In practice, a good hook makes a difference when it comes to whether or not someone willingly continues to read what you have written. Think of it like this: a great title makes somebody curious enough to check out your writing in the first place. If they think the essay is boring or otherwise mundane, they stop reading. But if they think you have something surprising, insightful, or just plain funny to say based on your first sentence, they’ll probably keep going.

A hook is always at the beginning of your essay. However, as a general rule, it’s best to have your thesis at the end of your introductory paragraph or section. Because of this, your lead-in transition to the thesis occurs right before the thesis itself.

How do you write a lead-in transition to your thesis? It’s helpful to think of your introduction as an upside down triangle with the following components: a title (if used/needed) that makes readers curious, a hook that gets their attention, a surface level of background info, and then deeper background info. This deeper background info should provide more context and effectively serve as a lead-in transition to your thesis. For example, in an argumentative paper, you might have a lead-in describing the different sides people have taken about this topic before providing a thesis that lets readers know exactly where you stand on the matter.

One approach: Write your hook after you’ve finished your essay

Here’s some slightly unconventional writing advice. Next time you are stressing over hooks to start an essay , consider writing your body paragraphs and conclusion first . You can then go back and create a perfectly bespoke intro, complete with engaging hook.

When you get right down to it, writing the intro first is very difficult for most writers. After all, you are introducing us to an essay you haven’t written yet. Once you write out more of the essay, you should have an easier time developing every aspect of the thesis, including crafting a killer hook.

Get that first impression “write”

With these examples of a hook in an essay, you can do more than craft a better essay. You can also create a killer first impression right out of the gate!

It’s important to remember that a good hook can make the difference between whether someone delves deeper into your writing or decides to bail out right away. By mastering the skills of getting someone’s attention in such a way, you will become a better writer, speaker, and presenter. And each day presents another chance to hone your writing skills and create hooks and entire essays better than anything you have ever written before!

Special thanks to Chris for writing this blog post

Chris Snellgrove is an English Professor at Northwest Florida State College who specializes in literature, rhetoric, and business writing. As a freelance writer, Chris specializes in sales, marketing, pop culture, and video games. He has a B.A. in English from Troy University and both an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from Auburn University. When he’s not writing or talking to others about writing, Chris loves reading books, playing video games, watching horror movies, and disappearing into a comic book. He currently lives in Northwest Florida and would probably rather be at the beach right now.

Top values: Diversity / Equality / Social Justice

Remembering bell hooks and How She Impacted Feminism

"Understanding her was crucial to reigniting my feminist identity; finding her at all was a miracle."

feminist theory: from margin to center by bell hooks

On December 15, 2021, bell hooks passed away at the age of 69. Born Gloria Jean Watkins, she was known for her many feminist writings, including her nonfiction works All About Love and Ain't I A Woman ?

bell hooks wrote about the ways feminism failed to address the needs of all women. Specifically, feminism was often not representative of working-class women and women of color. Today we'd call this the need for intersectional feminism—and though bell hooks didn't use those exact words, much of her writing serves as the foundation for this movement.

Below is an excerpt from an essay by author and TV writer Danielle Henderson, originally included in a collection of essays called Icon . Henderson writes about growing up poor in the 1980s, the racism she faced from her white classmates, and how bell hooks made her realize these experiences weren't just hers. It's an impact bell hooks had for an entire generation of Black women, and continues to make today.

____________________

By Amy Scholder, Johanna Fateman and Mary Gaitskill

I learned about race from the outside in, caught in the crosshairs of intolerant, sheltered people, unable to understand why my skin color precluded me from having teachers pay attention to me in class, from making friends, or from having the same hopes for my life that other children had. I didn’t have the language to explain how these childhood experiences shaped my life until half of it was over and I’d already moved far away from Greenwood Lake. I didn’t understand how my own story fit into a larger cultural experience until I read bell hooks.

bell hooks was inaccessible to me in a school system that excluded women and minorities from its history lessons, but I found her when I went to college in 2006 at the age of thirty. A cultural critic, writer, and academic feminist who writes in an approachable, nonacademic way, hooks changed the landscape of feminism when she wrote Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center , a book that moved the discussion from empowerment for middle-class white women toward a more inclusive feminism by criticizing the feminist movement for routinely excluding minority voices. She wrote that book when she was still in college and published it in 1984, the same year my classmates were calling me a “nigger.”

Obviously I would not have been able to understand her work in 1984. But when I read the first chapter of Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center I felt like she’d been waiting out there, to help me make sense of my life. Understanding her was crucial to reigniting my feminist identity; finding her at all was a miracle.

Related: 15 Must-Read Feminist Books from the Past 100 Years

Ironically, we read hooks last in my women’s studies class, after the instructor taught us about the legions of historically important white feminists. hooks’s take on liberal individualism and the “one-dimensional perspective on women’s reality” finally put words in the way of my feelings about belonging to a group that didn’t seem to want me as a member:

Like Friedan before them, white women who dominate feminist discourse today rarely question whether or not their perspective on women’s reality is true to the lived experiences of women as a collective group.

hooks wasn’t condemning whiteness, but using her own life as a way to shine a light on the importance of what it means to claim feminism for women who can’t access it in the same way.

It wasn’t until I read bell hooks that I finally learned how to disconnect from the shame I felt about growing up poor. hooks was adept at writing her own life story, her travels from Kentucky kid to professor, tying together her history with that of the larger black cultural history all along the way. My grandparents taught me about the civil rights movement so I thought I knew what it meant to be black. But through hooks, instead of seeing blackness as something that hindered me, I finally learned how my own story fit into the larger cultural context of displacement.

Related: 9 Empowering Books for Women

After several years, a number of restarts of my life in various cities, I landed in Rhode Island and enrolled in an introduction to women’s studies course. Three weeks later, I was reading bell hooks for a homework assignment.

The professor only assigned one essay from Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center , but I went to the library and checked out the entire book. I read it in one sitting. Then I went to the local bookstore and purchased it. I read it again, this time highlighting passages and folding down corners of the pages so frequently that the front cover always rests slightly open. Nothing had ever made as much sense to me. hooks’s insistence that we need a feminist theory that speaks to everyone in order to effect revolutionary change was now the basis of my academic career. When hooks wrote about how systems of power affected the development of a culture rooted in gender equality, it was like she was handing the world a blueprint for ending sexism. And when hooks wrote, “I am suggesting that [black women] have a central role to play in the making of feminist theory and a contribution to offer that is unique and valuable,” I felt all of the validation and hope the riot grrrl movement was never quite able to give me.

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73 Essay Hook Examples

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

essay hook examples and definition, explained below

An essay hook is the first one or two sentences of your essay that are used to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into your discussion.

It is called a hook because it “grabs” the reader and doesn’t let them go! It should have something in there that makes the reader feel curious and intrigued, compelling them to continue reading.

Techniques for Good Essay Hooks

Here are a few techniques that you can use to write a good essay hook:

Use a Quotation : Sometimes, a relevant quotation from a well-known author or expert can help establish the context or theme of your essay. Next time you’re conducting research for an essay, keep an eye out for a really compelling quote that you could use as your hook for that essay.
Start with a Statement that is Surprising or Unusual: A surprising or unusually statement will draw a reader in, making them want to know more about that topic. It’s good if the statement contradicts common knowledge or reveals an insight about your topic that isn’t immediately obvious. These can be particularly good for argumentative essays where you’re putting forward a controversial or compelling argument as your thesis statement .
Tell a Brief Anecdote : A short, interesting story related to your topic can personaize the story, making it more than just a dry essay, and turning it into a compelling narrative that’s worth reading.
Use Statistics or Facts: Interesting, surprising, or shocking facts or statistics work similarly to surprising statements: they make us want to know more about a topic. Statistics and facts in your introductions are particularly useful for analytical, expository , and argumentative essays.
Start with a Question: Questions that make the reader think deeply about an issue, or pose a question that the reader themselves has considered, can be really effecitve. But remember, questions tend to be better for informal and personal essays, and are generally not allowed in formal argumentative essays. If you’re not sure if you’re allowed to use questions in your essays, check with your teacher first.

Below, I’ll present some examples of hooks that you could use as inspiration when writing your own essay hook.

Essay Hook Examples

These examples might help stimulate your thinking. However, keep in mind that your essay hook needs to be unique to your essay, so use these as inspiration but write your own essay hook that’s perfect for your own essay.

1. For an Essay About Yourself

An essay about yourself can be personal, use “I” statements, and include memories or thoughts that are deeply personal to you.

Question: “Have you ever met someone who could turn even the most mundane events into a thrilling adventure? Let me introduce myself.”
Anecdote: “The smell of freshly baked cookies always takes me back to the day when I accidentally started a baking business at the age of nine.”
Intriguing Statement: “I’ve always believed that you haven’t truly lived until you’ve read a book upside down, danced in the rain, or taught a parrot to say ‘I love pizza.'”
Quotation: “As Mark Twain once said, ‘The secret of getting ahead is getting started.’ That’s a philosophy I’ve embraced in every aspect of my life.”
Humorous Statement: “I’m a self-proclaimed ‘professional chocolate tester’ – a title that’s not only delicious but also requires extreme dedication.”
Start with your Mission Statement : “My life motto is simple but powerful: be the person who decided to go for it.
Fact or Statistic: “According to a study, people who speak more than one language tend to be better at multitasking . As a polyglot, I certainly live up to that statistic.”
Comparison or Metaphor: “If my life were a book, it would be a blend of an adventurous novel, a suspense thriller, and a pinch of romantic comedy.”
Personal Revelation: “Ever since I was a child, I’ve had an uncanny ability to communicate with animals. It’s an unusual skill, but one that has shaped my life in many ways.”
Narrative: “The day everything changed for me was an ordinary Tuesday. Little did I know, a single conversation would lead me to discover my true passion.”

2. For a Reflective Essay

A reflective essay often explores personal experiences, feelings, and thoughts. So, your hooks for reflective essays can usually be more personal, intriguing, and engaging than other types of essays. Here are some examples for inspiration:

Question: “Have you ever felt as though a single moment could change your entire life? This essay is going to explore that moment for me.”
Anecdote: “I was standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, looking at the vast emptiness, and for the first time, I truly understood the word ‘perspective’.”
Bold Statement: “There is a part of me that is still trapped in that room, on that rainy afternoon, holding the letter that would change everything.”
Personal Revelation: “The first time I truly felt a sense of belonging wasn’t in a crowded room full of friends, but in the quiet solitude of a forest.”
Intriguing Statement: “In my life, silence has been a teacher more profound than any words could ever be.”
Quotation: “Einstein once said, ‘The only source of knowledge is experience.’ Now, looking back, I realize how profound that statement truly is.”
Comparison or Metaphor: “If my life is a tapestry, then that summer was the vibrant thread that changed the entire pattern.”
Narrative: “As the train pulled out of the station, I realized I wasn’t just leaving my hometown, I was leaving my old self behind.”
Philosophical Statement: “In the theater of life, we are both the actor and the audience, playing our part and watching ourselves simultaneously.”
Emotive Statement: “There is a sort of sweet sorrow in remembering, a joy tinged with a hint of sadness, like the last notes of a beautiful song.”

For an Argumentative Essay

Essay hooks for argumentative essays are often the hardest. This type of essay tends to require the most formal type of academic writing, meaning your hook shouldn’t use first person, and should be more based on fact and objectivity, often at the expense of creativity. Here are some examples.

Quotation: “Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.’ If Jefferson were alive today, he would likely feel that this meed for a well-informed citizenry is falling well short of where he would aspire.”
Provocative Statement: “Despite what romantic films may portray, love at first sight is merely a myth perpetuated by society. This essay will prosecute the argument that love at first sight is a myth.”
Statistical Fact: “According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading psychological disability worldwide. Yet, mental health is still stigmatized and often overlooked. This essay will argue that depression should be seen as a health issue, and stigmatization of depression causes serious harm to society.”
Comparison: “Much like an unchecked infection, climate change, if left ignored, can spread far beyond what it is today, causing long-term economic and social problems that may even threaten the longevity of humanity itself.”
Contradiction : “While we live in an era of unprecedented technological advancements, millions around the world are still denied basic internet access.”
Bold Declaration: “Animal testing is not only ethically unacceptable, but it also undermines the progress of medical research.”
Challenging Belief: “Despite popular belief, the automation of jobs is not a threat but an opportunity for society to evolve.”
Quotation: “George Orwell wrote in ‘1984’, ‘Big Brother is Watching You.’ In our modern society, with the advancement of technology, this is becoming more of a reality than fiction.”
Intriguing Statement: “Despite countless diet fads and fitness trends, obesity rates continue to rise. This argumentative essay will argue that this is because medical practitioners’ approaches to health and weight loss are fundamentally flawed.”
Statistical Fact: “Research reveals that over 90% of the world’s plastic waste is not recycled. This alarming figure calls for a drastic change in social attitudes towards consumption and waste management.”
Challenging Assumption: “Society often assumes that progress and growth are intrinsically good, but this is not always the case in the realm of economic development.”
Contradiction: “Western society upholds the value of freedom, yet every day, members of society cede personal liberties in the name of convenience and security.”
Analogy: “Like an overplayed song, when a news story is repeated too often, it loses its impact. In the era of digital media, society is becoming desensitized to critical issues.”
Relevant Anecdote: “In a village in India, the arrival of a single computer transformed the lives of the residents. This small anecdote underscores the importance of digital inclusion in today’s world.”
Call to Rethink: “In a world where success is often equated with financial wealth, it is time for society to reconsidered what truly constitutes a successful life.”

For a Compare and Contrast Essay

A compare and contrast essay examines two issues, looking at both the similarities and differences between them. A good hook for a compare and contrast essay will immediately signal to the reader the subjects that are being compared and why they’re being compared. Here are sine ideas for hooks for a compare and contrast essay:

Quotation: “As Charles Dickens wrote in his novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’. This could equally apply to the contrasting dynamics of urban and rural living.”
Provocative Statement: “Despite popular belief, cats and dogs have more in common than society tends to think.”
Comparison: “Comparing being an only child to growing up with siblings is like contrasting a solo performance with an orchestral symphony.”
Contradiction: “While many view classic literature and contemporary fiction as worlds apart, they are more akin to two sides of the same coin.”
Bold Declaration: “Android and iPhone may compete in the same market, but their philosophies could not be more different.”
Statistical Fact: “Statistics show that children who grow up reading books tend to perform better academically than those who do not. But, the jury is out on how reading traditional books compares to reading e-books on screens.”
Quotation: “As Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote, ‘Sooner or later, we all sit down to a banquet of consequences.’ This statement can be used to frame a comparison between short-term and long-term thinking.”
Provocative Statement: “Democracy and dictatorship are often seen as polar opposites, but are they are not as different as they seem.”
Comparison: “Climate change and plastic pollution are two major environmental issues, yet they demand different approaches and solutions.”
Contradiction: “While traditional classrooms and online learning are seen as separate modes of education, they can often blend into a cohesive learning experience.”
Bold Declaration: “Though both based on merit, the structures of capitalism and socialism lead to vastly different societal outcomes.”
Imagery: “The painting styles of Van Gogh and Monet can be contrasted as a stormy sea versus a tranquil pond.”
Historical Reference: “The philosophies of the Cold War-era – capitalism and communism – provide a lens to contrast economic systems.”
Literary Comparison: “The dystopian societies portrayed in George Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ serve as contrasting visions of the future.”
Philosophical Question : “Individualism and collectivism shape societies in distinct ways, but neither one can truly exist without the other.”

See Here for my Guide on Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay

For a Psychology Essay

Writing an engaging hook for a psychology essay involves sparking the reader’s interest in the human mind, behavior, or the specific psychology topic you’re discussing. Here are some stimulating hooks for a psychology essay:

Rhetorical Question: “How much control do we truly have over our own actions?”
Quotation: “Sigmund Freud once said, ‘Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.’ This essay will explore whether this is universally true.”
Provocative Statement: “Contrary to popular belief, ‘venting out’ anger might actually be fueling the fire of fury.”
Comparison: “Just as an iceberg reveals only a fraction of its bulk above water, conscious minds may only be a small piece of who humans truly are.”
Contradiction: “While it may seem counterintuitive, studies show that individuals who are more intelligent are also more likely to suffer from mental health issues.”
Bold Declaration: “Despite advances in technology, understanding the human brain remains one of the final frontiers in science.”
Statistical Fact: “According to a study by the American Psychological Association, nearly one in five adults in the U.S. lives with a mental illness. Yet, mental health continues to be a topic shrouded in stigma.”

For a Sociology Essay

Writing an engaging hook for a sociology essay involves sparking the reader’s interest in social behaviors, cultural phenomena, or the specific sociology topic you’re discussing. Here are ideas for hooks for a sociology essay:

Quotation: “As Karl Marx once noted, ‘Social progress can be measured exactly by the social position of the fair sex.’ Sadly, society has not made much progress in gender equality.”
Provocative Statement: “Social media, initially created to connect people, is ironically leading society into an era of unprecedented isolation.”
Comparison: “Comparing society to a theater, where each individual plays a role, it is possible to start to see patterns and scripts embedded in daily interactions.”
Contradiction: “While people often believe that technology is bringing society closer together, evidence suggests that it’s actually driving a wedge between people, creating ‘digital divides’.”
Bold Declaration: “Human societies are constructed on deeply ingrained systems of inequality, often invisible to those benefiting from them.”
Statistical Fact: “A recent study found that women still earn only 81 cents for every dollar earned by men. This stark wage gap raises questions about equality in the workforce.”

For a College Application Essay

A college essay is a personal statement where you can showcase who you are beyond your grades and resume. It’s your chance to tell your unique story. Here are ten potential hooks for a college essay:

Anecdote: “At the age of seven, with a wooden spoon as my baton, I confidently conducted an orchestra of pots and pans in my grandmother’s kitchen.”
Provocative Statement: “I believe that life is like a game of chess. The king might be the most important piece, but it’s the pawns that can change the entire course of the game.”
Personal Revelation: “It wasn’t until I was lost in a foreign city, armed with nothing but a map in a language I didn’t understand, that I truly discovered my love for adventure.”
Intriguing Question: “Have you ever wondered how it feels to be part of two completely different cultures, yet wholly belong to neither?”
Bold Declaration: “Breaking a bone can be a painful experience. Breaking stereotypes, however, is an entirely different kind of challenge.”
Unusual Fact: “I can recite the periodic table backwards while juggling three tennis balls. It’s a strange talent, but it’s a perfect metaphor for how I tackle challenges.”
Quotation: “As Albert Einstein once said, ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ This quote has defined my approach to learning.”
Narrative: “It was a cold winter’s day when I first discovered the magic of turning a blank page into a world full of characters, stories, and ideas.”
Metaphor: “Like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, my high school years have been a period of profound metamorphosis.”
Humorous Statement: “Being the youngest of five siblings, I quickly learned that the best way to be heard was to become the family’s unofficial lawyer.”

Conclusion: The Qualities of a Good Essay Hook

As I wrap up this article, I want to share a few last tips on qualities that a good essay hook should have. Keep these tips in mind when writing your essay hook and using the above essay hook examples:

First, relevance . A good hook should be directly relevant to the topic or theme of your essay. The hook should provide a preview of what’s to come without giving too much away.

Second, Intrigue. A great hook should make the reader want to continue reading. It should create a question in the reader’s mind or present a fascinating idea that they want to know more about.

Third, uniqueness. An effective hook should be original and unique. It should stand out from the many other essays that the reader might be going through.

Fourth, clarity. Even though a hook should be captivating and original, it should also be clear and easy to understand. Avoid complex sentences and jargon that might confuse the reader.

Fifth, genre conventions. Too often, my students try to be so creative in their essay hooks that they forget genre conventions . The more formal an essay, the harder it is to write the hook. My general approach is to focus on statistics and facts, and avoid rhetorical questions , with more formal essay hooks.

Keep in mind that you should run your essay hook by your teacher by showing them your first draft before you submit your essay for grading. This will help you to make sure it follows genre conventions and is well-written.

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10 rules: following bell hooks’ instructions for our movement

February 1. 2022 Jess Eagle, Strategic Communications Manager

How to best honor a mother and creator of feminism, bell hooks: follow the instructions she provided for our movement. They are as relevant today as when she wrote them 30 years ago.

These are the tenets Equal Rights Advocates lives and works by. They guide our every decision.

“bell hooks taught us, love must drive our movement — our goals, our priorities, and how we do our work. We cannot reject love as feminism’s cornerstone because we are afraid we won’t be taken seriously. ”

bell hooks told us, feminism must center the needs of Black women and others who are most oppressed by society and culture. We must commit to finding solutions for people of all genders. Our movement must reject a fear-based scarcity mindset of white supremacy that tries to fool us into seeing a limited number of seats at the table, that tries to divide us with the lie that we must choose our battles.

bell hooks taught us, we must do our work with the recognition that sexism, racism, homophobia, and all forms of oppression overlap to create women’s daily experiences of economic insecurity, gender-based violence, professional and creative stifling, and the devaluing of our lives and contributions. All forms of oppression have joined forces to keep us down, so we too must all join forces to achieve true freedom.

“bell hooks told us…our movement must reject a fear-based scarcity mindset of white supremacy that tries to fool us into seeing a limited number of seats at the table. ”

bell hooks showed us, love must drive our movement — our goals, our priorities, and how we do our work. We cannot reject love as feminism’s cornerstone because we are afraid we won’t be taken seriously. In a culture that tries to convince us love has no value outside the home, rejecting love as our movement’s North Star means conceding to the very forces that oppress us in the first place.

bell hooks reminded us, the love that leads our movement for change must include self-love , the most radical exercise of anti-oppression a woman can practice.

This Black History Month, we honor bell hooks by recommitting ourselves to her instructions for the feminist movement:

“Dominator culture has tried to keep us all afraid, to make us choose safety instead of risk, sameness instead of diversity. Moving through that fear, finding out what connects us, reveling in our differences ; this is the process that brings us closer, that gives us a world of shared values, of meaningful community.” – Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope, 2003
“To build community requires vigilant awareness of the work we must continually do to undermine all the socialization that leads us to behave in ways that perpetuate domination.” – Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope, 2003
“ All our silences in the face of racist assault are acts of complicity. ” – Killing Rage: Ending Racism, 1995
“We continue to put in place the anti-sexist thinking and practice which affirms the reality that females can achieve self-actualization and success without dominating one another .” – Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics, 2000
“It is obvious that many women have appropriated feminism to serve their own ends, especially those white women who have been at the forefront of the movement; but rather than resigning myself to this appropriation I choose to re-appropriate the term ‘feminism,’ to focus on the fact that to be ‘feminist’ in any authentic sense of the term is to want for all people, female and male, liberation from sexist role patterns, domination, and oppression .” – Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism, 1981
“One of the best guides to how to be self-loving is to give ourselves the love we are often dreaming about receiving from others… It is silly, isn’t it, that I would dream of someone else offering to me the acceptance and affirmation I was withholding from myself. This was a moment when the maxim ‘You can never love anybody if you are unable to love yourself’ made clear sense. And I add, ‘ Do not expect to receive the love from someone else you do not give yourself .’” – All About Love: New Visions, 1999
“We can’t combat white supremacy unless we can teach people to love justice. You have to love justice more than your allegiance to your race, sexuality and gender. It is about justice.” – interview with Jet Magazine, 2013
“Marginality [is] much more than a site of deprivation. In fact I was saying just the opposite: that it is also the site of radical possibility, a space of resistance.” – Marginality As a Site of Resistance, 1990
“The process begins with the individual woman’s acceptance that American women, without exception, are socialized to be racist, classist and sexist, in varying degrees, and that labeling ourselves feminists does not change the fact that we must consciously work to rid ourselves of the legacy of negative socialization .” – Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism, 1981
“The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom , to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others.” – Outlaw Culture: Resisting Representations, 1994

Follow the rest of our Black History Month content, including a series honoring Black Women Currently Making History, by following us on Twitter and Instagram .

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Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics

123 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

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"Today in academic circles much of the most celebrated feminist theory is written in a sophisticated jargon that only the well-educated can read. Most people in our society do not have a basic understanding of feminism; they cannot acquire that understanding from a wealth of diverse material, grade school-level primers, and so on, because this material does not exist. We must create it if we are to rebuild feminist movement that is truly for everyone."

"Tujuan dasar feminisme visioner adalah menciptakan strategi-strategi untuk mengubah nasib semua perempuan dan meningkatkan kekuatan pribadi mereka." (hlm. 152)

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334 Feminism Title Ideas & Essay Samples
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Yuknavitch described how these fathers and father images try to take control of others' bodies and lives and crush others' spirits. In her confrontation and memory of such men, however, Yuknavitch also learned to create art and find her feminist purpose. 4. Trickle-Down Feminism by Sarah Jaffe.
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Feminism, a term that may conjure up a myriad of emotions and opinions, is a powerful movement that has been shaping society for centuries. At its core, feminism is the belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. It is a movement that advocates for the rights of women and challenges the patriarchal structures that have ...
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The definition of liberal feminism is the following: "a particular approach to achieving equality between men and women that emphasizes the power of an individual person to alter discriminatory practices against women" ("Liberal Feminism: Definition & Theory" par. 2). In other words, it is based on the idea that in a democratic system ...
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5 Essays About Feminism. On the surface, the definition of feminism is simple. It's the belief that women should be politically, socially, and economically equal to men. Over the years, the movement expanded from a focus on voting rights to worker rights, reproductive rights, gender roles, and beyond. Modern feminism is moving to a more ...
️Essay on Feminism for Students: Samples 150, 250 Words
There are different types of feminism i.e. liberal, radical, Marxist, cultural, and eco-feminism. Stay tuned and have a look at the following sample essay on feminism! Also Read: Popular Struggles and Movements. Essay on Feminism 150 Words. India is a land of diversity of which 52.2% are women as per an estimate for the year 2023.
Hook Feminism Essay
270 Words. 2 Pages. Open Document. Feminism is for everyone explains the emotional encounters of the struggles and challenges faced by the feminist movement. The experiences of the feminist movement helped shaped a strong case that the inclusion of men is required within the movement. One main goal of the feminist movement is to end all forms ...
Feminism is for Everybody
Chapter 1: Feminist Politics. "Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression" (p. xii). hooks first offered this definition more than 10 years ago in her book Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. This definition is one she still adheres to since it clearly states that the movement is not anti-male.
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Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics, bell hooks. Well, you heard her — this is by its very project a book for everyone. bell hooks has written a host of books that could fit this list ...
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Feminism Takes Form in Essays, Questions and Manifestos. 63 pp. Knopf, $15. When historians write about the mainstreaming of feminism in the early 21st century, they may well begin with "We ...
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Essay Topics. 1. In what ways does bell hooks disagree with the feminist movement at the time of writing Feminist Theory: From Margins to Center? Choose three aspects of the feminist movement that hooks aims to reform and explain the changes she argues for. 2. hooks frequently quotes major feminist texts, post-colonial texts, and social ...
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18 Essential Feminist Reads, According to 6 Feminist Authors. by Salomé Gómez-Upegui. March 30, 2022. Collage by Ashley Peña. As the great bell hooks stated, "feminism is for everybody ...
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On December 15, 2021, bell hooks passed away at the age of 69. Born Gloria Jean Watkins, she was known for her many feminist writings, including her nonfiction works All About Love and Ain't I A Woman? bell hooks wrote about the ways feminism failed to address the needs of all women. Specifically, feminism was often not representative of ...
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Techniques for Good Essay Hooks. Here are a few techniques that you can use to write a good essay hook: Use a Quotation: Sometimes, a relevant quotation from a well-known author or expert can help establish the context or theme of your essay.Next time you're conducting research for an essay, keep an eye out for a really compelling quote that you could use as your hook for that essay.
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Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by bell hooks
bell hooks. bell hooks (born Gloria Jean Watkins) was an African-American author, feminist, and social activist. Her writing focused on the interconnectivity of race, class, and gender and their ability to produce and perpetuate systems of oppression and domination. She published over thirty books and numerous scholarly and mainstream articles ...

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✍️Essay on Feminism for Students: Samples 150, 250 Words

Essay on Feminism 150 Words

Essay on Feminism 250 Words

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