Question 1:
hooks states, “…as feminist movement progressed and privileged groups of well-educated white women began to achieve equal access to class power with their male counterparts, feminist class struggle was no longer deemed important” (hooks, 2000, p. 37) and “From the onset of the movement women from privileged classes were able to make their concerns “the” issues that should be focused on in part because they were the group of women who received public attention” (hooks, 2000, p.37).

If working class women had received more attention from the media and made their struggle known, how do you think this would have impacted the feminist movement? Do you think this would have allowed women to gain equality in areas such as household duties and wage?


Personally, because society is extremely slow with and leery of change, I think that including class struggle during the beginning of the feminist movement would have been too much for the population to handle. Including class may have quite possibly killed the movement all together. I think it was the right decision, ethical or not, to progress change slowly. If things move to quickly for society, there will be backlash. Progression is key.


Question 2:
Even though the global feminist movement has traditionally been headed by white, privileged women, it is important to note that women of the United States have helped lower rates of sexism and sexual exploitations in some nations.  Through enforcing “white supremacist capitalist patriarchy” many women in the feminist movement were silenced.  What types of women do you believe were silenced?  If these silenced members’ opinions were voiced what effect do you think they would have on nations struggling with sexism, sexual exploitation, and oppression?  Would this change the global interactions we see today, or would the world function similarly?


During the feminist movement, there were women that were silenced. I think that the women that were silenced then are the types of women that are still silenced today. These women would include: the lower class, racial minorities, the uneducated, the disabled, the non-heterosexual,  and children. Hearing the voices of the muted would have a huge impact on nations struggling with these issues. I don't necessarily think this would change the social interactions that occur globally. Attempting to influence other nations would still be an extremely difficult and seemingly impossible task.


Question 3:
In bell hooks book she says “in many college classrooms today students both female and
male will argue that feminist movement is no longer relevant since women now have
equality.”

Do you think when women stay home and do the household work, do you think they get
depressed because they aren’t making any money to help out in the family?


I think that depression connected to women staying at home is not as relevant as defensiveness. Generally when women do stay at home, their family is in a situation in which they can afford to do so. Therefore, I don't believe they need to worry about contributing financially to the family. These women are able to see the product of the work they produce, and generally, I assume they are proud of it. Because outsiders don't always know how they keep busy during their days, they often feel that they need to defend their job. I don't think the depression would be linked to the finances, but rather loneliness and lack of adult connection. In these situations, there are many groups and activities that these women can join to allow for that needed contact.