“The first act of violence that patriarchy demands of males is not violence toward women. Instead patriarchy demands of all males that they engage in acts of psychic self-mutilation, that they kill off the emotional parts of themselves. If an individual is not successful in emotionally crippling himself, he can count on patriarchal men to enact rituals of power that will assault his self-esteem.”
– “The Will To Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love”, 2004
As powerful as it sounds, the quote struck a chord in me like no other. Describing the exact toxic masculinity; fragile male ego which explains the acts of evil masterminds behind acid attacks, marital rapes, transphobia and more.
Believing in hetero-supremacy, and establishing themselves as the superior gender are the sources of power for many men in today’s world, rather than believing in a humanistic approach, while being open about their emotions and taking an empathetic approach to matters.
The Beginning Of A Great Cause
Gloria Jean Watkins, born September 25, 1952, better known as bell hooks after adopting her great-maternal grandmother’s name, Bell Blair Hooks, in order to, as quoted by her, to emphasize the “substance of books, not who I am.”
A Hopkinsville native who went on to have an international career as a feminist, writer, critic and poet. She tackled topics like love, a beacon for forgiveness, patriarchy, feminism, white supremacy, and the power of art.
She attended segregated schools in Christian County, then went on to Stanford University in California, where she earned a degree in English literature, then earned a master’s in English at the University of Wisconsin. With her dissertation on Toni Morrison, she graduated from UC Santa Cruz with doctorate in literature in 1983.
She dedicated her life intersecting race, class domination, gender and systems of oppression, speaking of difficult subjects a black woman, an exemplary feat at that time and even now.
Starting with “And There We Wept,” a collection of poems, in 1978 to “Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism”, she went on to publish more than 30 books and numerous scholarly articles while participating in interviews and open discussions at universities.
A torch bearer for many great causes, sadly she passed away December 15, 2021, breaking the hearts of many she healed and gave hope to. However, her embers still last forever amplifying her just causes.
Exploring Hook’s Ideals In India
Feminism in India, beginning in the mid-19th century spoke in favour of womens education and removing certain evil customs like sati. From 1915 until independence, independent organisations formed by women came into play. Post-independence feminism focused on better treatment of women after marriage, at their workplaces and political rights.
In a culture rooted in patriarchy, the progress is slow with women still facing discrimination even now. India, where caste-discrimination is still prevalent, further adds another layer of barrier for women. This is where Hook’s works come into light, though from a different socio-cultural context, the lessons are universal.
In her book – “Margins to Center” (1984), she writes on how women of colour and those coming from lower-class families are further marginalised when racism and classism intersects with sexism.
“..the struggle to end sexist oppression that focuses on destroying the cultural basis for such domination strengthens other liberation struggles. Individuals who fight for the eradication of sexism without struggles to end racism or classism undermine their own efforts.
Individuals who fight for the eradication of racism or classism while supporting sexist oppression are helping to maintain the cultural basis of all forms of group oppression.”
― bell hooks, “Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center”
She argues that mainstream feminism, which has been dominated by middle and upper-class white women, have not been accommodating and welcome to the non-white and working-class women.
It makes me question the current scenario in India, where Bollywood celebrities and influencers from affluent families, educated from the best schools and universities come forward with feminist narratives of their own, a parallel to the western feminism dominated by the upper-class white women Hooks dealt with in her time.
“The concept of marital rape, as understood internationally, cannot be suitably applied in the Indian context due to various factors like level of education/illiteracy, poverty, myriad social customs and values, religious beliefs, mindset of the society to treat the marriage as a sacrament etc.”
-Maneka Gandhi
To the influential, like Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi, the concept of marital rape in international, while to many in abusive relationships with no access to legal rights and financial constraints to escape, it is not.
Various cases along with the vicious Hathras incident that took place last year, is a testament to this. Even when #MeToo movements were floating through social media, girls were still being abused, mistreated and raped, unknown deep in the villages.
Often overlooked, caste and social status defines feminism, financial status leverages it. Until and unless feminism seeps through every bastis (villages) and gullies (lanes) of India, we’re still failed feminists no matter how the upper-class defines it to be.
“Since we live in a society that promotes faddism and temporary superficial adaptation of different values, we are easily convinced that changes have occurred in arenas where there has been little or no change.”
― bell hooks, “Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center”
The parallels – A Guide In Disguise
The path to academia for Hook as a Black women wasn’t easy, so is it for the young dalits and other minorities in our country. Lost in the crossroads of race, class, and gender, women are being suffocated in invisible chambers.
A mutual understanding where all sexes seek to dismantle the system should be chosen, with men in the forefront.
“While it in no way diminishes the seriousness of male abuse, or negates male responsibility for exploitative actions, the pain men experience can serve as a catalyst calling attention to the need for change.”
― bell hooks
Her words serve as a guide to redefine feminism in India while accommodating everyone from different – gender, class, socio-economic status, and so on is the answer to the systematic abuse.
Note: The author is part of the Dec ’21 batch of the Writer’s Training Program.