Chapter 12 Summary and Analysis

The next stage of development is that of the creation and organized expression of feminist scholarship. One main factor is that bell hooks is very grateful for something. She is thankful that it has become safer for women, including black women to perform the work necessary. Feminist theory, she explains in this chapter, has actually come to be respected. It is now possible for women including black women to devise theoretical frameworks. This makes effective discussion and efforts in the field of feminism possible.

The author hopes that this work will create the possibility of an unbiased perspective on the black American female situation. She cites that there does seem to be feminist backlash within the culture. This backlash does pose an actual problem. The difficulty is that it seems to have undermined something. She hopes that women will persevere despite...