Killing Rage: Ending Racism

hooks begins this essay with the claim that the feminist movement has helped white women and not Black women. hooks gives examples of Black women who spoke out against sexism during the cases against US Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas and boxer Mike Tyson, warning against “the development of black patriarchy” where Black women’s voices are not included in social justice movements (63). She describes how straight Black male activists focus on manhood, while gay Black men, like Joseph Beam and Essex Hemphill, dedicate themselves to dismantling patriarchy.

hooks examines Paul Gilroy’s claim about masculinity, arguing that Black men who gain power in capitalism seek to dominate Black women. Their participation in the patriarchy does not improve the lives of Black people as a whole. hooks continues to quote Gilroy’s argument that racial integrity is linked with Black manhood. She adds that masculinity should be redefined outside of patriarchy.

Then, hooks suggests moving away from a benevolent patriarchal structure and toward a model where gender does not make one stronger or smarter, arguing that both men and women should have a sense of self. hooks describes how her brother was pressured to be a man, which entailed being responsible rather than having fun.