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Question

Difficulty: EasyBlack Feminist and Womanist Movements

In *Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism* (1981), cultural critic and theorist bell hooks wrote:

"American women of all races are socialized to think of women as a category that is homogeneous, a group that is bound together by shared oppression. ... This assertion that all women are oppressed to the same degree or in the same way is a false assumption."

Which of the following statements best reflects the core argument hooks makes in this excerpt regarding the relationship between Black women and mainstream feminism?

  1. Mainstream feminism incorrectly assumed that all women share an identical experience of gender oppression, failing to account for how race and class modify that experience.Answer
  2. B
    Mainstream feminism prioritized racial equality over gender equality, which conflicted with the goals of Black feminists.
  3. C
    Mainstream feminism and Black feminism shared identical priorities because both movements focused solely on voting rights.
  4. D
    Mainstream feminism argued that gender oppression only affected white women, leaving Black women out of the debate entirely.

Answer

Mainstream feminism incorrectly assumed that all women share an identical experience of gender oppression, failing to account for how race and class modify that experience.
The correct option is correct because bell hooks argues against the mainstream feminist assumption of a universal female experience. She points out that treating women as a homogeneous group ignores the reality that women are not oppressed in the same way or to the same degree, reflecting the foundational Black feminist critique that gender oppression is inextricably linked to race and class.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the quote by bell hooks to identify the main critique being made.
The quote criticizes the assumption that women form a homogeneous group with a shared, identical oppression.
To understand the author's primary argument about the limitations of mainstream feminism's view of women.
2
Evaluate the options to find the statement that matches this critique of homogeneity.
The option stating that mainstream feminism incorrectly assumed all women share an identical experience of gender oppression is the correct match.
This option directly translates hooks' critique of the 'homogeneous group' assumption into the context of intersectional differences.

Key Concept

Black Feminist critique of mainstream feminism's assumption of a universal female experience.
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Topics

Black Feminist and Womanist Movements

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