An Analysis Of Bell Hooks 'Dig Deeper: Beyond Lean In'

The Rhetoric of gender equality: An Analysis of Bell Hooks “Dig Deeper: Beyond Lean In” In her 2013 article featured on The Feminist Wire, “Dig Deeper: Beyond Lean In” bell hook describes “the feminist movement based on women gaining equal rights with men” (661). This essay is a response to Sheryl Sandberg’s book “Lean In: What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid?” which encourages women to aim for positions of leadership and power. Sandberg’s definition of a feminism is gender equality with an existing social system. Hook contrasts Sandberg’s definition of feminism and makes it her own “one that does not conjure up a battle between the sexes” (662). Since men and women are both greatly influenced by sexist social norms and ideals, it is important

Hook’s title undermines “Sandburg using feminist rhetoric as a front to cover her commitment to western cultural imperialism, to white supremacist capitalist patriarchy” (674). She calls it “Dig Deep” because “New face of faux feminism” (674). One of the most detrimental things that can happen to the feminist movement is to have faux feminist. Faux (fake) feminist diminish the importance and value that feminist attempt to establish in society by using feminism as a means to bash on non-feminists.

Hook argues that Sandberg neglects to acknowledge the influence women have on society, but rather works to change it: “The vast majority of men in our society, irrespective of a race, embrace patriarchal values; they do not embrace a vision or practice of gender equality either at work or in the domestic household” (668). In short, we are not equal if one gender controls the other. Sandberg illustrates and describes her trickle-down theory showing women being at the top of corporate ladders would make a positive impact in the workforce. She backs up her theory by claiming that “imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchal corporate worlds Sandberg want women to lean into encourages competition over corporation”

Sandberg’s definition of a feminism is gender equality with an existing social system. She has transformed and made a positive impact for females in the workforce; inspiring and motivating them to achieve higher corporate jobs. At the beginning of her article Hook analyzes cause and effect by stating that feminist conjecture about a subject without firm evidence was only considered by academics for a long time and Sandberg is changing that idea. The “visionary feminist goal which is not of women running for the world as is, but women doing our part