--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The process begins with the individual…" description: "\"The process begins with the individual woman’s acceptance that American women, without exception, are socialized to be racist, classist and sexist, in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/bell-hooks-464_acceptance_the-process-begins-with-the-individual-w_1287774.jpg" --- # The process begins with the individual woman’s acceptance… ![“The process begins with the individual woman’s acceptance that American women, without exception, are socialized to be racist, classist and sexist, in varying degrees, and that labeling ourselves feminists does not change the fact that we must consciously work to rid ourselves of the legacy of…” quote by Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/bell-hooks-464_acceptance_the-process-begins-with-the-individual-w_1287774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/bell-hooks-464_acceptance_the-process-begins-with-the-individual-w_1287774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/bell-hooks-464_acceptance_the-process-begins-with-the-individual-w_1287774.jpg) > “The process begins with the individual woman’s acceptance that American women, without exception, are socialized to be racist, classist and sexist, in varying degrees, and that labeling ourselves feminists does not change the fact that we must consciously work to rid ourselves of the legacy of negative socialization.” [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women must recognize internalized oppression and actively work to dismantle it. **In simple terms:** Women need to confront and unlearn ingrained biases. Key Takeaway Commit to ongoing self‑examination. Themes feminism self‑awareness social justice Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - activism - education - personal reflection - group workshops Key Concepts intersectionality internalized oppression personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify your own biases? - What steps will you take to unlearn them? A Different Perspective Change is slow and may face resistance from oneself and others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [American women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-women/) [Bad ass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-ass/) [Degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Exception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exception/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Labeling Feminists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labeling-feminists-4184354/) [Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legacy/) [Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative/) [Negative Socialization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-socialization-4184357/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Sexist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexist/) [Socialized Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialized-racist-4184356/) [Woman Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-acceptance-4184355/) ## Related quotes > [The notion that black folks have nothing to learn from scholarship that may reflect racial or racist biases is dangerous. It promotes closed-mindedness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-notion-that-black-folks-have-nothing-to-learn-from-scholarship/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Feminism is the struggle to end sexist oppression. Its aim is not to benefit solely any specific group of women, any particular race or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/feminism-is-the-struggle-to-end-sexist-oppression-its-aim-is-not-to/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [..the struggle to end sexist oppression that focuses on destroying the cultural basis for such domination strengthens other liberation struggles. Individuals who fight for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-struggle-to-end-sexist-oppression-that-focuses-on-destroying-the/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [To me, a woman can't be a feminist just because she is a woman. She is a feminist because she begins to divest herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/to-me-a-woman-can-t-be-a-feminist-just-because-she-is-a-woman-she-is/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [If we are ever to construct a feminist movement that is not based on the premise that men and women are always at war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/if-we-are-ever-to-construct-a-feminist-movement-that-is-not-based-on/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Individual heterosexual women came to the movement from relationships where men were cruel, unkind, violent, unfaithful. Many of these men were radical thinkers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/individual-heterosexual-women-came-to-the-movement-from-relationships/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/feminism-is-a-movement-to-end-sexism-sexist-exploitation-and/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [They wanted black women to conform to the gender norms set by white society. They wanted to be recognized as 'men,' as patriarchs, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/they-wanted-black-women-to-conform-to-the-gender-norms-set-by-white/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Most gay men are as sexist in their thinking as are heterosexuals. Their patriarchal thinking leads them to construct paradigms of desirable sexual behaviour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/most-gay-men-are-as-sexist-in-their-thinking-as-are-heterosexuals/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Feminism is a struggle to end sexist oppression. Therefore, it is necessarily a struggle to eradicate the ideology of domination that permeates Western culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/feminism-is-a-struggle-to-end-sexist-oppression-therefore-it-is/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It is obvious that many women have appropriated feminism to serve their own ends, especially those white women who have been at the forefront…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/it-is-obvious-that-many-women-have-appropriated-feminism-to-serve/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Feminism has never emerged from the women who are most victimized by sexist oppression; women who are daily beaten down, mentally, physically, and spiritually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/feminism-has-never-emerged-from-the-women-who-are-most-victimized-by/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Since Bush has been in office, African-American women have fallen behind in terms of income and wages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/since-bush-has-been-in-office-african-american-women-have-fallen/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [The great thing about American women is their energy and the way they love to dress. French women don't really dress; they are too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-gaultier/the-great-thing-about-american-women-is-their-energy-and-the-way-they/) [Jean Paul Gaultier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-gaultier/) > [The work-family divide is the biggest issue for American women. But in some ways it's amazing how adjusted society has become to it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/the-work-family-divide-is-the-biggest-issue-for-american-women-but-in/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) ## More by Bell Hooks > [Right now, for many Americans, class is being foregrounded like never before because of the economic situation. It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Most folks believe we are hardwired biologically to long for sex but they do not believe we are hardwired to long for love. Almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/most-folks-believe-we-are-hardwired-biologically-to-long-for-sex-but/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [... we need to interrogate "reverence," for idolization can be another way one is objectified and not really taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/we-need-to-interrogate-reverence-for-idolization-can-be-another-way/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Couples who rarely or never have sex can know lifelong love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/couples-who-rarely-or-never-have-sex-can-know-lifelong-love/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The power of patriarchy has been to make maleness feared and to make men feel that it is better to be feared that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-power-of-patriarchy-has-been-to-make-maleness-feared-and-to-make/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“I feel enormously blessed to be a successful black woman writer in this culture, but I have found my small fame, such as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-feel-enormously-blessed-to-be-a-successful-black-woman-writer-in/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Language is also a place of struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/language-is-also-a-place-of-struggle/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [In this culture, the phrase 'black woman' is not synonymous with 'tender,' or 'gentle.' It's as if those words couldn't possibly speak to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/in-this-culture-the-phrase-black-woman-is-not-synonymous-with-tender/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It's interesting to look at all the aspects where everyday Americans, many of whom are not college educated, are thinking deeply now about our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/it-s-interesting-to-look-at-all-the-aspects-where-everyday-americans/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The true teacher is within us. A good teacher is someone who can help you to go back and touch the true teacher within,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-true-teacher-is-within-us-a-good-teacher-is-someone-who-can-help/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Advancing the notion that there can be many "feminisms" has served the conservative and liberal political interests of women seeking status and privileged class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/advancing-the-notion-that-there-can-be-many-feminisms-has-served-the/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [I love my family, even as I critique their dysfunctionalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-love-my-family-even-as-i-critique-their-dysfunctionalities/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [You must have courage to love, you have to have a profound will to do what is right to love, and it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/you-must-have-courage-to-love-you-have-to-have-a-profound-will-to-do/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [To truly love we must learn to mix various ingredients - care, affection, recognition, respect, commitment, and trust, as well as honest and open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/to-truly-love-we-must-learn-to-mix-various-ingredients-care-affection/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Often emphasis on identity and lifestyle is appealing because it creates a false sense that one is engaged in praxis. However, praxis within any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/often-emphasis-on-identity-and-lifestyle-is-appealing-because-it/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) [Explore all 541 Bell Hooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The process begins with the individual woman’s acceptance that American women, without exception, are socialized to be racist, classist and sexist, in varying degrees, and that labeling ourselves feminists does not change the fact that we must consciously work to rid ourselves of the legacy of negative socialization.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bell Hooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-process-begins-with-the-individual-woman-s-acceptance-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acceptance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-process-begins-with-the-individual-woman-s-acceptance-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/bell-hooks-464_acceptance_the-process-begins-with-the-individual-w_1287774.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/bell-hooks-464_acceptance_the-process-begins-with-the-individual-w_1287774.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/bell-hooks-464_acceptance_the-process-begins-with-the-individual-w_1287774.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The process begins with the individual woman’s acceptance that American women, without exception, are…” — Bell Hooks", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bell Hooks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The process begins with the individual...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-process-begins-with-the-individual-woman-s-acceptance-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-process-begins-with-the-individual-woman-s-acceptance-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```