--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The biggest thinker that's influenced my…" description: "\"The biggest thinker that's influenced my feminism is definitely Bell Hooks, who's a feminist cultural critic, because of her accessibility but also jus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/jessica-valenti-1960_accessibility_the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my_1025616.png" --- # The biggest thinker that's influenced my feminism is… ![“The biggest thinker that's influenced my feminism is definitely Bell Hooks, who's a feminist cultural critic, because of her accessibility but also just because she's a genius.” quote by Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/jessica-valenti-1960_accessibility_the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my_1025616.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/jessica-valenti-1960_accessibility_the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my_1025616.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/jessica-valenti-1960_accessibility_the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my_1025616.png) > “The biggest thinker that's influenced my feminism is definitely Bell Hooks, who's a feminist cultural critic, because of her accessibility but also just because she's a genius.” [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She admires Bell Hooks for her clear, genius feminist critique that makes complex ideas accessible. **In simple terms:** Bell Hooks' clear feminist ideas inspire her. Key Takeaway Seek accessible, insightful feminist voices. Themes feminism accessibility intellectual influence Mood respectful inspired Type testimonial personal When to use this quote - activism - academic study - public speaking - media commentary Key Concepts cultural criticism genius influence Questions to Reflect On - How does accessibility affect feminist impact? - What other feminist thinkers shape your views? A Different Perspective Her view may overlook other influential feminists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accessibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accessibility/) [Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bells/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Thinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinker/) ## Related quotes > [Feminism is definitely a part of everything I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/feminism-is-definitely-a-part-of-everything-i-do/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [When I started blogging in 2004, I responded to every comment no matter how nasty the reader was. I was generally polite, believing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/when-i-started-blogging-in-2004-i-responded-to-every-comment-no/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [“Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books.” - Bell Hooks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/win-quier/life-transforming-ideas-have-always-come-to-me-through-books-bell/) Win Quier > [I'm terrified of saying the wrong thing on stage with bell hooks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laverne-cox/i-m-terrified-of-saying-the-wrong-thing-on-stage-with-bell-hooks/) [Laverne Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laverne-cox/) > [“...I learned the power of identity--the idea that even an uneducated woman, like myself, who hadn't read Mary Wollstonecraft or bell hooks, could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-dawn/i-learned-the-power-of-identity-the-idea-that-even-an-uneducated/) [Amber Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-dawn/) > [“I was a young girl buying bubble gum at the corner store when I first really heard the full name bell hooks. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/i-was-a-young-girl-buying-bubble-gum-at-the-corner-store-when-i-first/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“She wanted me to remember that pleasure is political--for the capacity to relax and play renews the spirit and makes it possible for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/she-wanted-me-to-remember-that-pleasure-is-political-for-the-capacity/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“I will not have my life narrowed down. I will not bow down to somebody else's whim or to someone else's ignorance.” -bell hooks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trista-hendren/i-will-not-have-my-life-narrowed-down-i-will-not-bow-down-to-somebody-2/) [Trista Hendren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trista-hendren/) > [I am passionate about everything in my life--first and foremost, passionate about ideas. And that's a dangerous person to be in this society, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-passionate-about-everything-in-my-life-first-and-foremost/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I read everything and anything related to being queer. I found solace in reading authors like Audre Lorde and bell hooks, who would become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/i-read-everything-and-anything-related-to-being-queer-i-found-solace/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [People review my comic books. People review every article I write - 'The Atlantic' even publishes them. A great deal of the critique of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/people-review-my-comic-books-people-review-every-article-i-write-the/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [I was influenced growing up by everything from Harlequin romances to Fedor Dostoyevsky and Albert Camus, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and later Lydia Davis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danzy-senna/i-was-influenced-growing-up-by-everything-from-harlequin-romances-to/) [Danzy Senna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danzy-senna/) > [“Read everything you can push into your skull. Read your mother’s diary. Read Assata. Read everything Gloria Steinem and bell hooks write. Read all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-rivera/read-everything-you-can-push-into-your-skull-read-your-mother-s-diary/) [Gabby Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-rivera/) > [When the feminist movement was at its zenith in the late 60's and early 70's, there was a lot of moving away from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/when-the-feminist-movement-was-at-its-zenith-in-the-late-60-s-and/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“The feminist philosophy that has shaped my thinking has been articulated most clearly by Marilyn Frye;67 Catharine MacKinnon68 has been influential in my understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jensen/the-feminist-philosophy-that-has-shaped-my-thinking-has-been/) [Robert Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jensen/) ## More by Jessica Valenti > [The less obvious hurdle is that of preparing parents emotionally and putting forward realistic images of parenthood and motherhood. There also needs to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/the-less-obvious-hurdle-is-that-of-preparing-parents-emotionally-and/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Social media is not just another way to connect feminist and activist voices - it amplifies our messages as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/social-media-is-not-just-another-way-to-connect-feminist-and-activist/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Women are brought up to believe you are going to be the better parent and you know what's best. I don't think that's necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/women-are-brought-up-to-believe-you-are-going-to-be-the-better-parent/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [“What is closer to the truth is that when confronted with the love you deserve, it is easier to mock it than accept it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/what-is-closer-to-the-truth-is-that-when-confronted-with-the-love-you/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Stress from blogging keeps me up at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/stress-from-blogging-keeps-me-up-at-night/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [I think we get into very dangerous territory when we start to define who can and cannot be a feminist. It's such a slippery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/i-think-we-get-into-very-dangerous-territory-when-we-start-to-define/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [It used to be, if you wanted to have a strong, influential voice in the feminist movement, you really needed to be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/it-used-to-be-if-you-wanted-to-have-a-strong-influential-voice-in-the/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [The implications of likability are long-lasting and serious. Women adjust their behavior to be likable and as a result have less power in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/the-implications-of-likability-are-long-lasting-and-serious-women/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [I think I was in high school, actually, and it was a guidance counselor or someone said, you know, you're just too loud; like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/i-think-i-was-in-high-school-actually-and-it-was-a-guidance-counselor/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [The only purpose of an engagement ring is to show you 'belong' to someone, and your man makes bank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/the-only-purpose-of-an-engagement-ring-is-to-show-you-belong-to/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Something I say a lot when it comes to anti-feminist stereotypes is that they exist for a reason. The stereotypes of feminists as ugly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/something-i-say-a-lot-when-it-comes-to-anti-feminist-stereotypes-is/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Even the notion that women should have children at all is based on the idea that a woman's inherent and most important role is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/even-the-notion-that-women-should-have-children-at-all-is-based-on/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [I do think that there is a real crisis of masculinity that's happening in America. I think the problem is - the way it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/i-do-think-that-there-is-a-real-crisis-of-masculinity-that-s/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Young women know that something is off; they know that the world is a messed-up place. They know that the world is a sexist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/young-women-know-that-something-is-off-they-know-that-the-world-is-a/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [“I’m talking about the soul-crushing drudgery of day-to-day parenthood that we’re too embarrassed to talk about. The boredom, the stress, the nagging dissatisfaction, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/i-m-talking-about-the-soul-crushing-drudgery-of-day-to-day-parenthood/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) [Explore all 195 Jessica Valenti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) ## More Accessibility quotes > [“AI must orbit humanity, not turn humanity into a lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/ai-must-orbit-humanity-not-turn-humanity-into-a-lie/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Whatever it is that you're successful at, that has to be the No. 1 goal. In my case, it's accessibility. So all of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-ray/whatever-it-is-that-you-re-successful-at-that-has-to-be-the-no-1-goal/) [Rachael Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-ray/) > [“Accessibility means more than adding a ramp between the sidewalk and the front door of a building. It includes the ease in which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-fenton-lee/accessibility-means-more-than-adding-a-ramp-between-the-sidewalk-and/) [Amy Fenton Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-fenton-lee/) > [I've always said as a political scientist that "culture" is what we use when we can't explain things. I think it's more about accessibility.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-ve-always-said-as-a-political-scientist-that-culture-is-what-we-use/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I know "accessibility" is a term that's kind of thrown around wantonly today, especially with talking about visual media. But I think that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-powell/i-know-accessibility-is-a-term-that-s-kind-of-thrown-around-wantonly/) [Nate Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-powell/) > [“The lingerie department is the only one that she can reach in her wheelchair. Nevertheless, she is fired the next day because of complaints…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemarie-garland-thomson/the-lingerie-department-is-the-only-one-that-she-can-reach-in-her/) Rosemarie Garland Thomson > [“Use AI to empower life, don't abuse AI to ruin life. AI must orbit humanity, not turn humanity into a lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/use-ai-to-empower-life-don-t-abuse-ai-to-ruin-life-ai-must-orbit/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [A novel can educate to some extent, but first a novel has to entertain. That's the contract with the reader: you give me ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/a-novel-can-educate-to-some-extent-but-first-a-novel-has-to-entertain/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Naskar Constitution of GenAI (Sonnet) At times I'm hard on AI, at times I'm lenient, I have just one law on AI, keep the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/naskar-constitution-of-genai-sonnet-at-times-i-m-hard-on-ai-at-times/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [What I like about popular culture is its accessibility, and I've covered popular songs because they are amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wyatt/what-i-like-about-popular-culture-is-its-accessibility-and-i-ve/) [Robert Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wyatt/) > [“Who is setting the bar for what you call accessibility? The definition of “accessible” is “easy to understand,” and so much of the fiction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-marcus/who-is-setting-the-bar-for-what-you-call-accessibility-the-definition/) [Ben Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-marcus/) > [I like the idea of accessibility, coming from a lower-middle-class background myself, I feel like beauty and products should be accessible to all women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-kruger/i-like-the-idea-of-accessibility-coming-from-a-lower-middle-class/) [Diane Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-kruger/) > [The fundamental magic of flying, a miracle that has nothing to do with any of its practical purposes - purposes of speed, accessibility, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/the-fundamental-magic-of-flying-a-miracle-that-has-nothing-to-do-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The four BIAs in the area support it. Operational benefits include accessibility and a place for police officers to come and go when they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fantino/the-four-bias-in-the-area-support-it-operational-benefits-include/) Julian Fantino > [The division into whig and tory is founded in the nature of men; the weakly and nerveless, the rich and the corrupt, seeing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-division-into-whig-and-tory-is-founded-in-the-nature-of-men-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 79 Accessibility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accessibility/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The biggest thinker that's influenced my feminism is definitely Bell Hooks, who's a feminist cultural critic, because of her accessibility but also just because she's a genius.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jessica Valenti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my-feminism-is-definitely-bell/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accessibility" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my-feminism-is-definitely-bell/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/jessica-valenti-1960_accessibility_the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my_1025616.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/jessica-valenti-1960_accessibility_the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my_1025616.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/jessica-valenti-1960_accessibility_the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my_1025616.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The biggest thinker that's influenced my feminism is definitely Bell Hooks, who's a feminist cultural…” — Jessica Valenti", "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": "Jessica Valenti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The biggest thinker that's influenced my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my-feminism-is-definitely-bell/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/the-biggest-thinker-that-s-influenced-my-feminism-is-definitely-bell/#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 } } ] } ```