12/15/2021
bell hooks died Wednesday (December 15) at the age of 69. The thought leader, writer, and pioneer in Black feminism inspired countless activists, academics, philosophers through her work which focused on race, gender, place, class and sexuality. An acclaimed author and poet, her storied career includes a Pulitzer Prize for poetry and a National Book Award for fiction.
While hooks' legacy runs deep, it was her commitment to change that we cherish the most. During a time when the word q***r was used primarily as a slur, hooks reclaimed it for the LGBTQ community as a way to identify and realize the power of creating and q***ring a space. In her book 'Are You Still A Slave? Liberating the Black Female Body,' hooks acknowledged that q***r people must "invent and create and find a place to speak and to thrive and live," a statement that is as true today as it was when she penned it in 1981.
“If you’re just learning about bell hooks, there’s no shame,” trans activist Raquel Willis wrote on Twitter. “You can always read her words and meet her on the page.”
Rest in Power, bell. Rest In Peace. ❤️