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Abstract

Feminist theorist and cultural critic bell hooks was known for calling out modern-day feminists for failing to take into consideration the plight of other non-privileged women. She intricately analyzed how various factors of oppression form a web, which contributes to the complexities of women’s marginalization. The vision of hooks, thus, is a revolutionary type of feminism which is inclusive and for everybody. This means that everyone, all persons of various races or classes, should become enlightened witnesses and be a part of the struggle towards eradicating what she refers to as White Capitalist Supremacist Patriarchy. Such vision, however, seems to be already included within fourth wave feminism. Also known as digital or online feminism, the fourth wave movement has taken to heart the vision of replacing oppressive thought and action with feminist thought and action. The question that arises, however, is whether this new online society is the type of global transformation or revolutionary change that hooks envisioned. Based on hooks’ works, I examine the concepts, nuances, and problematic aspects of online feminism through the lens of bell hook’s theories. Additionally, I consider how bell hooks’ feminist framework can be used to re-envision and improve online feminism.

Author Biography

Hazel T. Biana is a Professor of Philosophy at De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines, and a Research Fellow of both the Southeast Asia Research Center and Hub (SEARCH) and the Social Development Research Center (SDRC). She is the current Vice President of the Philosophical Association of the Philippines (PAP). She is now completing a research project on the AI (Em)powered Mobility of Women with the support of a grant from the Alliance and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Her research interests are diverse and interdisciplinary, with topics on feminist philosophy, gender studies, the philosophy of place, and cultural criticism. She can be reached on email at hazel.biana@dlsu.edu.ph

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