5. bell hooks and Consciousness-Raising: Argument for a Fourth Wave of Feminism

In this chapter Blevins makes the theoretical argument that consciousness-raising groups, informal support groups dealing with sexism, are flourishing on social media. These modern iterations can be distinguished from former groups by their focus not just on sexism, but on re-politicizing young people. Some young feminists are even embracing the label of “fourth-wave feminism.” Thus far, the effort of fourth-wave feminism is on shifting the micropolitics of the third wave to a “call out” culture online, where individuals challenge sexism and misogyny. Consciousness-raising groups should be considered a key part of this process. Instead of returning to a centrally organized social movement, these groups validate the contributions of young people and are reviving activism with the help of digital platforms.