Preliminary Findings: Analysis Paper 3

Hook, Bell 2000 Article “A Feminist Movement to End Sexist Oppression” connects to the parenting book (“Calm and Compassionate Child” by Susan Dermond) in different ways. The first way would be how the article talks about how the feminist movement is trying to eradicate sexism. Throughout the book, Dermond discusses the parents working together as a team to raise the child, and oppose the traditional idea of the husband working to financially provide, and the mother staying home and raising the child on her own. An example of an exercise that Dermond encourages the parents to do together with the child is music. “Listening to music with a steady rhythm of around 60 beats per minute helps slow the heart rate to a calm measured place and slows the breathing” (2007, p.98). This exercise requires the mother, father and child to be there together as a family, and help the child in the best way that they both can. There is no sexism present, and both parents have an equal opportunity to help or soothe their child in the best way that they can. Along with this, Dermond (2007) uses very gender-neutral words throughout the book. Unless she is talking about a specific example of a male or female, she uses words such as: Individual, student, parent, teacher, child and so on.

Another point discussed in the Hooks, Bell (2000) article is “defining feminism as a movement to end sexist oppression is crucial for the development of theory because it is a starting point indicating the direction of exploration and analysis”. So once sexist oppression ends, we can begin to explore and analyze a correct definition of feminism. This can connect to the book because Dermond discusses: “An even more subtle type of personal power is the power to help others through positive energy” ( 2007, p. 162). Instead of oppressing people, we must start over and create a positive definition of feminism and work equally together with both males and females. We can also start by teaching our child this.