by Moya Bailey
New York University Press
5/25/2021, hardcover
SKU: 9781479865109
Where racism and sexism meet-an understanding of anti-Black misogyny
When Moya Bailey first coined the term misogynoir, she defined it as the ways anti-Black and misogynistic representation shape broader ideas about Black women, particularly in visual culture and digital spaces. She had no idea that the term would go viral, touching a cultural nerve and quickly entering into the lexicon. Misogynoir now has its own Wikipedia page and hashtag, and has been featured on Comedy Central's The Daily Show and CNN's Cuomo Prime Time. In Misogynoir Transformed, Bailey delves into her groundbreaking concept, highlighting Black women's digital resistance to anti-Black misogyny on YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, and other platforms.
At a time when Black women are depicted as more ugly, deficient, hypersexual, and unhealthy than their non-Black counterparts, Bailey explores how Black women have bravely used social-media platforms to confront misogynoir in a number of courageous - and, most importantly, effective - ways. Focusing on queer and trans Black women, she shows us the importance of carving out digital spaces, where communities are built around queer Black webshows and hashtags like #GirlsLikeUs.
Bailey shows how Black women actively reimagine the world by engaging in powerful forms of digital resistance at a time when anti-Black misogyny is thriving on social media. A groundbreaking work, Misogynoir Transformed highlights Black women's remarkable efforts to disrupt mainstream narratives, subvert negative stereotypes, and reclaim their lives.
Reviews:
"Misogynoir Transformed is meticulously researched and an extraordinary example of Black feminist studies as an interdisciplinary project. It is brilliant in its exploration of the ways in which Black women, especially queer, nonbinary, agender, gender variant and trans women resist misogynoir in various media in their roles as 'digital alchemists.' The book underscores the urgency of reimagining how we define women's social movements given the use of social media platforms among Black women and girls in their mitigation of misogynoir."--Beverly Guy-Sheftall, editor of Words of Fire: An Anthology of African-American Feminist Thought
"Misogynoir Transformed is a resounding, deftly reported manifesto centering the work of transformative Black women seeking one another in a culture that refuses to see us and center us. Moya Bailey reminds us that we are our liberators and have always had the tools to seek, see and celebrate ourselves."--Janet Mock, New York Times bestselling author of Redefining Realness and Surpassing Certainty
About the Author:
Moya Bailey is Assistant Professor in the Department of Cultures, Societies, and Global Studies and the program in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Northeastern University. She is the digital alchemist for the Octavia E. Butler Legacy Network and an MLK Visiting Scholar at MIT.