Reconstructing Masculinity: A Critical Feminist Examination of Gender-Based Violence in Bell Hooks’ The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love

Author(s)	Dr. Smita Sharma
Country	India
Abstract	This paper explores Bell Hooks’ feminist analysis of masculinity in her book The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love through the lens of gender-based violence. Hooks critically examines the ways in which patriarchal structures harm both men and women, perpetuating a cycle of violence that negatively impacts gender relations. By engaging with Hooks’ arguments, this paper aims to understand how toxic masculinity and societal expectations of male behaviour contribute to gender-based violence and suggests that reconstructing masculinity is a crucial step toward ending such violence. Through a feminist critical lens, the paper will analyse the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in the shaping of masculinity and its implications for gender violence.
Keywords	Masculinity, gender-based violence, patriarchy, feminism, gender relations, toxic masculinity, patriarchy, love.
Field	Arts
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On	2025-12-28
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.64358

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