The writer bell hooks was not just a profound literary figure for many women – she was their introduction to womanhood, self-actualisation, and shaped their expectations of love.
On Thursday, her family revealed that the author, professor, and feminist activist died at home in Kentucky, US, surrounded by her loved ones.
Born Gloria Jean Watkins in the segregated town of Hopkinsville, Kentucky in 1952, hooks took her name from her maternal great-grandmother and spelled it in lower case letters as she wanted the focus to be on her message, not her.
She wrote more than 30 books exploring feminism, race, capitalism and more, was a fierce advocate for Black women and shaped the lives of many.
Tributes to her work have poured in on social media and continue to do so, with established writers such as Roxanne Gay and Bernardine Evaristo also sharing their homages and why hooks inspired them.
Here are a collection of tweets honouring the acclaimed writer.