Book Talk: We Should All Be Feminists
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
"I would like to ask that we begin to dream about and plan for a different world. A fairer world. A world of happier men and happier women who are truer to themselves. And this is how to start: we must raise our daughters differently. We must also raise our sons differently..."
This is a 48-page book based on a TEDx talk done by Adichie. She chose to speak about feminism because it seems to be more relevant now than it ever was. Being a feminist seems to be a misunderstood topic by both men and women. Adiche uses her personal experiences and her deep understanding of the often masked realities of sexual politics. Some examples mentioned are: when someone calls you a feminist, they make it seem like it is a bad thing. You can't be too feminine, wearing makeup, heels, etc. The most misunderstood example is that as a feminist you typically hate men. Or even when in public, with a man, the man is usually addressed first and looked to as the one with answers, and sometimes the woman goes completely unnoticed.
For those that don't know what Feminism means I included it below:
fem·i·nism
ˈfeməˌnizəm/
noun
the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.
synonyms:the women's movement, the feminist movement, women's liberation, female emancipation, women's rights;
Many people tend to adapt and change the definition of what it means to them personally and what a feminist should and should not be.
Adichie speaks on what it is to be a woman today, her reality, (which many of us can relate to) and why things need to change. Why we, both men, and women, should all be feminists.
If you don't want to pick up the book, I recommend listening to the TED talk.
Love & Light,
Jalesa