Title: We Should All Be FeministsAuthor: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
First Published: July 29, 2014
Publisher: Anchor
Pages: 64
Genre: Essays, Feminism, Non-Fiction
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
Rating:
Synopsis:
In this personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from the much-admired TEDx talk of the same name—Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century. Drawing extensively on her own experiences and her deep understanding of the often masked realities of sexual politics, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman now—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.
Buy the Book: AmazonReview
We Should All Be Feminists is a primer for feminism that makes a case for why it remains necessary. Adichie shares how she was introduced to feminism and how it was shaped by her experiences as a woman living in Nigeria. Her writing is eloquent and succinct, the simplicity of her writing makes it easy to digest.
Adichie goes over a few key topics and relays some experiences or made suggestions about how change can be enacted. What I liked most about the essay was that she discussed the tendency for critics to point out that using the term feminism was wrong, and that feminists are just humanists, erasing the struggles of women. I’ve encountered this argument from friends, ones that I respect, that were offended by my association with the feminist movement.
In general, it is a very good essay and an easy recommendation. The is nothing in the essay that is groundbreaking, but it’s a good starting point for learning empathy. The essay is adapted from a TEDx talk that the author gave that is worth the watch.
Quote
“We do a great disservice to boys in how we raise them. We stifle the humanity of boys. We define masculinity in a very narrow way. Masculinity is a hard, small cage, and we put boys inside this cage.”
About the Author
About Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie grew up in Nigeria. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages and has appeared in various publications, including The New Yorker, Granta, The O. Henry Prize Stories, the Financial Times, and Zoetrope. She is the author of the novels Purple Hibiscus, which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award; Half of a Yellow Sun, which won the Orange Prize and was a National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist and a New York Times Notable Book; and Americanah, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award and was named one of The New York Times Top Ten Best Books of 2013. Ms. Adichie is also the author of the story collection The Thing Around Your Neck.
Ms. Adichie has been invited to speak around the world. Her 2009 TED Talk, The Danger of A Single Story, is now one of the most-viewed TED Talks of all time. Her 2012 talk We Should All Be Feminists has started a worldwide conversation about feminism and was published as a book in 2014.
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