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We Should All Be Feminists

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Start date: March 1, 2017

Finish date: March 31, 2017

Discussion: Monthly Bonus Reads

Why we're reading this: March Bonus Read for Women's History Month.…more
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What Members Thought

Jul 16, 2019 daemyra, the realm's delight rated it it was amazing

Shelves: feminism-for-feminists-of-color

"I was unapologetic. Of course it was angry. Gender as it functions today is a grave injustice. I am angry. We should all be angry. Anger has a long history of bringing about positive change. But I am also hopeful, because I believe deeply in the ability of human beings to remake themselves for the better."

When you remember TED Talks used to be a thing, and when you think that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie delivered a talk about being a proud feminist - an angry feminist - a feminist that wears shi "I was unapologetic. Of course it was angry. Gender as it functions today is a grave injustice. I am angry. We should all be angry. Anger has a long history of bringing about positive change. But I am also hopeful, because I believe deeply in the ability of human beings to remake themselves for the better."

When you remember TED Talks used to be a thing, and when you think that Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie delivered a talk about being a proud feminist - an angry feminist - a feminist that wears shiny lip gloss and girly skirt - back in 2012 before the commodification of feminism was in full force, it is absolutely mind-blowing.

It wasn't too far from 2012 when I was in high school and it was not cool to be a feminist. It was, in fact, cool to consider feminists the butt of the joke - all the stereotypes that make you wonder who truly benefits from the perception of feminists as hairy and bra-less killjoys. It was normal to say, "I'm not a feminist but." Or, if you were a feminist, it meant to hate on femmes. Adichie does a wonderful job of discussing how sexism disempowers men and women and how she is trying to unlearn the lessons and expectations of gender as she grew up. As we all are. Whether that's unlearning something as simple as women are more likely to cook and men pay the bills to the suffocating burden of having our every action evaluated based on how likable we are when we do it, Adichie shares real-life examples that anyone can relate to.

One example that particularly resonated was Adichie describing how she felt when she was about to teach her first writing class in graduate school. She was worried about not being taken seriously if she "looked too feminine." She wanted to wear lip gloss and the girly skirt but went for a very ugly and masculine suit. Fashion is an empowering form of confidence. It is not shallow to like how you look. Good to all the Zuckerbergs and Jobs, but I want that choice to express myself the way I want, and that includes being as feminine or unisex as I feel like that day. And, in the grand scheme of things, to embrace femininity is powerful. Millennial pink. Softness and vulnerability. Upspeak. All that does not mean a woman cannot be as smart as a hard man speaking in a monotone or that a woman does not deserve to take up space. It is a lesson among many gender lessons in our culture, both genders can have a hard time to unlearn.

Adichie's talk is a completely accessible intro to, well, why we should all be feminists. Without further ado, I will leave my review with Adichie's triumphant declaration:

"I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femininity. And I want to be respected in all my femaleness. Because I deserve to be. I like politics and history and am happiest when having a good argument about ideas. I am girly. I am happily girly. I like high heels and trying on lipsticks. It's nice to be complimented by both men and women (although I have to be honest and say that I prefer the compliments of stylish women), but I often wear clothes that men don't like or don't 'understand.' I wear them because I like them and I feel good in them." ...more

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Jan 04, 2022 Michaela rated it really liked it

Shelves: feminism

Not many new themes on feminism, but after 10 years still prevailing.

3 likes · Like · see review

Sep 29, 2019 Leah rated it really liked it

Shelves: essays, 2019

Surprised it took me so long to read this? I am too. I was going through my to-read list and was confused to see this pop up. Thus, on a random Saturday night where the kids had gone to bed early, I finally finished this essay.

This is a great primer for intersectional feminism. Adichie addresses common misconceptions about feminism and masculinity, microaggressions toward women AND men, and how we can take back a title that has been sullied by everything feminism seeks to remedy.

Definitely made ...more

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Aug 27, 2017 nara ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ rated it really liked it

Totalmente necesario si eres mujer, la autora consigue transmitir el mensaje de una forma directa y entre medio de historias reales vividas por ella. Me encanta.

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