We Should All Be Feminists // Chimamanda Ngoze Adichie
This pocket-sized preach is a recent favourite of mine, purely for how perfectly the extended essay itself illustrates the mindset of nearly all the feminists I know (including myself). There is no man-hating, only patriarchy-hating; only intersectionalism, wisdom, and kindness brim from these pages. Taken from Chimamanda’s TEDTalk, the piece demonstrates her own experiences as a Nigerian woman overcoming the many obstacles her culture has set for her automatically, based on her gender. But despite this, it is also accessible to anyone who is remotely interested or confused about the very basis and ideals of feminism. For too long now, especially on social media, I am overcome with messages declaring people as ‘Feminazis’ simply for vocalising a valid point of view. Hopefully, this bite-sized chunk of undeniable truth (it took me about half an hour to read all sixty-odd pages) will provide a new source of understanding to those curious about the movement towards gender equality and all the forms it takes. Above all, it rightly portrays feminism as a modern, positive and inclusive campaign – something I am extremely happy to see more of in popular culture and literature. And, brilliantly, its tiny size means it’s perfect to slot in your bag in case you feel the need to reaffirm your feminism any time, any place.
