We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

What does feminism mean today?

In this personal, eloquently argued essay – adapted from her much-admired TEDx talk of the same name – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. 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 – an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.

The brevity of this book must not deceive you into thinking that its message is insignificant. In fact, it efficiently conveys Adichie’s simple message: that feminism is for everyone.

Drawing on her own experiences growing up in Nigeria and later as a best-selling author, Adichie comments that the word ‘feminist’ has negative connotations. When she has identified as a feminist, many people have treated that as a bad thing and assumed that feminists are all man-hating spinsters who pass their time burning their bras.

Obviously that is not true. Instead, Adichie argues, feminism aims for equality. Historically, women have arguably had a worse time of it than men – from a young age, they are taught to adapt themselves around men’s feelings, and to aspire to marriage when the same cannot be said of young boys. However, men are also harmed by this narrative. Society has traditionally taught men to be afraid of fear and afraid of showing weakness, meaning that they feel pressure to be strong all the time and to suppress their fears. Adichie argues that a feminist outlook would enable everyone to be their true selves and live their lives to the full.

This book is so short that there is no reason not to read it. It took me about half an hour to read. It’s also condensed into a 12-minute podcast if you’re really short of time. The point is that Adichie explains feminism in such an accessible and logical way that there is no excuse not to understand that feminism is not about pitting genders against each other or reducing men’s rights. Instead, it is all about equality, and feminism helps us all to achieve this.