TITLE- WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS
AUTHOR- CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE
NUMBER OF PAGES- 64
GENRE- ESSAY
PUBLISHERS- FOURTH ESTATE
FORMAT- PAPERBACK
About the book-
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 experience 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 should all be femininsts.
My rating- ★★★★.5☆
My review-
"My own definition of a feminist is a man or a woman who says, 'yes there's a problem with gender as it is today and we must fix it, we must do better,' All of us, women and men, must do better".
This book is short essay based on a Ted talk by the author. In this short but powerful book she points out to the real meaning of feminism.
With the evolution of the feminism movement a lot of new terms have evolved- the real meaning of feminism has changed and feminists today are termed as "Feminazi"- ones who don't stand for gender equality but want to rule over men and take undue advantage of the benefits they get as a compensation for the age-long suppression. However the author, in this talk points out to this particular mentality- that "feminism" is not ruling over the other gender but seeking equalization, in all spheres of life. Also it's not only the women who can be femininsts- it can be men too- supporting their counterparts in rising to their worth.
The author speaks at length about the cause of gender inequality- the patriarchy that exists and which she has experienced first hand. The gender inequality exists because of the way boys and girls are brought up- the world has changed, yet the values, the mindset remains the same whereby " we teach girls shame. We make them feel as though being born female, they are already guilty of something. And so girls grow up to be women who cannot say they have desire. Who silence themselves. Who cannot say what they truly think".
On the other hand we teach the boys "to be afraid of fear, of weakness, of vulnerability. We teach them to mask their true selves, because they have to be a hard man". It is this socialization- the way the society interprets either of the sex- that forms one of the main causes of "male-domination".
Another reason is the lack of awareness of the little things that hint at men being superior. A lot of men feel that the world is changing and women are getting their rightful place, however they lack the insight to see how they are treated differently from the woman they accompany.
It's the way the society functions that needs to be changed and as rightly said by the author- WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS.
A short but powerful essay which not only gives an insight to the problem but also paves the way through which the problems can be tackled. The personal instances narrated can be largely identified with.
This book is a must read for everyone- this doesn't glorify or demean any sex, but points out what is exactly wrong with both the sexes.
Writing style-
The book being based on her Ted talk is like a speech. The personal instances makes the readers identify with the situation, the lucid language, the identification of the exact problem and it's actual solution is commendable.
I would like to recommend this book to everyone. Do read this, especially if you are in doubt about the actual meaning of feminism. Also it will just take one hour of your time- but will leave a grave impact and thoughts to ponder upon.
Purchase link-
We Should All Be Feminists
http://dl.flipkart.com/dl/should-all-feminists/p/itmf3mmbt9hjyfce?pid=9780008115272&cmpid=product.share.pp
About the author-
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie grew up in Nigeria. Her work has been translated in thirty languages and has appeared in various publications. She is the author of award winning novels like Purple Hibiscus, Half of a yellow sun and Americanah. A recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, she divided her time between United States and Nigeria.
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