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A review by praptireads
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
im not going to rate this essay and i will explain why.
on one hand, this is an incredibly quick and accessible introduction to feminism and the need for everybody to understand and fight for equality when it comes to gender related issues. it destigmatizes the word "feminist" in multiple instances. adichie says that the biggest feminist she knows is a man, and asserts the need for feminism without pointing fingers at men or villainizing them in any way.
however, and this is a big however, this essay is HUGELY trans exclusionary and heteronormative, as is most of adichie's "feminism" from what ive heard. this was genuinely so disappointing to me when i found out but id already bought this book so i decided to read it anyway, and yes, all of that is very much evident in her writing. she's also apparently supported JKR's transphobic views. she also talks a lot about the "biological makeup" of men and women which once again threw me off on multiple occasions.
nonetheless, im not going to condemn this book. i will not plainly recommend this either. consider this a cautionary recommendation, an apprehensive endorsement; this book is an adequate gateway to feminism and being comfortable with the word "feminist" so read it but only if you understand that true feminism cannot extend only to people with v@gin@s and that gender issues have nothing to do with biology and everything to do with humanity.
tl;dr, read it but take in its words with a grain of salt because trans women are women and partial or exclusionary feminism is no feminism at all.
on one hand, this is an incredibly quick and accessible introduction to feminism and the need for everybody to understand and fight for equality when it comes to gender related issues. it destigmatizes the word "feminist" in multiple instances. adichie says that the biggest feminist she knows is a man, and asserts the need for feminism without pointing fingers at men or villainizing them in any way.
however, and this is a big however, this essay is HUGELY trans exclusionary and heteronormative, as is most of adichie's "feminism" from what ive heard. this was genuinely so disappointing to me when i found out but id already bought this book so i decided to read it anyway, and yes, all of that is very much evident in her writing. she's also apparently supported JKR's transphobic views. she also talks a lot about the "biological makeup" of men and women which once again threw me off on multiple occasions.
nonetheless, im not going to condemn this book. i will not plainly recommend this either. consider this a cautionary recommendation, an apprehensive endorsement; this book is an adequate gateway to feminism and being comfortable with the word "feminist" so read it but only if you understand that true feminism cannot extend only to people with v@gin@s and that gender issues have nothing to do with biology and everything to do with humanity.
tl;dr, read it but take in its words with a grain of salt because trans women are women and partial or exclusionary feminism is no feminism at all.