Want to learn the ideas in We Should All Be Feminists better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie here.
Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.
Video Summaries of We Should All Be Feminists
We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on We Should All Be Feminists, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
1-Page Summary of We Should All Be Feminists
Overview
The next time you hear someone criticizing a woman, imagine if they were saying the same thing about a man. If it feels like it could lead to a conversation that’s productive and healthy, ask them what they think.
Over the last century, women’s rights have progressed significantly. Women can vote now, they’re paid equally for doing the same work as men, and they’ve gained many other rights that were previously denied to them. However, some people think feminism is no longer needed because it has already achieved its goals.
Feminism is still needed today, despite the many advances we’ve made. We’re not living in a society where both sexes are equal. Men continue to be the standard-bearers and women aren’t given the same opportunities as men. Through personal experience of gender inequality norms and biases, along with a roadmap for moving beyond them, she makes an impassioned case for why everyone should be feminists.
In this article, the author discusses how the word “feminism” is misunderstood by many people. She also talks about why women in Nigeria can’t go to clubs alone and that twins are considered an evil omen in some cultures.
Big Idea #1: There are many misconceptions about feminism.
Have you ever seen an argument where someone used the word “feminism”? Did you notice how people reacted to it? Like many other -isms, feminism is a word that provokes a wide range of reactions in people – and many of them are negative. In fact, feminism can often evoke aggression and condescension.
The author had a similar experience when she was still a teenager. She had an argument with a close family friend, who called her a feminist in such away that it sounded like feminists were criminals. It wasn’t the last time she encountered this attitude either; at an interview to promote her first book, Purple Hibiscus, the journalist advised her not to call herself a feminist.
The author of this passage explains why she’s against feminism. She says that feminists are unhappy, jealous and can’t find a man. The author gives many other examples of women who say they’re not feminists because feminism goes against African tradition.
Although feminism has its share of detractors, it’s not just the critics who are against it. Many people believe that women and men should be equal but don’t think that feminism is necessary anymore because they already have all the same freedoms and opportunities as men do.
The author’s friend did not understand how women were treated differently until he witnessed it.
One day, the author was out to dinner with a male friend. The valet parked their car. When he gave them back the keys and thanked them, his female friend realized that she is often treated differently than her male friends because of her gender.
Big Idea #2: Gender inequality is most apparent in the workplace.
In most of the world today, there are laws that give women equal rights. But these don’t protect them from other forms of gender discrimination.
