Mini review: We Should All Be Feminists

We Should All be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

---

Paraphrased from Goodreads

What does “feminism” mean today? With humor and levity, here Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century—one rooted in inclusion and awareness. She shines a light not only on blatant discrimination, but also the more insidious, institutional behaviors that marginalize women around the world, in order to help readers of all walks of life better understand the often masked realities of sexual politics. Throughout, she draws extensively on her own experiences—in the U.S., in her native Nigeria, and abroad—offering an artfully nuanced explanation of why the gender divide is harmful for women and men, alike. Argued in the same observant, witty and clever prose that has made Adichie a bestselling novelist, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman today—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.

---

5/5 stars

It’s no secret that I’m a feminist. Although there’s a lot of stigma associated with using that word, I always do, unapologetically. However, I often have a hard time explaining to others what feminism is. Now, I can just refer them to this book.

This is a fairly short essay that I flew through in about 20 minutes. It’s very well written and I thought it did a good job exemplifying what feminism should be in the 21st century. It was definitely in-your-face but in a good way.

I liked all the anecdotes Adichie provided in the essay. I thought they really helped to show what she was talking about. I especially liked the one about her friend Oliver. I think most of us have the same moment of realization as Oliver did, and it’s really important to notice those moments.

Overall I highly recommend this as a quick read. I think it’s a super important piece of writing, especially with today’s political climate.