We Should All be Feminists.

My friend M has started a resistance Goodreads group for those of us who want to be better activists and more informed feminists. I’m also realizing that I’m in too many Book Clubs now. We’re trying to read a variety of books about activism and intersectionality, so that we can help inform others in our respective circles of influence. Because this group started in February, M suggested that we start with Adichie’s We Should All Be Feminists, which was fine by me, since I haven’t read it yet. Oops.

Adichie is one of the most intelligent people I have ever read or listened to, and her logic is sound. So We Should All Be Feminists follows this logic and breaks down the word “feminist” in a way that anyone can understand. Adichie discusses equality, opportunity (or the lack thereof) and why allyship and representation matter so damn much. This book is based on her highly popular TED Talk, and as such, follows a clear line of argument that anyone can follow—if they choose to open their minds and get rid of the notion that feminists are just man-hating lesbians. This is also a refreshing addition to the feminist canon by women of color. The clear and frank language makes the argument sharp and easy to understand.

I am looking forward to Adichie’s newest book that’s out, which chronicles how to raise a feminist daughter in a letter to a friend. I had read that she recently gave birth, but that she kept it secret because she did not want to “perform” pregnancy. As a thirty-something woman who is deathly afraid of getting turned into a “mommy,” this made SO MUCH sense to me. I’m really looking forward to reading Adichie’s thoughts on parenting feminist children.

In short: this book is an absolute must-read for anyone. We should all be feminists, indeed.

Cross-posted to my blog.