We Should All Be Feminists

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s We Should All Be Feminists is a compelling exploration of gender inequality, the damage wrought by rigid social expectations, and the urgent need for collective transformation. Expanding upon her widely celebrated TEDx talk delivered in 2012, Adichie blends personal stories, cultural examination, and persuasive argumentation to redefine feminism for a modern world. The text confronts the misconceptions surrounding feminism and the harmful stereotypes associated with the word, insisting that feminism is simply about recognizing the full humanity of every individual. Adichie emphasizes that gender inequality is not a niche issue but a global human rights concern impacting emotional well-being, economic opportunity, physical safety, and personal identity.

The book is grounded in Adichie’s personal experiences growing up and living in Nigeria, where deeply entrenched gender norms shape the everyday realities of men and women. Through vivid examples—like being denied the position of class monitor despite earning the highest grade, or being treated with suspicion when entering public spaces alone—Adichie demonstrates how discrimination is woven into cultural habits so seamlessly that many fail to recognize it as injustice. She argues that feminism provides a framework not only for seeing these inequities clearly but also for dismantling them. In doing so, she urges both men and women to participate in building a fairer world.

The Weight of the Word “Feminist” and Its Misinterpretation

A central theme of Adichie’s work is the acknowledgement that the term “feminist” carries a burden of negative assumptions that discourages many who believe in equality from identifying with the movement. She recalls being labeled a feminist as a teenager, not as praise but as ridicule, and describes how this label was associated with hostility, bitterness, and masculinity. In many social environments, calling someone a feminist suggested they were angry, difficult, unattractive, unloving, or incapable of humor. Feminism was framed as radical extremism rather than a movement for fairness.

Adichie recounts multiple interactions illustrating this misunderstanding. A friend once remarked that feminists only turn to activism because they are unable to find husbands, implying that feminism is rooted in personal failure rather than social activism. Another acquaintance insisted that feminism is inherently anti-male, a belief that positions the movement as divisive rather than transformative. Even an academic once challenged Adichie’s feminist stance by claiming she was mimicking Western ideology rather than defending African values, suggesting that demanding equality is somehow un-African.

These encounters reveal a broader misunderstanding that feminism seeks dominance instead of equality. Adichie challenges this by reframing feminism as the belief that men and women deserve equal dignity, possibility, and opportunity in the world. Rejecting the caricatures that surround the word, she ultimately chooses to embrace it deliberately and proudly, refusing to shrink herself to avoid discomfort. Her embrace of the term becomes a declaration that demanding respect is not rebellion—it is humanity.

Socially Constructed Gender Roles and Their Harmful Effects

A core argument of the text is that gender expectations are constructed by society rather than determined by biology. While acknowledging natural differences between sexes, Adichie stresses that the exaggerated distinctions ...