“Feminist: A person who believes in social, political, and economic equality of the sexes”
-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
On June 20, 2018 - I read "We Should All Be Feminist" an essay by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and finished it in half an hour. An essay transformed into a book, after her Tedx talk with the same name.
Prior to reading her book, the word "feminist" was not in my vocabulary. For a moment, I felt my war was different then the battle majority women experienced and drew the conclusion; I am not fighting the same life battles as the majority, why would I be a feminist if we aren't able to come together as women? Majority women fight for equal pay while minority women hope to be considered for the interview. Author Stacey Patton states rather plainly, "There’s a long history of white women harassing Black people and getting cops to arrest them. The only danger they feel is of losing their place within the white patriarchy."
Until last summer, no - I hadn't considered myself a feminist. After reading "We Should All Be Feminist", I felt something shift. Adichie illustrates the idea of being united because we are human, connecting because we are different and collectively living in unity as a result of being human.
Gender matters everywhere in the world. And I would like today to ask that we should begin to dream about a plan for a different world. A fairer world. A world of happier men and happier women who are truer to themselves. And this is how to start we must raise our daughters differently. We must also raise our sons differently." - Adichie
We share a beautiful piece of life together, the human experience. Feelings, emotions and actions are the beauty. Acknowledging this exquisite difference is what brings us full circle in unity.