“We Should All Be Feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a concise but thought-provoking book that was adapted from her TEDx talk of the same name. This is a powerful story, discussing the elements and essence of feminism while taking apart misconceptions about the movement, piece by piece. In it, Adichie discusses her argument for why gender equality is essential for any societal progress.
This book begins with Adichie discussing own experiences growing up in Nigeria. There, and early on, she noticed the clear disparities between men and women. She saw how they were treated differently and started to analyze why, even as a young girl, this was so evident and prevalent in society. She then started to reflect on the very deeply ingrained (though often subtle) ways in which gender roles shape the way people move and interact with one another in society. She thought about how we can break down the concept of feminism in different ways and how we can make it more accessible and inclusive in the process. She then started to develop ideas about how we can break societal norms, raise children in gender-neutral environments, and instill equality from the ground up through successive generations.
GEMs recommends this book because it is a very interesting and well-written exploration of gender biases, feminism, and inclusivity. It deeply (albeit concise and succinctly) explores these topics in a clear and meaningful way. It ultimately urges everyone, from educators to parents to society at large, to support, encourage, and empower people of all genders equally.
