We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

All facets of society- whether we are aware of it or not; whether we are adherents of feminism or not - are deeply altered by the weight of gender expectations. There is known talk of the “streetlight effect.”

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It is when a drunk person searches for one’s missing keys not where one dropped them but where the light is. It follows that humans have a tendency to look for the truth in places where it’s the easiest and not the place where it’s likely to be. Conversely, this book stands under the light. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie uses exquisitely simple words to explain a school of thought, a social movement, and an ideology that is often over one’s head at first glance. Her essay talks about better resolutions for both genders to gain the strength of mind and will; she also draws from her own personal experience of the idea of feminism and as a result, calls herself a “Happy African Feminist Who Does Not Hate Men And Who Likes To Wear Lip Gloss And High Heels For Herself And Not For Men." This is proof of how strongly we’ve let the word slide as something that is severe and cynical. But the truth is not that easy to grasp.

And if you’d like to, I hope you start by reading this book and complementing it with stories of feminists in the form of books, movies, and other credible information.

One movie I found most trustworthy and compelling is 20th Century Women (directed by Mike Mills).