When I watched Chimamanda Adichie’s TED talk “We should all be feminist” it made me think a lot about who I am as a woman. I never really considered myself a feminist until I realized how much her truth resonated so deeply with my beliefs.
In her TED Talk, Miss Adichie emphasizes an important flaw in our society today and that is the detrimental effects of gender labels. Her talk made me think about my own childhood growing up. Just like Miss. Adichie I grew up in a very traditional Nigerian household. I remember as a kid, my mother would always have my dad’s food waiting for him when he got home and I would do my part in bringing him the bowl of water to wash his hands and then clean the dishes afterward.
I would always hear my brother’s rambunctious laughter upstairs as they wrestled and played their games. Meanwhile, I was stuck in the kitchen with my mother while she gave me 1 on 1 lesson on how to cook. My family, like many others, had gender roles.
Gender roles still exsist
Surprisingly, I have actually had conversations with men that still believe that a woman’s place is to serve them. GROWN men who believe their biological differences make them superior. I mean you would think we live in a time period where people would think more progressively…I guess not. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie TED talk included a lot of note-worthy takeaways that had me nodding my head vigorously. “A man who will be intimidated by me is exactly the kind of man that I have no interest in.” Ohhh true.
As a community, we need to have a discussion on how we marginalize women. Discuss this absurd notion that women are weak and powerless. Discuss why a lot of men assume we are nurses instead of doctors, secretaries instead of bosses. I refuse to be in a relationship where I am made to feel less than my worth based off of the fragile ego of a man. I don’t know what the future has in store for me. However, I do know I plan on becoming successful and securing my own bag and if any man feels intimidated by that..well good luck Charlie.
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