Chimamanda Adichie
Renowned Nigerian author and feminist, Chimamanda Adichie, has expressed her misgivings over some preferential treatments given to women.
Adichie spoke against men opening doors for women and tragedy aids given to women and children first because they are perceived as weak while appearing on the Trevor Noah show, a daily show and an American programme on Thursday.
The show is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning program that looks at the day’s top headlines through a sharp, reality-based lens.
According to Adichie, opening the door for a woman should not be out of chivalry; rather, people should be open to helping and being courteous regardless of gender.
She said, “I think just like holding the door shouldn’t be gender because we should open the door for everyone.
“I hold the door for men and women. I think the idea of sort of holding the door for a woman because she is a woman, I have trouble with.
“I’m quite happy for people to hold the door for me I hope they are not doing for the sort of idea of chivalry.
“Because chivalry is the idea of women are somehow weak and need protecting but we know that there many women who are stronger than men,” she said.
She went on to express her disdain for the idea of people always saying women and children should be rescued first in times of tragedy, rather than saving the weak and unwell.
Adichie said, “Which is also why I have issues with women and children when women are classified. When there is a tragedy and we say women and children should live first.
“I think actually it is the people who are weak and unwell who should leave first,” she said.
Adichie frequently comes under ‘fire’ over her unwavering feminist comments during interviews.
Adichie trended in April when she said she was upset that the Twitter bio of former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, began with ‘wife’ despite her numerous achievements.
Adichie’s feminism campaign has been a pivotal crux of her writing as her characters centre around powerful women who are usually dwarfed by the patriarchal system in their environments.
Her TedX talk ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ was sampled on American singer Beyonce’s hit song ‘Flawless’ and was also part of Beyonce’s performance routine at 2018 Coachella.
In 2017, Adichie released a small book titled – ‘Dear Ijeawele or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions’.
Her novel ‘Americanah’, was recognised as one of 15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way fiction was being written and read in the 21st century.”
-NAN
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