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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - the feminist who sells make-up | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - the feminist who sells make-up |
(5 days later) | |
One of the world's leading feminists is not the obvious choice to be the face of a make-up brand, but Boots has just made Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the face of No7. | One of the world's leading feminists is not the obvious choice to be the face of a make-up brand, but Boots has just made Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the face of No7. |
The Nigerian novelist was well known in literary circles but gained a far wider audience after Beyonce used an extract of her speech called called We Should all be Feminists in her 2014 track Flawless. | |
Now her words are being used again in a Boots advert released this week: "For a while I stopped wearing make-up and hid my high heels. And I became a false version of myself. But then I woke up and I saw in full colour, full confidence again." | Now her words are being used again in a Boots advert released this week: "For a while I stopped wearing make-up and hid my high heels. And I became a false version of myself. But then I woke up and I saw in full colour, full confidence again." |
As a feminist, she is aware that she has to explain her relationship with make-up. | As a feminist, she is aware that she has to explain her relationship with make-up. |
In her talk at TedxEuston she said that the word feminist was "so heavy with baggage, negative baggage. You hate men, you hate bras, you hate African culture." | |
Instead, she said, she wanted to be identified as a "happy African feminist who does not hate men and who likes lip gloss and who wears high heels for herself but not for men". | Instead, she said, she wanted to be identified as a "happy African feminist who does not hate men and who likes lip gloss and who wears high heels for herself but not for men". |
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: |
"Sadly, women have learnt to be ashamed and apologetic about pursuits that are seen as traditionally female, such as fashion and make-up" | "Sadly, women have learnt to be ashamed and apologetic about pursuits that are seen as traditionally female, such as fashion and make-up" |
While this highly specific definition of a feminist was tongue-in-cheek, she still felt the need to defend wearing make-up earlier this month. | While this highly specific definition of a feminist was tongue-in-cheek, she still felt the need to defend wearing make-up earlier this month. |
In a 9,000-word Facebook post she wrote a guide to how to bring up a feminist daughter. | In a 9,000-word Facebook post she wrote a guide to how to bring up a feminist daughter. |
"If she likes make-up let her wear it; if she likes fashion let her dress up. But if she doesn't like either let her be." | "If she likes make-up let her wear it; if she likes fashion let her dress up. But if she doesn't like either let her be." |
She advised that raising a feminist didn't mean forcing her to reject femininity: "Feminism and femininity are not mutually exclusive. It is misogynistic to suggest that they are. | She advised that raising a feminist didn't mean forcing her to reject femininity: "Feminism and femininity are not mutually exclusive. It is misogynistic to suggest that they are. |
"Sadly, women have learnt to be ashamed and apologetic about pursuits that are seen as traditionally female, such as fashion and make-up." | "Sadly, women have learnt to be ashamed and apologetic about pursuits that are seen as traditionally female, such as fashion and make-up." |
This comes from personal experience. | This comes from personal experience. |
In her TedxEuston talk, she revealed that when she was getting ready to teach her first writing class she felt a pressure to avoid looking feminine: "I really wanted to wear my shiny lip gloss and my girly skirt but I decided not to. | |
"Instead I wore a very serious, very manly, and very ugly suit. Because the sad truth is that when it comes to appearance, we start off with men as the standard, as the norm. | "Instead I wore a very serious, very manly, and very ugly suit. Because the sad truth is that when it comes to appearance, we start off with men as the standard, as the norm. |
"If a man is getting ready for a business meeting, he doesn't worry about looking too masculine, and therefore not being taken seriously. | "If a man is getting ready for a business meeting, he doesn't worry about looking too masculine, and therefore not being taken seriously. |
"If a woman is getting ready for a business meeting she has to worry about looking too feminine, and what it says, and whether or not it will be taken seriously." | "If a woman is getting ready for a business meeting she has to worry about looking too feminine, and what it says, and whether or not it will be taken seriously." |
After a while she scrapped the suit, and said she was a better teacher once she was wearing what she felt comfortable in. | After a while she scrapped the suit, and said she was a better teacher once she was wearing what she felt comfortable in. |
Who is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie? | Who is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie? |
Adichie on how to raise a feminist daughter | Adichie on how to raise a feminist daughter |
Adichie on Woman's Hour | Adichie on Woman's Hour |
It is Ms Adichie's own voice from this TedxEuston talk that is included in the Beyonce track Flawless: "We teach girls to shrink themselves. To make themselves smaller. We say to girls: 'You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful but not too successful because otherwise you will threaten the man.'" | |
Her speech continues, without interruption from Beyonce, arguing that girls, unlike boys, are taught to see marriage as success, something that should be prioritised above other life choices: "Because I am female I am expected to aspire to marriage." | Her speech continues, without interruption from Beyonce, arguing that girls, unlike boys, are taught to see marriage as success, something that should be prioritised above other life choices: "Because I am female I am expected to aspire to marriage." |
Beyonce even leaves in an extract of Ms Adichie reading out a dictionary definition of a feminist: "Feminist. A person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes." | Beyonce even leaves in an extract of Ms Adichie reading out a dictionary definition of a feminist: "Feminist. A person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes." |
It had impact. | It had impact. |
"If you get put in a Beyonce song, that is like being put in the Super Bowl for free in terms of impact," said founding women's editor at the Telegraph Emma Barnett. | "If you get put in a Beyonce song, that is like being put in the Super Bowl for free in terms of impact," said founding women's editor at the Telegraph Emma Barnett. |
Models walked down the catwalk of Dior's autumn 2016 show wearing T-shirts with the slogan "We Should All Be Feminists". | Models walked down the catwalk of Dior's autumn 2016 show wearing T-shirts with the slogan "We Should All Be Feminists". |
After Ms Adichie got the No7 gig CNN asked if she was now the most influential woman in Africa. | After Ms Adichie got the No7 gig CNN asked if she was now the most influential woman in Africa. |
She is taken seriously by feminist thinkers as well. | She is taken seriously by feminist thinkers as well. |
Harvard lecturer Phyllis Thompson told the BBC that Ms Adichie's We Should All Be Feminists was the first assignment she gave to her gender studies students. | |
It's not that she is saying anything new, but the way she says it that is accessible, which makes her "extraordinarily influential", explains Ms Thompson. | It's not that she is saying anything new, but the way she says it that is accessible, which makes her "extraordinarily influential", explains Ms Thompson. |
In terms of feminist thought on make-up, Ms Thompson points out that "extreme voices" like Sheila Jeffreys say make-up is outright abuse of women, while Naomi Wolf has noted the great amount of both time and money that it requires of women. | In terms of feminist thought on make-up, Ms Thompson points out that "extreme voices" like Sheila Jeffreys say make-up is outright abuse of women, while Naomi Wolf has noted the great amount of both time and money that it requires of women. |
But she says Ms Adichie's relationship to make-up is very much in line with the "third wave feminism" of the 1990s and current post-feminism, both of which encourage women to do what makes them feel confident, and to take pleasure in their own presentation. | But she says Ms Adichie's relationship to make-up is very much in line with the "third wave feminism" of the 1990s and current post-feminism, both of which encourage women to do what makes them feel confident, and to take pleasure in their own presentation. |
One thing feminism of the 1990s attracted criticism for was attempts by Western women to speak for women worldwide, Ms Thompson says. | One thing feminism of the 1990s attracted criticism for was attempts by Western women to speak for women worldwide, Ms Thompson says. |
She argues that this is why it is so encouraging that Ms Adichie is from Nigeria: "Speaking for her culture, not being spoken for, in terms so clear that she has a gigantic audience is helping correct a balance." | She argues that this is why it is so encouraging that Ms Adichie is from Nigeria: "Speaking for her culture, not being spoken for, in terms so clear that she has a gigantic audience is helping correct a balance." |
'Nigeria is a patriarchy' | 'Nigeria is a patriarchy' |
At the moment Ms Adichie has a house in the US and in the Nigerian city of Lagos, flying between her two homes. | At the moment Ms Adichie has a house in the US and in the Nigerian city of Lagos, flying between her two homes. |
For Abuja-based feminist Florence Warmate, who started the popular hashtag #BeingFemaleinNigeria last year, that matters. | For Abuja-based feminist Florence Warmate, who started the popular hashtag #BeingFemaleinNigeria last year, that matters. |
"In Nigeria, there is still a patriarchy," she told the BBC, pointing to the Nigerian president's recent comment that his wife belongs in the kitchen as proof. | "In Nigeria, there is still a patriarchy," she told the BBC, pointing to the Nigerian president's recent comment that his wife belongs in the kitchen as proof. |
She said that Ms Adichie's experience of life in America, where she went to study at the age of 19, has allowed her to "take herself out of the [Nigerian] situation and properly analyse it". | She said that Ms Adichie's experience of life in America, where she went to study at the age of 19, has allowed her to "take herself out of the [Nigerian] situation and properly analyse it". |
Ms Adichie herself said on BBC Woman's Hour this week that her move to the US had an impact, specifically on her appearance. | Ms Adichie herself said on BBC Woman's Hour this week that her move to the US had an impact, specifically on her appearance. |
"I was raised to care about my appearance but when I went to the US I internalised the idea that if a woman wants to be taken seriously, she can't seem to care too much about her appearance." | "I was raised to care about my appearance but when I went to the US I internalised the idea that if a woman wants to be taken seriously, she can't seem to care too much about her appearance." |
She went back to wearing make-up when she came to a realisation: "I don't really care very much about what anyone else thinks." | She went back to wearing make-up when she came to a realisation: "I don't really care very much about what anyone else thinks." |
This lesson - to stop caring what others think - is what she says is the most important thing to pass on to daughters. | This lesson - to stop caring what others think - is what she says is the most important thing to pass on to daughters. |
"We teach girls to move themselves into shapes to make themselves likable, to think about what other people think about them," she told Woman's Hour. | "We teach girls to move themselves into shapes to make themselves likable, to think about what other people think about them," she told Woman's Hour. |
"It's so important to teach a child, particularly a girl, that your job is not to be likeable, your job is to be your fullest self." | "It's so important to teach a child, particularly a girl, that your job is not to be likeable, your job is to be your fullest self." |
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