News
Women are judged very harshly for showing anger — but we won’t stop – Chimamanda Adichie
Chimamanda Adichie, the Nigerian novelist, says women are judged very harshly for showing anger, while men do not get the same treatment for showing the same emotion.
The renowned author called on women, especially black women, to keep showing anger until it becomes ordinary.
In conversation with Melinda French Gates at the Goalkeepers Summit 2022 in New York, Adichie said women must keep showing anger and demanding their space regardless of the consequences.
“Women are judged very harshly when they show anger, but when black women show anger, it is catastrophic,” she said.
“That becomes the thing they are known for — it’s awful. But I keep saying to black women, we have to keep showing anger. One day, it will become ordinary, because we are human.”
She added that women get labelled and called names for insisting on their space, and “that sometimes holds women back”.
When a woman insists on speaking, “somebody says she is being a B. *. T. C. H., so she gets labelled for insisting on her space. But I really think it’s important for us to be willing to take up those consequences”.
Responding to Adichie’s comment, Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), said “sometimes, anger has a role, it helps you change or create change, and if channelled right”.
“Women have voices, it’s not that someone needs to give us our voices, we have voices, but we have to use them fully and not let anyone hold us back.
French Gates called on women to take on “decision-making authority, bodily autonomy,” in order to have resources at their disposal, and not just be on the receiving end of good policy, but be the one making the policies for women.
In the 2022 Goalkeepers Report theme “The Future of Progress” and published earlier in the month, French Gates said “we can’t just talk about empowering women without making sure they are actually gaining power in their families and communities”.
She said, “the world won’t reach gender equality until at least 2108—three generations later than we’d hoped”.
As co-chair of the foundation, she adds that “we can’t just talk about empowering women without making sure they are actually gaining power in their families and communities”.
She highlights the difference between women having money and possessing the power to spend it without pressure from their husbands.
Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.
She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others
“This little light of mine” – Simi celebrates daughter’s 5th birthday with heartfelt message
“They are Sunday Nwambam Aja, a Professor of Educational Planning and Administration representing the South East geo-political zone and Abdulrazak Tukur Yusuf, a highly experienced election administrator, representing the North West zone. On a sad note, this is also the first public function of the Commission since the death last month of our colleague, retired Major General Abubakar Modibbo Alkali, a conscientious officer who diligently dedicated his life to the service of his country, both in active service and upon retirement”, he said. He noted that the Commission was aware of concerns expressed by many Nigerians about the pending bye-elections and the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration CVR nationwide. According to him, the number of bye-elections has now risen to 17. “We are aware of the urgency to commence the CVR, particularly in view of the forthcoming Governorship election in Anambra State. We want to assure Nigerians that we are finalising our preparations for both activities, the details of which will soon be made public”, he said.
