We Should All Be Feminists

Reading Check

1. Her childhood friend from Nigeria, Okoloma (Paragraph 1)

2. “[T]he higher you go, the fewer women there are.” (Paragraph 20)

3. That she was a sex worker (Paragraph 23)

4. Emasculation (Paragraph 43)

5. Ownership (Paragraph 55)

Short Answer

1. Adichie’s teacher in Nigeria publicly states that the role of class monitor will go to the student with the highest score on the test. Adichie is motivated for this role and received the highest score; however, the teacher notes after the test that the class monitor position must go to a boy. Adichie points out that it is “interesting […] that this boy [who became class monitor] was a sweet, gentle soul who had no interest in patrolling the class with a stick. While I was full of ambition to do so.” (Paragraphs 11-13)

2. Adichie gives money to an attendant as a tip for watching her car; however, the man promptly turns to Adichie’s male companion, Louis, and thanks him instead of her. She realizes this is because the man assumes that any money she has must have come from her male companion. (Paragraphs 18-19)

3. While thousands of years ago it made more sense for the physically strong to lead, now leaders must be “intelligent, the more knowledgeable, the more creative, more innovative.” In this sense, there is no gender requirement, and both men and women are capable of being leaders. (Paragraph 22)

4. Adichie notes that a young female in Lagos will likely be ignored or questioned if she is not with a man. She notes that while these are only “little things” (i.e., Small Injustices), in reality, they “sting the most.” (Paragraphs 24-26)

5. Adichie notes that “bottom power” (i.e., the use of sexuality as a means to get what a woman wants) is not real power since it still relies on the man in order to be powerful. (Paragraph 88)