Kyra GansMrs. Daniels English III – Dual Credit15 January 2018Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie? speech, We Should All Be Feminist addresses the reality of sexism in society and what it means to be a feminist. Adichie originally gave the speech at a Nigerian TEDx talk in 2012. The speech later became very successful turning into a great selling same named novel.

Adichie developed the speech through her own personal experiences growing up in Nigeria. She also speaks on the common gender roles held in society that many conform to. Throughout the speech Adichie spoke strategically clearly stating her stance.

However, not all members of society should be feminist because no ideologies of any kind should be forced.  The personal desires of individuals in society can be affected if everyone were feminist. In society not all women want the things that feminist fight for, and that is okay. In Adichie’s speech she mentions that “The problem with gender is that it prescribes how we should be rather than recognizing how we are”().

While this statement is accurate, is it wrong for a woman or man to naturally fit certain gender roles because of the naturality of who they are? For example, there are women in society who do not just conform to common gender roles but actually desire them. Imagine a women who’s personal desire has always been to stay home with her children, cook, clean, and  care for her husband. It would be inconsiderate to such a women to expect her to be a feminist. This can be belittling , discouraging or even lead to the horrible  feeling of worthlessness. Society should not generalize how everyone feels about gender roles, rather respect those who willfully submit to gender roles out of personal desire . If everyone were feminist it would also disregard strongly held religious beliefs of some in society. Some individuals in society strongly believe in the Bible’s idea of the man being head of the woman. So, while feminism equalizes men and women, certain individuals in society because of religious beliefs believe the opposite.

Take for example, the Muslim religion. For many years Muslims have held strongly to the belief of submissiveness of women. In fact, before the Iranian Revolution women of this religion were not even allowed to leave the house, especially after a certian time.() They were expected to stay home while the Muslim men worked to provide for the family.

() Today Muslim women are allowed more freedoms, but they still hold strongly to the muslim belief of the role they should carry. In the Muslim religious book the Quran it makes clear that “Men are in charge of women” and “good women are obedient”. (quran) While this may seem dogmatic to some, to others is the way they worship God. It will be morally intolerant of society to expect anyone who holds such beliefs to be feminist. Finally, society would be drowning personal opinion if everyone were feminist. Works CitedMcCloud, Aminah B.

“American Muslim Women and U. S. Society.” Journal of Law and Religion, vol. 12, no.

1, 1995, pp. 51–59. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1051609.