On Saturday the 21st of April 2018, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie had the privilege to interview Hillary Clinton at a PEN World Voices Festival lecture at the Cooper Union. During this interview, she asked the former Democratic presidential candidate something that was bothering her. Which is, Why Clinton identify herself a Wife, Mom, Grandma first, despite her career accomplishments?
Clinton responded saying
that women should be able to celebrate both their accomplishments and
relationships. She also quoted Babara Bush, the late wife of President Bush
saying ‘At the end of the day, it won’t matter if you got a raise, it won’t
matter if you wrote a great book if you are not someone who values
relationships'.
Chimamanda's question, however sparked various debates online as to what Feminism truly means.
According to the Collins English dictionary, Feminism is the belief and
aim that women should have the same rights, power and opportunities as men. The Oxford’s dictionary also defines Feminism as the advocacy of women’s
rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.
I am of the opinion that what Chimamanda
was trying to establish is that women work hard to be lawyers, farmer,
Presidents, Bloggers, Writers, Journalist , Engineers etc than to just be defined
as Wives and Mothers. She was intrigued by the fact that Clinton who came very
close to becoming the first Female president of the United State of America,
would first describe herself as a wife. I however, appreciate Clinton’s
respond, the fact that she choose to describe herself as a Wife, Mother,
Grandma doesn’t make her less appreciative of her Career accomplishment, it
only means that she appreciates her relationships.
I
sincerely believe that in as much as we quest for the equality of both sexes, which is very important, the girl child is free to choose who or whatever she so wishes to be.
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