And what is the core of feminism? For Adichie (and for me), it is simply equality of the sexes. I am simply advocating for us to embrace the core of the concept. So when I say we should all be feminists, I am not advocating for an extreme interpretation of the concept. But such extreme positions do not, or at least should not, affect the core of the religion. There are also extreme groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), who use Islam to justify terrorism. There are extreme groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, who use Christianity to justify racism. But both interpretations relate to the same concept of socialism. An extreme interpretation of this will require an overthrow of the state a more moderate interpretation will allow the state to operate. The core of the concept, at least in its economic sense, is that the means of production in a society should be owned collectively. Take the concept of socialism for instance. Many concepts are broad and it is inevitable that different variations within that concept will arise. Others argue that feminist ideology requires the adoption of lesbianism as a political stance (see Ti-Grace Atkinson).īut such extreme positions do not mean that the concept as a whole must be tainted. Some ‘radical’ feminists see women as superior to men and seek not just to dismantle the patriarchy, but to establish matriarchy. Undoubtedly, there are different variations of feminism that seem to be at odds with this definition. The definition that Adichie adopts is a belief “in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes”. Let us start with a definition of feminism.

We should all be feminists pages