BOW DOWN

If you haven't AT LEAST heard about Beyonce's latest self titled album, then I just don't know what to say to you. Anywho, my favorite song off the album is EASILY flawless. Flawless begins with her self-empowering song Bow Down in which she demands the respect she deserves. However, the BEST part of this song is when you begin to hear the voice of Nigerian feminist and writer -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. 

There has been a lot of criticism, hate, and whatever else about Beyonce being very openly and unapologetically feminist. All of which I will not even address because it overshadows the amazing and impactful words spoken by Adichie! Amongst my friends and family, I am known to be unapologetically feminist myself. When people ask me why I feel the way I feel, I often get into lengthy discussions explaining my thoughts. However, I am relieved because this poetic collection of words below is a concise explanation of the way I feel. 

We teach girls to shrink themselves,

to make themselves smaller. 
We say to girls,

‘You can have ambition,

but not too much.

You should aim to be successful,

but not too successful.

Otherwise you will threaten the man.’

Because I am female,

I am expected to aspire to marriage.

I am expected to make my life choices

always keeping in mind that

marriage is the most important.

Now marriage can be a source of

joy and love and mutual support.

But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage

and we don’t teach boys the same?

We raise girls to see each other as competitors –

not for jobs or for accomplishments,

which I think can be a good thing,

but for the attention of men.

We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings

in the way that boys are.

Feminist: the person who believes in the social,

political and economic equality of the sexes.”

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I know I said I wouldn't address the critics, however give me a second to do just that. A lot of people complained that Beyonce contradicts herself because feminism and her marriage don't go hand in hand. To those people I say, you have missed the point. Feminism doesn't aim to destroy the institution of marriage or to belittle its value. Feminism calls for EQUALITY of the sexes. Feminism says, that which is taught to the women should also be taught to the men. Amongst other things, Feminism asks why women are taught that marriage is the ultimate goal and men aren't? Feminism asks why female sexuality is such a taboo and male sexuality isn't? To be a feminist doesn't mean you revoke the institution of marriage.