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from The New York Times

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Talks Beauty, Femininity and Feminism

By VALERIYA SAFRONOVA Nov. 28, 2016

Perhaps the most unexpected fashion icon of the year has just added another glossy credit to her name. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the Nigerian-born novelist and feminist known for novels like “Americanah” and “Purple Hibiscus”; recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant, the O. Henry Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award (among others); and author of a viral TED Talk, “We Should All Be Feminists,” which has been viewed over three million times since its delivery in 2012 as well as sampled by Beyoncé, is now the face of No7, the makeup brand owned by the pharmacy chain Boots. [...]

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/28/fashion/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-boots-no7-makeup.html?_r=0

While reading this article, I really admire the ways in which Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie discusses the differences between genders within society. In order to support this, the article says "I think it’s part of a larger picture of a world that simply doesn’t give women the same status that it gives men. There are many examples, and some have more serious consequences. All over the world, there is violence against women, and many cultures have ways of justifying it or minimizing it. But I think you can actually draw a line from that to other feminine pursuits that culture diminishes." I believe that she is discussing the idea that culture really influences the how gender is viewed. For example, the ways in which that African culture has been seen in some of the texts that have a strong African theme (example, Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart), usually portrays women as being treated poorly. Conrad usually mentions Africans in regards to them being uncivilized, and although Chinua Achebe discusses African culture in a more appropriate way, but also women are not always portrayed in a positive light. Adichie speaks of empowerment as well as providing examples of why she has involvement with the beauty industry, but overall, reading about strong female characters should be more present in literature about globalization.

This article is very interessting and I very much appreciate Chimamanda's honesty of being persuaded with free merchandise to take part in the No7 campaign. "It was actually just my being blinded by the selfish overwhelming love of makeup." I think it is an oath to her charcater being independant minded and sincere, an appropriate model for advertising makeup, attaching it to identity and uniqueness. She makes it clear that makeup does not make you more or less human. Makeup and body art is cross-cultural. Marlow's amazon mistress is adorned with embellishments. She is very present and powerful in disposition. Her role as an immovable force would not be the same without her "makeup" which essentially, is what it is. Aesthetic is under discussion in Adichie's "Immitation" through the notion of hair grooming. In this story, Nkem bases the care of her appearance around what would please Obiora. While it is nice to consider a partner's likes and dislikes, in Chimamanda's article, it is strongly suggested that outer appearance should come from and be for one's self.

I could not agree more with many of the points Adichie brings up in this article. As a woman, I too feel the pressure placed upon me by society in order to look my best, as well as the contradictory idea that I can't look too good if I want to be seen as a professional. One thing that I am aware of but always seem to forget is how the idea that women are the ones pressured to change their appearances and fit into cultural expectations is universal. There are, of course, specific ways to dress and act for both men and women, but there are definitely more rules for women to follow. A man wearing makeup is frowned upon, while a woman wearing makeup is not only encouraged but expected. I couldn’t help but think about “Heart of Darkness” and Kurtz’s African lover while reading and reflecting upon this article. The woman in Conrad’s story was dressed in very ornate attire, signifying not only status but the conformity to gender norms. Like Adichie, I too hope that we can one day move past the normativity of the past, and have more freedom to pick and choose how we as women want to present ourselves, without feeling pressure from men, and at times other women. Likewise, I hope we all, regardless of gender, learn to look past appearance and stop being so judgemental of others.

Hi.. I just came across this music video and wanted to share it because it features Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It coincides with ashley's response and how women are to behave and look. Beyoncé is empowering women in this song saying beauty is natural. Chimamanda's story, Imitation reflects this idea; first of all in Nkem's marriage to Obiora who is unfaithful. Nkem looks for a solution to this news by grooming herself; secondly in the masks Obiora purchases, one of which Nkem puts to her face and feels the coolness of it. Adichie expresses how girls are supposed to see each other as competitors like Nkem sees her husband's mistress. Not for employment, but for man's attention. Finally Nkem decides, "it is done." It's not worth the effort. As for Beyoncé, it can be understood that she doesn't think Nkem needs to try at all to be beautiful and real. The beginning of Beyonce's music video showcases a contest with perhaps a predictable fate knowing there are white male competitors, but it is one step in the right direction for women, black women for that matter, if I may say. https://youtu.be/IyuUWOnS9BY

Another perspective on single stories...

from The Globe and Mail

MORGAN M. PAGE
Ms. Adichie: There’s no single story about trans women
Published Tuesday, Mar. 14, 2017 12:17PM EDT

Who has the power to decide what stories get told? This is one of the central questions acclaimed Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie grappled with in her viral TED talk on the dangers of what she calls the “single story.” In it, Adichie cautions against reducing the complex lives of marginalized others – including African women and immigrants – to stereotypical narratives.

Her insightful analysis gained many fans, among them megastars like Beyoncé (who sampled Adichie on her 2013 self-titled album) and, perhaps, some not-quite-so-famous trans women like me.

Recently, while promoting her new book Dear Ijeawele, Or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, Adichie found herself in hot water. During an interview with Britain’s Channel 4, Adichie expressed discomfort about trans women being considered women.

“If you’ve lived in the world as a man, with the privileges that the world accords to men, and then sort of switched gender, it’s difficult for me to accept that then we can equate your experience with the experience of a woman who has lived from the beginning in the world as a woman,” she said. [...]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/ms-adichie-theres-no-single-story-about-trans-women/article34297048/

I really enjoyed reading the article by Morgan Page. I think that some good points were brought up when it comes to the discussion of trans-women and how Adichie addresses them. In Things Fall Apart, women were looked down upon as the weaker sex, so shouldn't women whether they were born a woman or they transitioned to be a woman later in life stand together? Should we look down on them as a lesser sex just because they were once men? We should not stereotype these women, just like Adichie stated we should not stereotype African women and immigrants. We all go through our struggles, and have our hardships. Just because they are not identical to each other, does not mean that we have not had to fight our way through battles to get where we are. We should come together and work together as a community, rather then look down on each other as had happened in Things Fall Apart.