ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Novelist
Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature.

Why you should listen

In Nigeria, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Half of a Yellow Sun has helped inspire new, cross-generational communication about the Biafran war. In this and in her other works, she seeks to instill dignity into the finest details of each character, whether poor, middle class or rich, exposing along the way the deep scars of colonialism in the African landscape.

Adichie's newest book, The Thing Around Your Neck, is a brilliant collection of stories about Nigerians struggling to cope with a corrupted context in their home country, and about the Nigerian immigrant experience.

Adichie builds on the literary tradition of Igbo literary giant Chinua Achebe—and when she found out that Achebe liked Half of a Yellow Sun, she says she cried for a whole day. What he said about her rings true: “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers.”

(Photo: Wani Olatunde)

More profile about the speaker
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Speaker | TED.com

TEDxEuston

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: We should all be feminists

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Todos deberíamos ser feministas

Filmed: 2012-12-01

Readability: 3.5

4,033,919 views

Ensinamos ás nenas que poden ter ambición, pero non demasiada... poden ter éxito, pero non demasiado, ou os homes sentiránse ameazados, di Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Nesta charla clásica que abriu unha xuntanza mundial sobre feminismo, Adichie pídenos que empecemos a soñar e plantexar un mundo diferente, máis xusto -- de homes e mulleres máis felices que sexan fieis a si mesmos.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Novelist
Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12

So I would like to start by telling you
about one of my greatest friends,

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Gustaríame comezar falándolles
dun dos meus grandes amigos,

00:17

Okoloma Maduewesi.

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Okoloma Maduewesi.

00:19

Okoloma lived on my street

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Okoloma vivía na miña rúa

00:21

and looked after me like a big brother.

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e coidaba de min coma un irmán maior.

00:23

If I liked a boy,
I would ask Okoloma's opinion.

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Se me gustaba un rapaz, gustábame
pedirlle opinión a Okoloma.

00:28

Okoloma died in the notorious
Sosoliso plane crash

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Okoloma morreu no coñecido
accidente aéreo de Sosoliso

00:32

in Nigeria in December of 2005.

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en Nixeria en decembro de 2005.

00:35

Almost exactly seven years ago.

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Fai case exactamente sete anos.

00:38

Okoloma was a person I could argue with,
laugh with and truly talk to.

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Okoloma era unha persoa coa que podía
discutir, rir e verdadeiramente falar.

Tamén foi a primeira persoa
que me chamou feminista.

00:43

He was also the first person
to call me a feminist.

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Eu tiña uns 14 anos,
estabamos na súa casa rifando.

00:47

I was about fourteen,
we were at his house, arguing.

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Ámbolos dous alporizados polos
escasos coñecementos obtidos

00:50

Both of us bristling
with half bit knowledge

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00:53

from books that we had read.

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dos libros que leramos.

00:55

I don't remember what this
particular argument was about,

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Non recordo sobre
que era a discusión en particular,

00:59

but I remember
that as I argued and argued,

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pero recordo que rifaba e rifaba,

01:01

Okoloma looked at me and said,
"You know, you're a feminist."

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Okoloma miroume e díxome:
"Ti es unha feminista".

01:05

It was not a compliment.

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Non era un piropo.

01:07

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

01:08

I could tell from his tone,

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Decateime polo seu ton,

01:09

the same tone that you would use
to say something like,

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o mesmo ton que empregarías
para dicir:

01:12

"You're a supporter of terrorism."

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"Ti es unha terrorista".

01:14

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

01:17

I did not know exactly
what this word "feminist" meant,

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Non sabía exactamente,
o que significaba "feminista",

01:20

and I did not want Okoloma
to know that I did not know.

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e non quería que Okoloma soubera
que eu non o sabía.

01:24

So I brushed it aside,
and I continued to argue.

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Así que afasteina, e seguín discutindo.

01:27

And the first thing
I planned to do when I got home

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E o primeiro que fixen
ao chegar á miña casa

01:29

was to look up the word
"feminist" in the dictionary.

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foi busca-la palabra
"feminista" no dicionario.

01:32

Now fast forward to some years later,

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Agora dando un salto no tempo,
algúns anos máis tarde,

01:35

I wrote a novel about a man
who among other things beats his wife

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escribín unha novela sobre un home que,
entre outras cousas, pegaba á súa muller

01:39

and whose story doesn't end very well.

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e cuxa historia non remata moi ben.

01:42

While I was promoting
the novel in Nigeria,

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Mentres eu promocionaba
a novela en Nixeria,

01:44

a journalist, a nice, well-meaning man,

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un periodista agradable,
un home ben intencionado,

01:47

told me he wanted to advise me.

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dixo que quería darme un consello.

01:51

And for the Nigerians here,

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E para os nixerianos aquí,

estou segura que todos estamos
familiarizados

01:52

I'm sure we're all familiar

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01:54

with how quick our people are
to give unsolicited advice.

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có rápida que é a nosa xente
dando consellos non solicitados.

02:01

He told me that people were saying
that my novel was feminist

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Díxome que a xente dicía
que a miña novela era feminista

02:05

and his advice to me --

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e o seu consello para min,

02:06

and he was shaking his head
sadly as he spoke --

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e sacudía a cabeza
con tristura mentres falaba,

02:10

was that I should never
call myself a feminist

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foi que nunca debería
dicir que son feminista

02:12

because feminists
are women who are unhappy

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porque as feministas
son mulleres descontentas

02:14

because they cannot find husbands.

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porque non poden atopar marido.

02:16

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

02:21

So I decided to call myself
"a happy feminist."

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Así que decidín autodenominarme
"feminista feliz".

02:25

Then an academic, a Nigerian woman told me

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Entón, unha muller Nixeriana
académica díxome

que o feminismo
non era da nosa cultura

02:27

that feminism was not our culture

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e que o feminismo non era africano,

02:29

and that feminism wasn't African,

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02:31

and that I was calling myself a feminist

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e que me autodenominaba feminista

porque estaba corrompida
por "libros occidentais."

02:33

because I had been corrupted
by "Western books."

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O cal divertiume moito,

02:36

Which amused me,

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porque moitas das miñas primeiras
lecturas foron claramente anti-feministas.

02:37

because a lot of my early readings
were decidedly unfeminist.

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02:40

I think I must have read every single
Mills & Boon romance published

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Creo que lin cada novela (rosa)
publicada de Mills e Boon

02:43

before I was sixteen.

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antes de ter 16 anos.

02:45

And each time I tried to read those books

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E cada vez que intentaba ler eses libros,

02:47

called "the feminist classics,"

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chamados "os clásicos feministas",

02:49

I'd get bored, and I really
struggled to finish them.

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aburríame, e tiven que esforzarme
para terminar de lelos.

02:52

But anyway, since feminism was un-African,

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Pero, como de calquera xeito,
o feminismo non era africano,

02:55

I decided that I would now call myself
"a happy African feminist."

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decidín que agora denominaríame
"feminista africana feliz".

02:59

At some point I was a happy African
feminist who does not hate men

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Nese momento era unha feminista
africana feliz que non odiaba aos homes

e á que lle gustaba
o carmín nos beizos

03:04

and who likes lip gloss

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03:05

and who wears high heels
for herself but not for men.

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e que levaba tacóns para si mesma
e non para os homes.

03:08

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

03:09

Of course a lot of this
was tongue-in-cheek,

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Por suposto, moito disto é retranca,

03:12

but that word feminist is so heavy
with baggage, negative baggage.

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pero a palabra feminista é unha carga
tan pesada, tan negativa.

03:16

You hate men, you hate bras,

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Odias aos homes,
odias aos suxeitadores,

03:19

you hate African culture,
that sort of thing.

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odias a cultura africana,
ese tipo de cousas.

03:22

Now here's a story from my childhood.

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Agora unha historia da miña nenez.

03:25

When I was in primary school,

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Cando estaba na escola primaria,

03:26

my teacher said at the beginning of term
that she would give the class a test

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a miña mestra dixo ao comezo do curso
que faría unha proba á clase

e aquel que tivera a puntuación
máis alta sería o delegado da clase.

03:31

and whoever got the highest score
would be the class monitor.

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03:34

Now, class monitor was a big deal.

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Ser delegado de clase
era moi importante.

03:37

If you were a class monitor,

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Se un era delegado de clase,

03:39

you got to write down
the names of noisemakers --

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tiña que apuntar
os nomes dos revoltosos,

03:41

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

03:43

which was having enough power of its own.

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o que che daba bastante poder.

03:46

But my teacher would also give you
a cane to hold in your hand

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Pero a miña mestra tamén che daba
un bastón para soster na túa man

03:51

while you walk around
and patrol the class for noisemakers.

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mentres patrullabas a clase para
controlar aos revoltosos.

03:55

Now, of course you were not
actually allowed to use the cane.

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Por suposto, non tiñas permitido
realmente usar o bastón.

03:58

But it was an exciting prospect
for the nine-year-old me.

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Pero era unha actividade moi excitante
para unha nena de nove anos.

04:02

I very much wanted
to be the class monitor.

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Tiña moitas ganas de ser
a delegada da clase.

E conseguín a puntuación máis
alta na proba.

04:05

And I got the highest score on the test.

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Entón, para a miña sorpresa, a profesora
dixo que o delegado tiña que ser un neno.

04:07

Then, to my surprise, my teacher said
that the monitor had to be a boy.

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04:12

She had forgotten
to make that clear earlier

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Esquecérase de deixalo claro antes

04:14

because she assumed it was ... obvious.

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porque ela asumira que era... obvio.

04:16

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

04:18

A boy had the second highest
score on the test,

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Un neno tivo a segunda nota
máis alta na proba,

04:21

and he would be monitor.

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e el foi o delegado.

Agora, o que resulta aínda
máis interesante nisto

04:23

Now, what was even more
interesting about this

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04:26

is that the boy was a sweet, gentle soul

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é que o neno era unha
alma cándida

04:30

who had no interest
in patrolling the class with the cane,

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que non tiña ningún interese en
patrulla-la clase có bastón,

04:34

while I was full of ambition to do so.

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mentres que eu estaba
desexando facelo.

04:38

But I was female and he was male,

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Pero eu era muller e el era un home,

04:40

and so he became the class monitor.

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e así el chegou a ser o delegado da clase.

04:43

And I've never forgotten that incident.

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E eu nunca esquecín ese incidente.

A miúdo, eu cometo o erro de pensar

04:46

I often make the mistake of thinking

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04:48

that something that is obvious to me
is just as obvious to everyone else.

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que algo que é obvio para min,
ten que selo para os demais.

Agora, tomemos ao meu querido amigo Louis

04:51

Now, take my dear friend Louis

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04:53

for example.

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por exemplo.

04:54

Louis is a brilliant, progressive man,

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Louis é un home brillante, progresista,

04:56

and we would have conversations
and he would tell me,

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e tiñamos conversas nas
que el me dicía,

04:58

"I don't know what you mean by things
being different or harder for women.

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"Non sei que queres dicir con que as
cousas son máis difíciles para a muller.

05:02

Maybe in the past, but not now."

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Talvez no pasado, pero non agora ".

05:05

And I didn't understand how Louis
could not see what seems so self-evident.

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E eu non entendía como Louis non podía ver
o que para min é tan evidente.

05:10

Then one evening, in Lagos,
Louis and I went out with friends.

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Entón, unha tarde, en Lagos, Louis
e máis eu saímos cuns amigos.

05:14

And for people here
who are not familiar with Lagos,

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E para os que están aquí
e que non coñecen Lagos,

05:16

there's that wonderful Lagos' fixture,

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alí teñen algo marabilloso,

sempre hai algún home enérxico
pululando arredor dos establecementos

05:18

the sprinkling of energetic men
who hang around outside establishments

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05:23

and very dramatically
"help" you park your car.

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e de xeito moi serio "axúdate"
a aparca-lo teu coche.

05:28

I was impressed
with the particular theatrics

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Eu estaba impresionada
cun home en particular

05:31

of the man who found us
a parking spot that evening.

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que conseguiu atoparnos unha praza
de aparcamento pola noite.

05:34

And so as we were leaving,
I decided to leave him a tip.

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E así, cando marchabamos, decidín
deixarlle unha propina.

05:38

I opened my bag,

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Abrín o meu bolso,

05:40

put my hand inside my bag,

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metín dentro a miña man,

05:41

brought out my money
that I had earned from doing my work,

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saquei os meus cartos que
gañara có meu traballo,

e deillos ao home.

05:45

and I gave it to the man.

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05:47

And he, this man who was
very grateful and very happy,

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E ese home, que estaba moi agradecido
e moi feliz,

05:52

took the money from me,

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colleu os meus cartos,

05:53

looked across at Louis

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mirou cara Louis

05:55

and said, "Thank you, sir!"

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e díxolle: "Grazas, señor!"

05:57

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

06:03

Louis looked at me, surprised,

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Louis miroume, sorprendido,
e preguntoume

06:06

and asked, "Why is he thanking me?
I didn't give him the money."

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"Por que mo agradece a min?
Eu non lle din o diñeiro."

06:10

Then I saw realization
dawn on Louis' face.

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Entón vin a revelación
no rostro de Louis.

06:15

The man believed that whatever money I had

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O home pensaba que calquera diñeiro
que eu tivera,

06:17

had ultimately come from Louis.

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tiña que vir, en última instancia,
de Louis.

06:21

Because Louis is a man.

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Porque Louis é un home.

06:24

Men and women are different.

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Homes e mulleres son diferentes.

06:26

We have different hormones,
we have different sexual organs,

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Temos diferentes hormonas,
temos órganos sexuais distintos,

06:29

we have different biological abilities.

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temos diferentes capacidades biolóxicas.

06:31

Women can have babies, men can't.

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As mulleres poden ter bebés,
os homes non.

06:34

At least not yet.

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Ao menos, polo de agora.

06:36

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

06:37

Men have testosterone and are
in general physically stronger than women.

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Os homes teñen testosterona e son,
en xeral, máis fortes cas mulleres.

06:42

There's slightly more women
than men in the world,

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Hai lixeiramente máis mulleres
que homes no mundo,

06:45

about 52 percent of the world's
population is female.

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arredor do 52 % da poboación mundial
é de sexo feminino.

06:48

But most of the positions of power
and prestige are occupied by men.

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Pero a maioría das posicións de poder
e prestixio están ocupadas por homes.

06:52

The late Kenyan Nobel Peace laureate,

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A última premio Nobel da Paz de Kenia,

06:55

Wangari Maathai,

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Wangari Maathai,

06:56

put it simply and well when she said:

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díxoo moi claro en poucas palabras:

06:59

"The higher you go,
the fewer women there are."

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"Canto máis ascendes,
menos mulleres hai"

07:03

In the recent US elections we kept hearing
of the Lilly Ledbetter law,

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Nas pasadas elecións americanas estivemos
moi pendentes da lei Lilly Ledbetter,

07:08

and if we go beyond the nicely
alliterative name of that law,

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e indo máis aló da retórica,
o nome da dita Lei,

07:12

it was really about a man and a woman

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refírese realmente a homes
e mulleres que,

07:14

doing the same job,
being equally qualified,

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facendo o mesmo traballo,
estando igualmente preparados,

07:16

and the man being paid more
because he's a man.

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págaselle máis ao home,
porque é un home.

07:20

So in the literal way, men rule the world,

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Así, no sentido literal,
os homes gobernan o mundo,

07:23

and this made sense a thousand years ago

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e isto tiña sentido fai mil anos

07:27

because human beings lived then in a world

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porque os seres humanos
vivían entón nun mundo

07:30

in which physical strength was
the most important attribute for survival.

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no que a forza física era o atributo
máis importante cara a supervivencia.

07:34

The physically stronger person
was more likely to lead,

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A persoa fisicamente máis forte era,
probablemente, a que mandaba,

07:39

and men, in general,
are physically stronger.

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e os homes, en xeral, son
fisicamente mais fortes.

07:41

Of course there are many exceptions.

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Por suposto, hai moitas excepcións.

07:43

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

07:45

But today we live
in a vastly different world.

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Pero hoxe en día vivimos
nun mundo moi diferente.

07:49

The person more likely to lead
is not the physically stronger person;

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A persoa que probablemente manda
non é a persoa fisicamente máis forte;

07:53

it is the more creative person,
the more intelligent person,

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é a persoa máis creativa,
a persoa máis intelixente,

07:57

the more innovative person,

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a persoa máis innovadora,

07:59

and there are no hormones
for those attributes.

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e non hai hormonas para eses atributos.

Un home ten a mesma probabilidade
que unha muller de ser intelixente

08:02

A man is as likely as a woman
to be intelligent,

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08:05

to be creative, to be innovative.

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ser creativo, ser innovador.

08:07

We have evolved;

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Evolucionamos;

08:09

but it seems to me that our ideas
of gender had not evolved.

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pero paréceme que as nosas ideas
de xénero non evolucionaron.

08:13

Some weeks ago, I walked into a lobby
of one of the best Nigerian hotels.

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Fai algunhas semanas, entrei no vestíbulo
dun dos mellores hoteis de Nixeria.

08:18

I thought about naming the hotel,
but I thought I probably shouldn't.

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Pensaba darlle-lo nome do hotel,
pero probablemente no debería.

08:21

And a guard at the entrance stopped me
and asked me annoying questions,

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E un garda na entrada paroume
e fíxome preguntas molestas,

debido á súa suposición automática de que

08:25

because their automatic assumption is

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08:27

that a Nigerian female walking
into a hotel alone is a sex worker.

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unha muller Nixeriana que entra soa
nun hotel é unha traballadora sexual.

E, por certo,

08:33

And by the way,

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08:34

why do these hotels
focus on the ostensible supply

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por que eses hoteis céntranse
na oferta ostentosa

08:37

rather than the demand for sex workers?

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e non na demanda de profesionais do sexo?

08:41

In Lagos I cannot go alone
into many "reputable" bars and clubs.

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En Lagos eu non podo ir soa
a certos bares e clubs "respectables".

08:46

They just don't let you in
if you're a woman alone,

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2417

Eles simplemente non te deixan entrar
se vas soa,

08:49

you have to be accompanied by a man.

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tes que ir en compañia dun home.

08:51

Each time I walk into
a Nigerian restaurant with a man,

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Cada vez que entro nun restaurante
nixeriano cun home,

08:54

the waiter greets the man and ignores me.

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o camareiro saúda ao home
e a min ignórame.

08:58

The waiters are products --

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Os camareiros son produtos

08:59

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

09:01

At this some women
felt like, "Yes! I thought that!"

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E nisto algunhas mulleres senten
como "Si! Iso pensaba eu!"

Os camareiros son produto dunha sociedade

09:03

The waiters are products of a society

178

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1936

09:05

that has taught them that men
are more important than women.

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3040

que lles ensinou que os homes son
máis importantes cas mulleres.

09:10

And I know that waiters
don't intend any harm.

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Eu sei que os camareiros
non pretenden facer dano.

09:13

But it's one thing to know intellectually
and quite another to feel it emotionally.

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Pero unha cousa é o saber intelectual,
e outra moi distinta son as emocións.

09:17

Each time they ignore me,
I feel invisible.

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Cada vez que me ignoran,
síntome invisible.

09:19

I feel upset.

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Síntome molesta.

09:21

I want to tell them
that I am just as human as the man,

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3336

Quero dicirlles que eu son
tan humana como un home,

09:25

that I'm just as worthy of acknowledgment.

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2800

son tan merecente de consideración.

Son pequenas cousas,

09:28

These are little things,

186

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1256

09:30

but sometimes it's the little things
that sting the most.

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pero, as veces, son as pequenas
cousas as que máis doen.

09:33

And not long ago, I wrote an article

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1736

Hai pouco tempo, escribín un artigo

09:35

about what it means
to be young and female in Lagos,

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acerca do que significa ser
xove e muller en Lagos,

09:38

and the printers told me,

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e os editores dixéronme que,

09:41

"It was so angry."

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1200

"era tan indignado."

09:42

Of course it was angry!

192

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Por suposto que era indignado!

09:44

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

09:48

I am angry.

194

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1656

Eu estou indignada.

09:50

Gender as it functions today
is a grave injustice.

195

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3136

O xénero, tal e como funciona hoxe en día,
é unha grave inxustiza.

09:53

We should all be angry.

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1736

Todos deberíamos estar indignados.

09:55

Anger has a long history
of bringing about positive change;

197

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3856

A indignación adoita traer
cambios positivos;

09:59

but, in addition to being angry,
I'm also hopeful.

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2800

pero, ademais de estar indignada,
eu tamén estou esperanzada.

Porque creo profundamente
na capacidade dos seres humanos

10:02

Because I believe deeply
in the ability of human beings

199

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2616

10:05

to make and remake
themselves for the better.

200

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2120

para mellorarse cada vez máis.

10:08

Gender matters everywhere in the world,

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1896

O xénero é importante
en todo o mundo,

10:10

but I want to focus on Nigeria

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2656

pero eu quero centrarme en Nixeria

10:13

and on Africa in general,

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1456

e en África en xeral,

10:15

because it is where I know,
and because it is where my heart is.

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porque é o que eu coñezo, e porque é
onde está o meu corazón.

10:18

And I would like today to ask

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1936

E gustaríame preguntar hoxe

10:20

that we begin to dream about
and plan for a different world,

206

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4136

como empezamos a soñar e planificar
un mundo diferente,

10:24

a fairer world,

207

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1320

un mundo máis xusto,

10:28

a world of happier men and happier women
who are truer to themselves.

208

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4176

un mundo de homes e mulleres máis felices
que son máis fieis a si mesmos.

10:32

And this is how to start:

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1536

E así é como debemos facelo:

10:34

we must raise our daughters differently.

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2456

debemos educar as nosas fillas
de maneira diferente.

10:36

We must also raise our sons differently.

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2360

Tamén debemos educar aos nosos fillos
de maneira diferente.

10:40

We do a great disservice to boys
on how we raise them;

212

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3656

Facemos un fraco favor aos nenos
tal e como os educamos;

10:43

we stifle the humanity of boys.

213

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1840

reprimimos a humanidade dos nenos.

10:46

We define masculinity
in a very narrow way,

214

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2576

Definimos a masculinidade
dun xeito moi limitado,

10:49

masculinity becomes this hard, small cage

215

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3496

a masculinidade convértese
nunha ríxida e pequena gaiola

10:52

and we put boys inside the cage.

216

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2296

e poñemos aos nenos dentro da gaiola.

10:54

We teach boys to be afraid of fear.

217

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1920

Ensinamos aos nenos a ter medo do medo.

10:57

We teach boys to be afraid
of weakness, of vulnerability.

218

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3760

Ensinamos aos nenos a ter medo
da debilidade, da vulnerabilidade.

Ensinámoslles ocultar
o seu verdadeiro ser,

11:02

We teach them to mask their true selves,

219

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2456

11:04

because they have to be,
in Nigerian speak, "hard man!"

220

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4240

porque teñen que ser, como din os
nixerianos, "homes duros!"

11:10

In secondary school, a boy and a girl,
both of them teenagers,

221

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4136

No instituto, un rapaz e unha rapaza,
ámbolos dous adolescentes,

11:14

both of them with the same amount
of pocket money, would go out

222

662600

3496

ámbolos dous coa mesma cantidade
de cartos no peto,

11:18

and then the boy
would be expected always to pay,

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2776

se saíran, esperaríamos
que o rapaz pagase

11:20

to prove his masculinity.

224

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1640

para demostrar a súa masculinidade.

11:23

And yet we wonder why boys are more likely
to steal money from their parents.

225

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3800

E aínda preguntamos por que os nenos é
máis probable que rouben aos seus pais?

11:29

What if both boys and girls were raised

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3496

Que pasaría se educásemos aos nenos
e as nenas

11:32

not to link masculinity with money?

227

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2120

para non vincular a masculinidade
cós cartos?

11:35

What if the attitude
was not "the boy has to pay"

228

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3016

Que pasaría se a actitude non fora
"o rapaz ten que pagar"

11:38

but rather "whoever has more should pay?"

229

686760

2760

senón máis ben
"o que máis ten, debe pagar?"

Agora, por suposto, debido a
unha vantaxe histórica,

11:42

Now, of course because
of that historical advantage,

230

690360

2576

a maioría das veces serán os homes
os que máis teñan hoxe,

11:44

it is mostly men who will have more today,

231

692960

2456

11:47

but if we start
raising children differently,

232

695440

2616

pero se comezamos a educar aos nenos
doutro xeito,

11:50

then in fifty years, in a hundred years,

233

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2536

entón, en cincuenta anos, en cen anos,

11:52

boys will no longer have the pressure
of having to prove this masculinity.

234

700640

3800

os nenos xa non terán a presión de ter que
demostrar a súa masculinidade.

Pero, con moito, o peor que
lles facemos aos varóns,

11:57

But by far the worst thing we do to males,

235

705680

3016

12:00

by making them feel
that they have to be hard,

236

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2336

facéndolles sentir que
teñen que ser duros,

12:03

is that we leave them
with very fragile egos.

237

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3120

é que os deixamos con egos moi fráxiles.

12:07

The more "hard man"
the man feels compelled to be,

238

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3400

Canto máis "home duro" séntese
obrigado a ser un home,

12:11

the weaker his ego is.

239

719320

1600

máis débil é o seu ego.

12:14

And then we do a much greater
disservice to girls

240

722960

3016

E entón facemos un prexuízo
moito maior ás nenas

12:18

because we raise them
to cater to the fragile egos of men.

241

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3320

porque as educamos para atender
ós fráxiles egos dos homes.

12:22

We teach girls to shrink themselves,
to make themselves smaller,

242

730200

3496

Ensinamos ás nenas a reprimirse a si
mesmas, a facerse máis pequenas,

12:25

we say to girls,

243

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1200

dicimos ás nenas,

12:27

"You can have ambition, but not too much."

244

735640

2176

"Podes ter ambición, pero non demasiada."

12:29

(Laughter)

245

737840

1376

(Risas)

12:31

"You should aim to be successful,
but not too successful,

246

739240

2696

"Podes busca-lo éxito, pero non demasiado,

12:33

otherwise you would threaten the man."

247

741960

2040

senón, serás unha ameaza para o home".

12:36

If you are the breadwinner
in your relationship with a man,

248

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2896

Se ti e-lo sostén da túa relación
cun home,

12:39

you have to pretend that you're not,

249

747640

1976

tes que finxir que non o es,

12:41

especially in public,

250

749640

1656

sobre todo en público,

12:43

otherwise you will emasculate him.

251

751320

2040

senón vas a castralo.

Pero, que pasa se cuestionamos
a premisa en si mesma?

12:46

But what if we question
the premise itself?

252

754720

2336

12:49

Why should a woman's success
be a threat to a man?

253

757080

3320

Por que debería ser o éxito dunha muller
unha ameaza para o home?

12:53

What if we decide
to simply dispose of that word,

254

761200

3536

que pasa se, simplemente,
desfacémonos desa palabra,

12:56

and I don't think there's an English word
I dislike more than "emasculation."

255

764760

4720

e non creo que haxa unha palabra inglesa
que me desguste máis que "castración".

13:02

A Nigerian acquaintance once asked me

256

770720

2296

Un coñecido nixeriano preguntoume unha vez

se me preocupaba que os homes
sentíranse intimidados por min.

13:05

if I was worried that men
would be intimidated by me.

257

773040

2640

Non estaba preocupada en absoluto.

13:08

I was not worried at all.

258

776560

1736

13:10

In fact, it had not occurred
to me to be worried

259

778320

2256

De feito, non se me ocorrera
estar preocupada

porque un home que se sentira
intimidado por min

13:12

because a man who would
be intimidated by me

260

780600

2216

13:14

is exactly the kind of man
I would have no interest in.

261

782840

2616

é exactamente o tipo de home
que non me interesa.

13:17

(Laughter)

262

785480

1216

(Risas)

13:18

(Applause)

263

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2080

(Aplausos)

13:26

But still I was really struck by this.

264

794120

2840

Aínda así, eu estaba realmente
sorprendida por isto.

Como son muller, espérase
que aspire ao matrimonio;

13:29

Because I'm female,
I'm expected to aspire to marriage;

265

797640

3600

Espérase que tome as decisións
da miña vida

13:33

I'm expected to make my life choices

266

801960

1776

13:35

always keeping in mind
that marriage is the most important.

267

803760

3080

sempre tendo en conta que o matrimonio
é o máis importante.

13:40

A marriage can be a good thing;

268

808040

1976

Un matrimonio pode ser algo bo;

13:42

it can be a source of joy
and love and mutual support.

269

810040

4416

pode ser fonte de alegría e amor,
e de apoio mutuo.

Pero, por que ensinamos ás nenas
a aspirar ao matrimonio

13:46

But why do we teach girls
to aspire to marriage

270

814480

2456

13:48

and we don't teach boys the same?

271

816960

1720

e non ensinamos o mesmo aos nenos?

Coñezo a unha muller que decidiu
vende-la súa casa

13:52

I know a woman
who decided to sell her house

272

820840

2176

13:55

because she didn't want
to intimidate a man who might marry her.

273

823040

3040

porque non quería intimidar
ao home que puidera casar con ela.

Coñezo unha muller solteira en Nixeria
que, cando vai a congresos,

13:59

I know an unmarried woman in Nigeria
who, when she goes to conferences,

274

827880

4456

14:04

wears a wedding ring

275

832360

1376

leva anel de casada

14:05

because according to her,

276

833760

1216

porque, segundo ela,

14:07

she wants the other participants
in the conference to "give her respect."

277

835000

3920

quere que os outros participantes
do congreso lle "teñan respecto"

Eu coñezo mulleres novas, que están
baixo tanta presión

14:12

I know young women
who are under so much pressure

278

840120

2336

14:14

from family, from friends,
even from work to get married,

279

842480

4096

da familia, dos amigos,
incluso do traballo, para casarse,

que son empurradas a tomar
decisións terribles.

14:18

and they're pushed
to make terrible choices.

280

846600

2080

14:21

A woman at a certain age who is unmarried,

281

849520

2616

Unha muller de certa idade
que non está casada,

14:24

our society teaches her
to see it as a deep, personal failure.

282

852160

4120

na nosa sociedade ensínasenos a velo
como un profundo fracaso persoal.

14:29

And a man at a certain age
who is unmarried,

283

857040

2776

E un home de certa idade
que non está casado,

só pensamos que non lle chegou o tempo
de facer a súa elección.

14:31

we just think he hasn't come around
to making his pick.

284

859840

2616

14:34

(Laughter)

285

862480

1856

(Risas)

É fácil para nós dicir,

14:36

It's easy for us to say,

286

864360

1616

"Oh, pero as mulleres poden simplemente
dicir non a todo isto."

14:38

"Oh, but women can
just say no to all of this."

287

866000

2256

14:40

But the reality is more difficult
and more complex.

288

868280

2440

Pero a realidade é máis difícil
e máis complexa.

14:43

We're all social beings.

289

871360

1776

Todos somos seres sociais.

14:45

We internalize ideas
from our socialization.

290

873160

2496

Interiorizamos ideas a partires
desa socialización.

14:47

Even the language we use

291

875680

1976

Incluso a linguaxe que usamos,

14:49

in talking about marriage
and relationships illustrates this.

292

877680

3416

cando falamos sobre o matrimonio
e as relaciones, ilustra isto.

14:53

The language of marriage
is often the language of ownership

293

881120

2856

A linguaxe do matrimonio é,a miúdo,
a linguaxe da propiedade

14:56

rather than the language of partnership.

294

884000

2160

máis ca linguaxe da asociación.

14:58

We use the word "respect"

295

886800

2696

Usamos a palabra "respecto"

15:01

to mean something a woman shows a man

296

889520

2776

no sentido de algo que unha muller
amosa a un home

pero, a miúdo non é algo que un home
amosa a unha muller.

15:04

but often not something
a man shows a woman.

297

892320

2080

15:08

Both men and women in Nigeria will say --

298

896160

2456

Tanto homes como mulleres en Nixeria dirán

-isto é unha expresión que me parece
moi divertida-

15:10

this is an expression
I'm very amused by --

299

898640

2296

15:12

"I did it for peace in my marriage."

300

900960

2320

"Fíxeno polo ben do meu matrimonio."

Agora ben, cando é un home quen o di,

15:16

Now, when men say it,

301

904400

1576

15:18

it is usually about something
that they should not be doing anyway.

302

906000

3176

xeralmente refírese a algo que
non debería fixer.

15:21

(Laughter)

303

909200

1936

(Risas)

15:23

Sometimes they say it to their friends,

304

911160

2776

As veces, eles din aos seus amigos,

15:25

it's something to say to their friends
in a kind of fondly exasperated way,

305

913960

3936

é algo que dicir aos seus amigos
dun xeito claramente exasperado,

15:29

you know, something that ultimately
proves how masculine they are,

306

917920

3136

xa sabedes, algo que, finalmente,
demostra o masculinos que son,

o necesarios e queridos que son.

15:33

how needed, how loved.

307

921080

1456

"Oh, a miña muller di que non podo ir
ao club tódalas noites,

15:34

"Oh, my wife said
I can't go to the club every night,

308

922560

2496

15:37

so for peace in my marriage,
I do it only on weekends."

309

925080

2816

así que, para o ben do meu matrimonio,
só vou a fin de semana ".

15:39

(Laughter)

310

927920

1696

(Risas)

15:41

Now, when a woman says,
"I did it for peace in my marriage,"

311

929640

4256

Agora, cando unha muller di,
"fíxeno polo ben do meu matrimonio,"

15:45

she's usually talking
about giving up a job,

312

933920

3536

xeralmente está a falar de renunciar
a un posto de traballo,

15:49

a dream,

313

937480

1456

a un sono,

15:50

a career.

314

938960

1360

a unha carreira.

15:53

We teach females that in relationships,

315

941080

2416

Ensinamos ás mulleres que, nas relacións,

15:55

compromise is what women do.

316

943520

2280

o compromiso é o que fan as mulleres.

Educamos as nenas para que vexan
ás outras como competidoras,

15:59

We raise girls to see
each other as competitors --

317

947080

2576

16:01

not for jobs or for accomplishments,
which I think can be a good thing,

318

949680

3456

non para postos de traballo ou outros
logros, o cal pode ser algo bo,

16:05

but for attention of men.

319

953160

1600

senón para a atención dos homes.

16:07

We teach girls that they
cannot be sexual beings

320

955920

2936

Ensinamos ás nenas que non poden
ser seres sexuais

16:10

in the way that boys are.

321

958880

1496

no xeito en que son os nenos.

16:12

If we have sons, we don't mind
knowing about our sons' girlfriends.

322

960400

3320

Se temos fillos, non nos preocupamos
de coñecer ás súas noivas.

16:16

But our daughters' boyfriends? God forbid.

323

964480

2336

Pero,os noivos das nosas fillas?
Líbrenos Deus!

16:18

(Laughter)

324

966840

1616

(Risas)

Pero, por suposto, cando chegue o momento,

16:20

But of course when the time is right,

325

968480

1816

16:22

we expect those girls to bring back
the perfect man to be their husbands.

326

970320

3896

esperamos que esas chicas atopen ao home
perfecto para que sexa o seu esposo.

16:26

We police girls,
we praise girls for virginity,

327

974240

3376

Nós controlamos ás nenas,
loamos ás nenas pola súa virxindade,

16:29

but we don't praise boys for virginity,

328

977640

1936

pero non loamos aos nenos pola virxindade,

16:31

and it's always made me wonder how exactly
this is supposed to work out because ...

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e sempre pregunteime como funciona
isto exactamente, porque ...

16:35

(Laughter)

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(Risas)

16:37

(Applause)

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(Aplausos)

Quero dicir, a perda da virxindade é,
polo xeral, un proceso que implica...

16:45

I mean, the loss of virginity
is usually a process that involves ...

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3400

16:50

Recently a young woman
was gang raped in a university in Nigeria,

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4176

Recentemente, unha muller nova foi violada
en grupo nunha universidade de Nixeria,

penso que algúns de nos
xa o coñecíamos.

16:54

I think some of us know about that.

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1696

16:56

And the response of many young Nigerians,
both male and female,

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3256

E a resposta de moitos mozos Nixerianos,
tanto homes como mulleres,

16:59

was something along the lines of this:

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2496

foi algo nesta liña:

17:02

"Yes, rape is wrong.

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2176

"Si, a violación é algo malo.

17:04

But what is a girl doing
in a room with four boys?"

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Pero, que facía unha rapaza nun cuarto
con catro rapaces?"

17:08

Now, if we can forget
the horrible inhumanity of that response,

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4120

Agora ben, se podemos esquecer
o inhumano desa resposta,

17:14

these Nigerians have been raised
to think of women as inherently guilty,

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3920

eses nixerianos foron educados para pensar
nas mulleres como culpables por natureza

17:19

and they have been raised
to expect so little of men

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3136

e foron educados para esperar tan pouco
dos homes

17:22

that the idea of men as savage beings
without any control

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que a idea dos homes como
seres salvaxes sen control

17:26

is somehow acceptable.

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1240

é, dalgún xeito, aceptable.

Ensinamos ás nenas vergonza.

17:28

We teach girls shame.

344

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2017

17:30

"Close your legs." "Cover yourself."

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1880

"Pecha as túas pernas." "Tápate."

17:33

We make them feel
as though by being born female

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2255

Facémolas sentir como se,
por naceren femias,

17:35

they're already guilty of something.

347

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2096

xa son culpables de algo.

17:37

And so, girls grow up to be women

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2336

E así, as nenas chegan a ser mulleres

17:40

who cannot see they have desire.

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2136

que non poden amosa-lo seu desexo.

17:42

They grow up to be women
who silence themselves.

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2880

Chegan a ser mulleres que se silencian
a si mesmas.

Chegan a ser mulleres que non poden dicir
o que realmente pensan,

17:47

They grow up to be women
who cannot say what they truly think,

351

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3416

17:50

and they grow up --

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1336

e chegan a ser,

17:51

and this is the worst thing
we did to girls --

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2176

e isto é o peor que facemos ás nenas,

17:54

they grow up to be women
who have turned pretense into an art form.

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4136

chegan a ser mulleres que converteron
a simulación nunha forma de arte.

17:58

(Applause)

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3840

(Aplausos)

18:04

I know a woman who hates domestic work,

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3416

Coñezo a unha muller que odia
o traballo doméstico,

18:07

she just hates it,

357

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1496

Ela, simplemente, odiao,

18:09

but she pretends that she likes it,

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1720

pero simula que lle gusta,

18:12

because she's been taught
that to be "good wife material"

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4096

porque foi educada para ser
"unha boa esposa"

18:16

she has to be --
to use that Nigerian word --

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2376

ela ten que ser
-usando esa palabra nixeriana-

18:18

very "homely."

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1480

moi "caseira".

18:21

And then she got married,

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1536

E logo casou,

18:23

and after a while her husband's family
began to complain that she had changed.

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3816

e despois dun tempo a familia do seu home
queixouse de que ela cambiara .

18:26

(Laughter)

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1576

(Risas)

En realidade, ela non cambiara,

18:28

Actually, she had not changed,

365

1096440

1456

18:29

she just got tired of pretending.

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1920

ela, simplemente, cansou de finxir.

O problema có xénero,

18:32

The problem with gender,

367

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3136

18:35

is that it prescribes how we should be

368

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2536

é que determina como debemos ser

18:38

rather than recognizing how we are.

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2000

en vez de recoñecer como somos.

18:41

Now imagine how much happier we would be,

370

1109400

2456

Agora imaxinemos canto máis
felices seríamos,

18:43

how much freer to be
our true individual selves,

371

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3496

canto máis libres para sermos
como verdadeiramente somos,

18:47

if we didn't have the weight
of gender expectations.

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2640

si non tiverámo-lo peso das
expectativas de xénero.

Nenos e nenas son, sen dúbida,
biolóxicamente diferentes,

18:51

Boys and girls are
undeniably different biologically,

373

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4776

18:56

but socialization
exaggerates the differences

374

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2976

pero a socialización esaxera as diferenzas

18:59

and then it becomes
a self-fulfilling process.

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2576

e convértenas nunha profecía
auto-cumprida.

19:01

Now, take cooking for example.

376

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2040

Agora, tomemos a cociña, por exemplo.

As mulleres de hoxe, en xeral, son máis
propensas ás tarefas de casa que os homes,

19:04

Today women in general are more likely
to do the housework than men,

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3496

19:07

the cooking and cleaning.

378

1135800

1256

a cociña e a limpeza.

19:09

But why is that?

379

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1576

Pero, por que?

19:10

Is it because women
are born with a cooking gene?

380

1138680

2856

É porque as mulleres nacen cun xene
da cociña?

19:13

(Laughter)

381

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1416

(Risas)

19:15

Or because over years they have been
socialized to see cooking as their role?

382

1143000

4256

Ou porque durante anos foron socializadas
para ve-la cociña como o seu encargo?

19:19

Actually, I was going to say that maybe
women are born with a cooking gene,

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3576

En realidade, eu ia dicir que talvez
as mulleres nacen cun xene da cociña,

19:22

until I remember that the majority
of the famous cooks in the world,

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3456

ata que recordei que a maioría dos
cociñeiros famosos do mundo,

19:26

whom we give the fancy title of "chefs,"

385

1154360

2296

aos que lle damos o bonito
título de "chefs",

19:28

are men.

386

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1200

son homes.

19:30

I used to look up to my grandmother

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1696

Eu admiraba á miña avoa

19:32

who was a brilliant, brilliant woman,

388

1160680

2056

que era unha muller realmente brillante,

19:34

and wonder how she would have been

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1736

e preguntábame como podería ter sido

19:36

if she had the same opportunities
as men when she was growing up.

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3360

se tivera as mesmas oportunidades que
os homes cando era pequena.

Hoxe en día, hai moitas máis
oportunidades para as mulleres

19:40

Now today, there are
many more opportunities for women

391

1168960

2576

19:43

than there were
during my grandmother's time

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2256

das que había na época
da miña avoa

19:45

because of changes in policy,
changes in law,

393

1173840

2616

debido a cambios na política,
cambios nas leis,

19:48

all of which are very important.

394

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1576

todos eles moi importantes.

19:50

But what matters even more
is our attitude, our mindset,

395

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4536

Pero o que realmente importa é a nosa
actitude,o noso xeito de pensar,

19:54

what we believe
and what we value about gender.

396

1182640

3296

o que cremos e o que valoramos
sobre o xénero.

19:57

What if in raising children

397

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2416

Que pasa se na educación dos fillos

20:00

we focus on ability instead of gender?

398

1188400

2800

centrámonos na capacidade
en lugar do xénero?

Que pasa se nos centramos nos
intereses en lugar do xénero?

20:04

What if in raising children
we focus on interest instead of gender?

399

1192000

4120

Coñezo unha familia que ten un fillo
e unha filla,

20:09

I know a family
who have a son and a daughter,

400

1197000

2216

20:11

both of whom are brilliant at school,

401

1199240

1896

ámbolos dous son brillantes na escola,

20:13

who are wonderful, lovely children.

402

1201160

1896

son nenos encantadores e marabillosos.

20:15

When the boy is hungry,
the parents say to the girl,

403

1203080

2536

Cando o neno ten fame,
os pais dinlle á nena,

20:17

"Go and cook Indomie noodles
for your brother."

404

1205640

2216

"Vai cociñar fideos Indomie
para o teu irmán."

20:19

(Laughter)

405

1207880

1216

(Risas)

20:21

Now, the daughter doesn't
particularly like to cook Indomie noodles,

406

1209120

3496

Agora ben, á filla non lle gusta
especialmente cociñar eses fideos,

20:24

but she's a girl, and so she has to.

407

1212640

2776

pero ela é unha nena, e por iso
ten que facelo.

20:27

Now, what if the parents,

408

1215440

1776

Agora ben, que pasa se os pais,

20:29

from the beginning,

409

1217240

1616

dende o principio,

20:30

taught both the boy and the girl
to cook Indomie?

410

1218880

3920

ensinaran, tanto ao neno como
á nena,a cociñar Indomie?

Cociñar, por certo, é unha habilidade
moi útil para os nenos.

20:35

Cooking, by the way,
is a very useful skill for boys to have.

411

1223920

3016

20:38

I've never thought it made sense
to leave such a crucial thing,

412

1226960

4856

Nunca pensei que tivera sentido
deixar algo tan crucial,

20:43

the ability to nourish oneself --

413

1231840

1896

a capacidade de nutrirse -

20:45

(Laughter)

414

1233760

1216

(Risas)

20:47

in the hands of others.

415

1235000

1536

nas mans doutros.

20:48

(Applause)

416

1236560

2920

(Aplausos)

Coñezo a unha muller que ten a mesma
titulación e traballo que o seu home,

20:53

I know a woman who has the same degree
and the same job as her husband.

417

1241760

3856

cando ambos volven do traballo, ela fai
a meirande parte das tarefas do fogar,

20:57

When they get back from work,
she does most of the housework,

418

1245640

2896

21:00

which I think is true for many marriages.

419

1248560

2176

creo que é igual en moitos matrimonios.

21:02

But what struck me about them

420

1250760

1736

Pero o que chamou a miña atención deles

21:04

was that whenever her husband
changed the baby's diaper,

421

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2976

foi que, cada vez que o marido cambiaba
o cueiro ao bebé,

21:07

she said "thank you" to him.

422

1255520

2280

ela dáballe as grazas.

Agora ben, e si ela vira isto como
algo perfectamente normal e natural

21:11

Now, what if she saw this
as perfectly normal and natural

423

1259040

4416

21:15

that he should, in fact,
care for his child?

424

1263480

3336

como debería ser, de feito,
o coidado do seu fillo?

21:18

(Laughter)

425

1266840

1840

(Risas)

21:21

I'm trying to unlearn
many of the lessons of gender

426

1269680

3496

Eu estou tentando "desaprender"
moitas das leccións de xénero

21:25

that I internalized when I was growing up.

427

1273200

2296

que interioricei cando estaba crecendo.

21:27

But I sometimes still feel very vulnerable
in the face of gender expectations.

428

1275520

5056

Pero, as veces, síntome moi vulnerable
aínda fronte ás expectativas de xénero.

A primeira vez que din unha clase
de escritura na escola de posgrao,

21:32

The first time I taught
a writing class in graduate school,

429

1280600

3000

estaba preocupada.

21:36

I was worried.

430

1284360

1256

Non estaba preocupada pola
materia a ensinar,

21:37

I wasn't worried
about the material I would teach

431

1285640

2336

21:40

because I was well-prepared,

432

1288000

1336

porque a tiña ben preparada

21:41

and I was going to teach
what I enjoy teaching.

433

1289360

2216

e tiña que dar clase do que
me gusta ensinar.

21:43

Instead, I was worried about what to wear.

434

1291600

2080

No seu lugar, estaba preocupada
pola roupa.

Eu quería que me tomaran en serio.

21:46

I wanted to be taken seriously.

435

1294680

1600

Eu sabía que, como era unha muller,

21:49

I knew that because I was female

436

1297480

1576

21:51

I will automatically
have to prove my worth.

437

1299080

3160

tería que demostra-la miña valía
inmediatamente.

E estaba preocupada porque, se parecía
demasiado feminina,

21:55

And I was worried
that if I looked too feminine,

438

1303240

2256

21:57

I would not be taken seriously.

439

1305520

1776

non sería tomada en serio.

21:59

I really wanted to wear
my shiny lip gloss and my girly skirt,

440

1307320

4336

Realmente eu quería leva-lo meu brillo de
labios e a miña saia feminina,

22:03

but I decided not to.

441

1311680

1816

pero decidín non facelo.

22:05

Instead, I wore a very serious,

442

1313520

2376

No seu lugar, levei un traxe moi serio,

22:07

very manly and very ugly suit.

443

1315920

2576

moi masculino e moi feo.

22:10

(Laughter)

444

1318520

1496

(Risas)

Por que a triste verdade é que,
no que se refire á aparencia,

22:12

Because the sad truth is
that when it comes to appearance

445

1320040

2696

22:14

we start off with men
as the standard, as the norm.

446

1322760

2600

partimos dos homes como estándar,
como a norma.

Cando un home prepárase para unha
reunión de negocios,

22:17

If a man is getting ready
for a business meeting,

447

1325960

2336

22:20

he doesn't worry
about looking too masculine

448

1328320

2136

non se preocupa por parecer
demasiado masculino

22:22

and therefore not being taken for granted.

449

1330480

2496

e, polo tanto, non da por suposto nada.

Se unha muller ten que prepararse
para unha reunión de negocios,

22:25

If a woman has to get ready
for business meeting,

450

1333000

2496

22:27

she has to worry
about looking too feminine

451

1335520

2776

ten que procurar non parecer
demasiado feminina,

22:30

and what it says and whether or not
she will be taken seriously.

452

1338320

4280

porque é o que di si será ou non
tomada en serio.

22:36

I wish I had not worn
that ugly suit that day.

453

1344000

2200

Oxalá non puxera ese feo traxe ese día.

De feito, desterreino do meu armario,
por certo.

22:39

I've actually banished it
from my closet, by the way.

454

1347440

3136

Se tivera entón a confianza en mi mesma
que teño hoxe,

22:42

Had I then the confidence
that I have now to be myself,

455

1350600

4936

os meus estudantes beneficiaríanse
aínda máis das miñas ensinanzas,

22:47

my students would have benefited
even more from my teaching,

456

1355560

2936

22:50

because I would have been more comfortable

457

1358520

2056

porque eu sentiríame máis cómoda

22:52

and more fully and more truly myself.

458

1360600

2000

e máis plena e verdadeiramente eu mesma.

22:55

I have chosen to no longer
be apologetic for my femaleness

459

1363800

4016

Escollín non desculparme máis
pola miña non-virilidade

22:59

and for my femininity.

460

1367840

1200

nin pola miña feminidade.

23:01

(Applause)

461

1369680

3000

(Aplausos)

E quero ser respectada en toda
a miña non-virilidade

23:07

And I want to be respected
in all of my femaleness

462

1375800

2856

23:10

because I deserve to be.

463

1378680

1560

porque merezo respecto.

23:13

Gender is not an easy
conversation to have.

464

1381200

2440

O xénero non é unha conversa fácil.

Tanto homes como mulleres,

23:17

For both men and women,

465

1385080

1576

23:18

to bring up gender is sometimes
to encounter almost immediate resistance.

466

1386680

3936

ao saca-lo tema, atopan as veces
unha resistencia case inmediata.

23:22

I can imagine some people here
are actually thinking,

467

1390640

3256

Podo imaxinar que algunhas persoas aquí
están pensando en realidade,

23:25

"Women too do sef."

468

1393920

1920

"As mulleres tamén o fan"

Algúns homes aquí poderían estar pensando,

23:29

Some of the men here might be thinking,

469

1397520

2176

23:31

"OK, all of this is interesting,

470

1399720

1736

"Dacordo, todo isto é moi interesante,

23:33

but I don't think like that."

471

1401480

1560

pero eu non o vexo así ".

23:35

And that is part of the problem.

472

1403960

2216

E iso é parte do problema.

23:38

That many men do not
actively think about gender

473

1406200

2976

Que moitos homes non pensen
demasiado sobre o xénero,

ou non sexan conscientes do xénero,

23:41

or notice gender

474

1409200

1496

23:42

is part of the problem of gender.

475

1410720

2016

é parte do problema de xénero.

23:44

That many men, say, like my friend Louis,

476

1412760

2656

Que moitos homes digan,
como o meu amigo Louis,

23:47

that everything is fine now.

477

1415440

1680

que todo está ben hoxe.

E que moitos homes non fagan
nada para cambialo.

23:50

And that many men do nothing to change it.

478

1418160

2856

23:53

If you are a man and you walk
into a restaurant with a woman

479

1421040

2856

Se ti es un home e entras nun restaurante
cunha muller

23:55

and the waiter greets only you,

480

1423920

1680

e o camareiro saúdate só a ti,

non se che ocorre dicirlle,

23:58

does it occur to you to ask the waiter,

481

1426400

2496

24:00

"Why haven't you greeted her?"

482

1428920

1560

"Por que non saúdas tamén a ela?"

24:05

Because gender can be --

483

1433320

1496

Porque o xénero pode ser...

24:06

(Laughter)

484

1434840

2080

(Risas)

24:16

Actually, we may repose
part of a longer version of this talk.

485

1444880

4496

En realidade, podemos reflexionar parte
dunha versión máis longa desta charla.

24:21

So, because gender can be
a very uncomfortable conversation to have,

486

1449400

3576

Así, como o xénero pode ser
unha conversación moi incómoda,

24:25

there are very easy ways to close it,
to close the conversation.

487

1453000

3096

temos maneiras moi fáciles de pechala,
de pecha-la charla.

24:28

So some people will bring up
evolutionary biology and apes,

488

1456120

4176

De modo que, algunhas persoas falarán
de bioloxía evolutiva e primates,

24:32

how, you know, female apes
bow down to male apes

489

1460320

3656

e de como, xa sabemos, as femias de mono
inclínanse ante os machos,

24:36

and that sort of thing.

490

1464000

1240

e cousas dese tipo.

24:37

But the point is we're not apes.

491

1465880

2056

Pero a cuestión é que nós non somos monos.

24:39

(Laughter)

492

1467960

1416

(Risas)

24:41

(Applause)

493

1469400

4000

(Aplausos)

24:46

Apes also live on trees
and have earthworms for breakfast,

494

1474160

4816

Os monos tamén viven nas árbores e
comen miñocas no almorzo,

24:51

and we don't.

495

1479000

1200

e nós non.

24:53

Some people will say,
"Well, poor men also have a hard time."

496

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4000

Algúns dirán: "Ben, os pobres tamén
o teñen difícil"

24:57

And this is true.

497

1485880

1200

E isto é certo.

24:59

But that is not what this --

498

1487920

1336

Pero non é o que...

25:01

(Laughter)

499

1489280

1096

(Risas)

25:02

But this is not
what this conversation is about.

500

1490400

2680

Pero non é do que trata esta charla.

25:06

Gender and class
are different forms of oppression.

501

1494480

3776

Xénero e clase son diferentes
formas de opresión.

25:10

I actually learned quite a bit
about systems of oppression

502

1498280

3656

En realidade, aprendín algo acerca
dos sistemas de opresión

25:13

and how they can be blind to one another

503

1501960

2456

e de como poden cegarnos mutuamente

25:16

by talking to black men.

504

1504440

1480

falando con homes de raza negra.

25:19

I was once talking
to a black man about gender

505

1507320

3176

Unha vez falei cun home negro
sobre o xénero

25:22

and he said to me,

506

1510520

1376

e díxome:

25:23

"Why do you have to say
'my experience as a woman'?

507

1511920

3456

"Por que tes que dicir,
a miña experiencia como muller?"

25:27

Why can't it be

508

1515400

1216

"Por que non pode ser,

25:28

'your experience as a human being'?"

509

1516640

1880

a túa experiencia como ser humano?"

Agora ben, este era o mesmo home

25:31

Now, this was the same man

510

1519840

1256

25:33

who would often talk
about his experience as a black man.

511

1521120

3000

que falaba decote da súa experiencia
como home negro.

25:39

Gender matters.

512

1527360

1216

Cuestións de xénero.

Homes e mulleres experimentan o mundo
de xeitos diferentes.

25:40

Men and women
experience the world differently.

513

1528600

2496

25:43

Gender colors the way
we experience the world.

514

1531120

2816

O xénero colorea o xeito
en que experimentámo-lo mundo.

25:45

But we can change that.

515

1533960

1400

Pero podemos cambiar iso.

25:48

Some people will say,

516

1536520

1936

Algunhas persoas dirán,

25:50

"Oh, but women have the real power,

517

1538480

2456

"Oh, pero as mulleres teñen
o autentico poder,

25:52

bottom power."

518

1540960

1776

o poder de abaixo".

25:54

And for non-Nigerians,
bottom power is an expression

519

1542760

2896

E para os non nixerianos,
poder de abaixo é unha expresión

25:57

which I suppose means
something like a woman

520

1545680

1856

que supoño que significa algo así
como que unha muller

25:59

who uses her sexuality
to get favors from men.

521

1547560

2760

pode utiliza-la súa sexualidade
para obter favores dos homes.

26:03

But bottom power is not power at all.

522

1551200

2720

Pero o poder de abaixo non é
poder en absoluto.

26:08

Bottom power means that a woman

523

1556400

2776

O poder de abaixo significa
que unha muller

26:11

simply has a good root to tap into,
from time to time --

524

1559200

2896

simplemente ten a opción de aproveitar,
de cando en cando,

26:14

somebody else's power.

525

1562120

1440

o poder doutro.

26:16

And then, of course, we have to wonder

526

1564640

1856

E, por suposto, temos que preguntarnos

26:18

what happens when
that somebody else is in a bad mood,

527

1566520

2656

que sucede cando ese outro
está de mal humor,

26:21

or sick

528

1569200

1376

ou enfermo

26:22

or impotent.

529

1570600

1200

ou impotente.

26:24

(Laughter)

530

1572280

3416

(Risas)

26:27

Some people will say that a woman
being subordinate to a man is our culture.

531

1575720

6240

Algunhas persoas dirán que a subordinación
da muller é parte da nosa cultura.

26:34

But culture is constantly changing.

532

1582640

1976

Pero a cultura cambia constantemente.

26:36

I have beautiful twin nieces
who are fifteen and live in Lagos.

533

1584640

4656

Eu teño dúas fermosas sobriñas xemelgas,
que teñen quince anos e viven en Lagos.

26:41

If they had been born a hundred years ago

534

1589320

1960

Se tiveran nacido hai cen anos

26:44

they would have been
taken away and killed.

535

1592000

2136

elas terían sido asasinadas

26:46

Because it was our culture,
it was our culture to kill twins.

536

1594160

3040

Porque era a nosa cultura, na nosa cultura
matábase aos xemelgos.

De modo que, cal é o sentido da cultura?

26:51

So what is the point of culture?

537

1599040

1720

26:53

I mean there's the decorative,

538

1601480

1576

Quero dicir que temos adornos,

26:55

the dancing ...

539

1603080

1616

bailes...

26:56

but also, culture really is about
preservation and continuity of a people.

540

1604720

4616

pero tamén, a cultura realmente trata da
preservación e a continuidade dun pobo.

27:01

In my family,

541

1609360

1256

Na miña familia,

27:02

I am the child who is most interested
in the story of who we are,

542

1610640

3176

eu son a nena máis interesada
na nosa historia,

27:05

in our traditions,

543

1613840

1256

nas nosas tradicións,

27:07

in the knowledge about ancestral lands.

544

1615120

2176

no coñecemento sobre as terras ancestrais.

27:09

My brothers are not as interested as I am.

545

1617320

2576

Os meus irmáns non están tan interesados
coma min.

27:11

But I cannot participate,

546

1619920

1440

Pero eu non podo participar,

27:14

I cannot go to umunna meetings,

547

1622200

2016

non podo ir ás reunións Umunna,

27:16

I cannot have a say.

548

1624240

1736

non podo ter unha opinión.

27:18

Because I'm female.

549

1626000

1200

Porque son muller.

27:20

Culture does not make people,

550

1628080

2096

A cultura non fai á xente,

27:22

people make culture.

551

1630200

1400

a xente fai a cultura.

27:24

So if it is in fact true --

552

1632920

1776

Así que, si é certo...

27:26

(Applause)

553

1634720

3496

(Aplausos)

27:30

So if it is in fact true

554

1638240

1616

Así que, si é certo que,

27:31

that the full humanity of women
is not our culture,

555

1639880

2896

a parte feminina da humanidade
non é a nosa cultura,

27:34

then we must make it our culture.

556

1642800

1720

entón temos que facer
que sexa a nosa cultura.

27:38

I think very often of my dear friend,
Okoloma Maduewesi.

557

1646040

5616

Penso a miúdo no meu querido amigo,
Okoloma Maduewesi.

27:43

May he and all the others
who passed away in that Sosoliso crash

558

1651680

3976

Que el e tódolos que morreron nese
accidente de Sosoliso

27:47

continue to rest in peace.

559

1655680

1480

sigan descansando en paz.

27:50

He will always be remembered
by those of us who loved him.

560

1658400

3080

El sempre será recordado por aqueles
que o amábamos.

27:54

And he was right that day many years ago
when he called me a feminist.

561

1662880

4496

E tiña razón ese día, fai moitos anos,
cando me chamou feminista.

27:59

I am a feminist.

562

1667400

1240

Eu son feminista.

28:01

And when I looked up the word
in the dictionary that day,

563

1669400

2696

E cando busquei a palabra no dicionario
ese día,

28:04

this is what it said:

564

1672120

1256

isto é o que dicía:

28:05

"Feminist: a person
who believes in the social, political

565

1673400

3376

"Feminista: Persoa que cree na
igualdade social, política

28:08

and economic equality of the sexes."

566

1676800

3696

e económica dos sexos".

28:12

My great grandmother,
from the stories I've heard,

567

1680520

2936

A miña bisavoa, segundo
as historias que oín,

28:15

was a feminist.

568

1683480

1576

era unha feminista.

28:17

She ran away from the house of the man
she did not want to marry

569

1685080

3376

Ela escapou da casa do home
con quen non quería casar

e terminou casando cun home
que escolleu ela.

28:20

and ended up marrying
the man of her choice.

570

1688480

2080

28:23

She refused, she protested, she spoke up

571

1691160

2976

Ela negouse, ela protestou,
ela tomou a palabra

28:26

whenever she felt she was being deprived
of access, of land, that sort of thing.

572

1694160

5296

sempre que sentia que estaba a ser privada
de algo, da terra, dese tipo de cousas.

28:31

My great grandmother
did not know that word "feminist,"

573

1699480

3296

A miña bisavoa non coñecía a palabra
"feminista"

pero iso non quere dicir
que ela non o fora.

28:34

but it doesn't mean that she wasn't one.

574

1702800

1920

28:38

More of us should reclaim that word.

575

1706160

1920

A maioría de nós deberíamos
recuperar esa palabra.

28:42

My own definition of feminist is:

576

1710040

2400

A miña propia definición de feminista é:

"Feminista é un home o unha muller

28:45

"A feminist is a man or a woman

577

1713200

2376

28:47

who says --

578

1715600

1200

que di,

28:49

(Laughter)

579

1717480

3136

(Risas)

28:52

(Applause)

580

1720640

3760

(Aplausos)

28:58

A feminist is a man or a woman who says,

581

1726600

3256

Feminista é un home o unha muller que di,

29:01

"Yes, there's a problem
with gender as it is today,

582

1729880

3296

"Si, temos un problema có xénero hoxe,

29:05

and we must fix it.

583

1733200

1296

e temos que solucionalo.

29:06

We must do better."

584

1734520

1720

Debemos facelo mellor ".

29:09

The best feminist I know

585

1737960

2056

O mellor feminista que eu coñezo

29:12

is my brother Kene.

586

1740040

1320

é o meu irmán Kene.

29:14

He's also a kind,
good-looking, lovely man,

587

1742920

3896

El tamén é un tipo ben parecido,
un home encantador,

29:18

and he's very masculine.

588

1746840

1760

e el é moi masculino.

29:21

Thank you.

589

1749320

1216

Grazas.

29:22

(Applause)

590

1750560

4280

(Aplausos)

Translated by Luz Leirós
Reviewed by Alicia Ferreiro

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Novelist
Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature.

Why you should listen

In Nigeria, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Half of a Yellow Sun has helped inspire new, cross-generational communication about the Biafran war. In this and in her other works, she seeks to instill dignity into the finest details of each character, whether poor, middle class or rich, exposing along the way the deep scars of colonialism in the African landscape.

Adichie's newest book, The Thing Around Your Neck, is a brilliant collection of stories about Nigerians struggling to cope with a corrupted context in their home country, and about the Nigerian immigrant experience.

Adichie builds on the literary tradition of Igbo literary giant Chinua Achebe—and when she found out that Achebe liked Half of a Yellow Sun, she says she cried for a whole day. What he said about her rings true: “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers.”

(Photo: Wani Olatunde)

More profile about the speaker
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Speaker | TED.com

THE ORIGINAL VIDEO ON TED.COM

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Todos deberíamos ser feministas | TED Talk | TED.com