Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: We should all be feminists
Čimamanda Ngozi Adičī: Mums visiem būtu jābūt feministiem
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.
about one of my greatest friends,
par vienu no saviem labākajiem draugiem,
gluži kā lielais brālis.
I would ask Okoloma's opinion.
es jautāju, ko Okoloma par viņu domā.
Sosoliso plane crash
Sosoliso aviokatastrofā,
laugh with and truly talk to.
strīdēties, smieties un patiešām parunāt.
to call me a feminist.
kurš mani nosauca par feministi.
we were at his house, arguing.
mēs bijām viņa mājās un strīdējāmies.
with half bit knowledge
no izlasītajām grāmatām gūtu zināšanu,
particular argument was about,
that as I argued and argued,
"You know, you're a feminist."
"Zini ko? Tu esi feministe."
to say something like,
what this word "feminist" meant,
šis vārds "feministe" nozīmē,
to know that I did not know.
uzzinātu, ka nezinu.
and I continued to argue.
un turpināju strīdēties.
I planned to do when I got home
pārnākusi mājās,
"feminist" in the dictionary.
who among other things beats his wife
kas cita starpā sit savu sievu
the novel in Nigeria,
ar šo romānu Nigērijā,
jauks, labu domājošs vīrietis,
ka nigērieši šeit zinās,
to give unsolicited advice.
dod nelūgtus padomus.
that my novel was feminist
romānu saucot par feministisku,
sadly as he spoke --
call myself a feminist
are women who are unhappy
kas ir nelaimīgas,
"a happy feminist."
par "laimīgu feministi".
jo mani samaitājušas Rietumu grāmatas.
by "Western books."
were decidedly unfeminist.
grāmatām bija nefeministiskas.
Mills & Boon romance published
"Mills & Boon" mīlas romānus
no tā dēvētās feministu klasikas,
un ir ļoti grūti tās pabeigt.
struggled to finish them.
bija neafrikānisks,
"a happy African feminist."
par "laimīgu afrikāņu feministi".
feminist who does not hate men
laimīga afrikāņu feministe,
un kam patīk lūpu spīdums,
par prieku sev, nevis vīriešiem.
for herself but not for men.
was tongue-in-cheek,
with baggage, negative baggage.
tik smaga bagāža, negatīva bagāža.
that sort of thing.
that she would give the class a test
ka mūsu klasei būs kontroldarbs
would be the class monitor.
varēs būt klases uzraugs.
trokšņa cēlāju vārdus,
the names of noisemakers --
a cane to hold in your hand
arī nūju, ko turēt rokā,
and patrol the class for noisemakers.
un patrulējot trokšņa cēlājus.
actually allowed to use the cane.
for the nine-year-old me.
aizraujoša nākotnes perspektīva.
to be the class monitor.
that the monitor had to be a boy.
paziņoja, ka uzraugam jābūt zēnam.
to make that clear earlier
jo uzskatīja, ka tas ir... pašsaprotami.
score on the test,
bija otra augstākā atzīme,
interesting about this
in patrolling the class with the cane,
patrulēšana klasē ar nūju rokā,
is just as obvious to everyone else.
ir tik pat pašsaprotams visiem citiem.
and he would tell me,
being different or harder for women.
ka sievietēm tas ir savādāk vai grūtāk.
could not see what seems so self-evident.
var neredzēt to, kas ir tik acīmredzams.
Louis and I went out with friends.
mēs ar Luiju devāmies satikt draugus.
who are not familiar with Lagos,
who hang around outside establishments
kas turas izklaides vietu tuvumā
"help" you park your car.
palīdz jums noparkot auto.
with the particular theatrics
tā vīrieša teātra māksla,
a parking spot that evening.
mūsu automašīnai.
I decided to leave him a tip.
es nolēmu viņam atstāt dzeramnaudu.
that I had earned from doing my work,
darot savu darbu,
very grateful and very happy,
un ļoti laimīgais vīrietis,
I didn't give him the money."
Es taču viņam neiedevu naudu."
dawn on Louis' face.
uzaustam izpratni.
ka jebkura nauda, kas man ir,
we have different sexual organs,
mums ir atšķirīgi dzimumorgāni,
in general physically stronger than women.
viņi ir fiziski stiprāki nekā sievietes.
than men in the world,
sieviešu nekā vīriešu –
population is female.
pasaules iedzīvotāju ir sievietes.
and prestige are occupied by men.
un prestiža amatu ieņem vīrieši.
the fewer women there are."
jo mazāk tur sieviešu."
of the Lilly Ledbetter law,
dzirdējām par Lilijas Ledbeteras likumu.
alliterative name of that law,
aliterējošā nosaukuma,
par vīrieti un sievieti,
being equally qualified,
ir vienlīdz kvalificēti,
because he's a man.
jo viņš ir vīrietis.
the most important attribute for survival.
izdzīvošanai vissvarīgākā īpašība.
was more likely to lead,
bija lielākas izredzes kļūt par vadītāju,
are physically stronger.
in a vastly different world.
daudzējādā ziņā citādā pasaulē.
is not the physically stronger person;
ir nevis fiziski stiprākajam,
the more intelligent person,
for those attributes.
to be intelligent,
var būt inteliģents,
of gender had not evolved.
ar mūsu priekšstatiem par dzimumiem.
of one of the best Nigerian hotels.
vienā no Nigērijas lielākajām viesnīcām.
but I thought I probably shouldn't.
šīs viesnīcas nosaukumu.
un uzdeva kaitinošus jautājumus,
and asked me annoying questions,
into a hotel alone is a sex worker.
nigēriešu sieviete ir prostitūta.
focus on the ostensible supply
šķietamajam piedāvājumam,
into many "reputable" bars and clubs.
uz kuriem nevaru doties viena.
if you're a woman alone,
sievietes bez pavadoņa,
a Nigerian restaurant with a man,
ieeju nigēriešu restorānā,
un mani ignorē.
felt like, "Yes! I thought that!"
"Jā! Tā jau es domāju!"
are more important than women.
ka vīrieši ir svarīgāki nekā sievietes.
don't intend any harm.
and quite another to feel it emotionally.
un pavisam kas cits – izjust emocionāli.
I feel invisible.
es jūtos neredzama.
that I am just as human as the man,
kas esmu tāds pats cilvēks kā vīrieši,
that sting the most.
to be young and female in Lagos,
is a grave injustice.
ir milzīga netaisnība.
of bringing about positive change;
virzītājām ir sena vēsture,
I'm also hopeful.
in the ability of human beings
themselves for the better.
and because it is where my heart is.
and plan for a different world,
un plānot citādu pasauli,
who are truer to themselves.
un laimīgāku sieviešu pasauli,
on how we raise them;
mēs zēniem izdarām lāča pakalpojumu;
in a very narrow way,
of weakness, of vulnerability.
no vājuma, no ievainojamības.
viņu patiesajiem "es",
in Nigerian speak, "hard man!"
runājot, stipriem vīriem!
both of them teenagers,
abiem ir vienlīdz daudz kabatas naudas, –
of pocket money, would go out
ka vienmēr maksās viņš,
would be expected always to pay,
to steal money from their parents.
kāpēc puiši biežāk zog naudu no vecākiem.
was not "the boy has to pay"
nevis "puisim jāmaksā",
of that historical advantage,
raising children differently,
of having to prove this masculinity.
ka viņiem šādi jāpierāda vīrišķība.
that they have to be hard,
with very fragile egos.
ar ļoti trausliem ego.
the man feels compelled to be,
būt "stipram vīram",
disservice to girls
lāča pakalpojumu meitenēm,
to cater to the fragile egos of men.
šos trauslos vīriešu ego.
to make themselves smaller,
kļūt mazākām,
but not too successful,
tikai ne pārāk lieliem,
in your relationship with a man,
maizes pelnītāja esi tu,
the premise itself?
apšaubītu pašu premisu?
be a threat to a man?
būtu jāapdraud vīrietis?
to simply dispose of that word,
atteiktos no šiem vārdiem?
I dislike more than "emasculation."
nepatiktu vairāk kā "iznīcināt vīrišķību".
would be intimidated by me.
ka es varētu vīriešiem iedvest bailes.
to me to be worried
ienācis prātā satraukties,
be intimidated by me
I would have no interest in.
par kuru man nebūtu intereses.
I'm expected to aspire to marriage;
no manis gaida tiekšanos uz laulību,
that marriage is the most important.
ka vissvarīgākais ir laulība.
and love and mutual support.
un abpusēja atbalsta avots.
to aspire to marriage
tiekties pēc laulības
who decided to sell her house
kura izlēma pārdot savu māju,
to intimidate a man who might marry her.
kurš, iespējams, viņu precētu.
who, when she goes to conferences,
kura, dodoties uz konferencēm,
in the conference to "give her respect."
konferences dalībnieki viņu cienītu.
who are under so much pressure
izjūt tik lielu spiedienu apprecēties,
even from work to get married,
to make terrible choices.
to see it as a deep, personal failure.
kā dziļu, personīgu neveiksmi.
who is unmarried,
to making his pick.
ka viņš vēl nav izvēlējies.
just say no to all of this."
var vienkārši teikt nē!"
and more complex.
un komplicētāka.
from our socialization.
mēs uzņemam sevī pārliecības.
runājot par laulību un attiecībām.
and relationships illustrates this.
is often the language of ownership
ir piederības valoda,
ko sieviete izrāda vīrietim,
a man shows a woman.
Nigērijā mēdz teikt:
I'm very amused by --
laulības mīļā miera labad."
that they should not be doing anyway.
ko viņi tik un tā nebūtu darījuši.
in a kind of fondly exasperated way,
visnotaļ aizkaitinātā veidā,
proves how masculine they are,
cik viņi ir vīrišķīgi,
I can't go to the club every night,
katru vakaru iet uz klubiem,
I do it only on weekends."
es to eju tikai brīvdienās."
"I did it for peace in my marriage,"
izdarījusi laulības mīļā miera labad,
about giving up a job,
par atteikšanos no darba,
each other as competitors --
vienai otru uzlūkot kā sāncensi –
which I think can be a good thing,
kas, manuprāt, varētu būt labi,
cannot be sexual beings
kas viņas nevar būt seksuālas būtnes
knowing about our sons' girlfriends.
uzzināt par dēlu draudzenēm.
Lai dievs pasarg!
the perfect man to be their husbands.
sev par vīru atradīs ideālo vīrieti.
we praise girls for virginity,
mēs tās slavējam par nevainību,
this is supposed to work out because ...
kā tieši tas ir iespējams, jo...
is usually a process that involves ...
ir process, kurā iesaistīti divi...
was gang raped in a university in Nigeria,
grupveidā izvaroja jaunu sievieti,
– gan no vīriešu, gan sieviešu puses –
both male and female,
in a room with four boys?"
istabā ar četriem puišiem?"
the horrible inhumanity of that response,
šīs atbildes šausmīgo nežēlību,
to think of women as inherently guilty,
par sievietēm kā vainīgām no dzimšanas.
to expect so little of men
no vīriešiem sagaida tik maz,
without any control
kas nespēj sevi kontrolēt,
as though by being born female
ka, piedzimstot par sievieti,
who silence themselves.
kas apklusina sevi.
who cannot say what they truly think,
kas nespēj pateikt, ko patiesībā domā,
we did to girls --
ko nodarām meitenēm, –
who have turned pretense into an art form.
kas izlikšanos ir padarījušas par mākslu.
kas ienīst mājas darbus,
that to be "good wife material"
ka, lai būtu laba sieva,
to use that Nigerian word --
began to complain that she had changed.
ka viņa esot mainījusies.
cik daudz laimīgāki mēs būtu,
our true individual selves,
kādi patiesībā esam,
of gender expectations.
priekšstatu smagums.
undeniably different biologically,
bioloģiski nenoliedzami atšķiras,
exaggerates the differences
a self-fulfilling process.
to do the housework than men,
veic tādus mājas darbus
are born with a cooking gene?
ir iedzimts gatavošanas gēns?
sabiedrība viņas ieradinājusi
socialized to see cooking as their role?
women are born with a cooking gene,
sievietēm ir iedzimts gatavošanas gēns,
of the famous cooks in the world,
pasaules slavenāko pavāru,
kas bija vienreizīga sieviete,
as men when she was growing up.
bijušas tādas pašas iespējas kā vīriešiem.
many more opportunities for women
ir daudz vairāk iespēju
during my grandmother's time
changes in law,
politikā un likumos –
is our attitude, our mindset,
ir mūsu attieksme, mūsu uzskati,
and what we value about gender.
runājot par dzimumu.
nevis dzimumam?
we focus on interest instead of gender?
nevis dzimumam?
who have a son and a daughter,
the parents say to the girl,
for your brother."
particularly like to cook Indomie noodles,
gatavot Indomie makaronus,
to cook Indomie?
pagatavot Indomie?
is a very useful skill for boys to have.
ir puišiem ļoti noderīga prasme.
to leave such a crucial thing,
atstāt tik būtisku lietu,
and the same job as her husband.
tāds pats grāds un darbs kā viņas vīram.
she does most of the housework,
viņa veic lielāko daļu mājas darbu,
changed the baby's diaper,
nomainīja mazuļa autiņbiksītes,
as perfectly normal and natural
kā pilnīgi normālu un dabisku rīcību,
care for his child?
par savu bērnu?
many of the lessons of gender
in the face of gender expectations.
par dzimumu, es jūtos ļoti ievainojama.
a writing class in graduate school,
rakstniecību maģistrantiem,
jo biju labi sagatavojusies
about the material I would teach
ko man ļoti patīk mācīt.
what I enjoy teaching.
have to prove my worth.
pierādīt savu vērtību.
that if I looked too feminine,
pārāk sievišķīgi,
my shiny lip gloss and my girly skirt,
un uzvilkt savus meitenīgos svārkus,
that when it comes to appearance
ka attiecībā uz ārējo izskatu
as the standard, as the norm.
kā standartu, kā normu.
for a business meeting,
ka izskatīsies pārāk vīrišķīgs
about looking too masculine
for business meeting,
about looking too feminine
izskatīties pārāk sievišķīga
she will be taken seriously.
un vai viņu uztvers nopietni.
that ugly suit that day.
uzvilkusi to neglīto žaketi.
from my closet, by the way.
no savas garderobes.
that I have now to be myself,
tā pašpārliecinātība, kas man ir tagad,
even more from my teaching,
būtu ieguvuši vēl vairāk,
un vairāk un patiesāk es pati.
be apologetic for my femaleness
neatvainoties, ka esmu sieviete,
in all of my femaleness
ciena it visu sievieti,
conversation to have.
to encounter almost immediate resistance.
reizēm nozīmē tūlītēju pretestību.
are actually thinking,
"Arī sievietēm ir sekss tikai prieka pēc."
iespējams, domā:
bet es tā nedomāju."
actively think about gender
aktīvi nedomā par dzimumu
kā mans draugs Luijs,
neko nedara, lai to mainītu.
into a restaurant with a woman
ieejat kopā ar sievieti,
part of a longer version of this talk.
a very uncomfortable conversation to have,
var būt ļoti neērtas,
to close the conversation.
beigt šīs sarunas.
evolutionary biology and apes,
evolucionāro bioloģiju un pērtiķus,
bow down to male apes
tēviņu priekšā, un tamlīdzīgi.
and have earthworms for breakfast,
un brokastīs ēd sliekas,
"Well, poor men also have a hard time."
nabaga vīriešiem klājas grūti.
what this conversation is about.
are different forms of oppression.
ir dažādi apspiešanas veidi.
about systems of oppression
par apspiešanas sistēmām
to a black man about gender
ar melnādainu vīrieti,
'my experience as a woman'?
about his experience as a black man.
kā melnādainam vīrietim.
experience the world differently.
pasauli piedzīvo dažādi.
we experience the world.
kādā piedzīvojam pasauli.
bottom power is an expression
something like a woman
lai iegūtu vīriešu labvēlību.
to get favors from men.
from time to time --
no kura reizēm pasmelt –
that somebody else is in a bad mood,
ir sliktā noskaņojumā,
being subordinate to a man is our culture.
vīrietim ir mūsu kultūras daļa.
who are fifteen and live in Lagos.
viņām ir 15 gadu, un viņas dzīvo Lagosā.
pirms simts gadiem,
taken away and killed.
it was our culture to kill twins.
nogalināt dvīņus.
preservation and continuity of a people.
arī cilvēku saglabāšanu un turpināšanos.
in the story of who we are,
stāsts par to, kas mēs esam,
is not our culture,
nav mūsu kultūras daļa,
Okoloma Maduewesi.
Okolomu Maduevesi.
who passed away in that Sosoliso crash
kas gāja bojā Sosoliso avārijā,
by those of us who loved him.
kas esam viņu mīlējuši.
viņam bija taisnība,
when he called me a feminist.
in the dictionary that day,
kas tic sociālai, politiskai
who believes in the social, political
from the stories I've heard,
mana vecvecmāmiņa
she did not want to marry
kuru negribēja precēt,
the man of her choice.
viņa teica, ko domāja,
of access, of land, that sort of thing.
pieeja, zeme vai kas cits.
did not know that word "feminist,"
nezināja vārdu "feministe",
vai sieviete, kas saka:
with gender as it is today,
ar dzimumu ir problēmas,
good-looking, lovely man,
izskatīgs, brīnišķīgs vīrietis,
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - NovelistInspired 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)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Speaker | TED.com