John Taiwo

Gender, far from the biological distinction between male and female, denotes the distinction between masculinity and femininity, that is the display of attitudes and behaviours that signify and validate maleness, and femaleness respectively. Widespread usage of the term to refer to the biological distinction between male and female, that is sex, is however not uncommon. In this regard, gender issues constitute a controversy in modern society. The gender system is one of the tools well exploited for social stratification in the world today. However, considering the modality of the 21st century in terms of the emphasis placed on intelligence, knowledge, creativity, and innovation as sacrosanct attributes for survival, rather than on physical strength as was the case in the past, many individuals have risen to challenge the status quo and advocate equal right for both male and female under the umbrella of feminism rather than human rights.

Gender issues are more difficult to resolve than they first appear to be in that although an appeal to the contemporary emphasis on the relevance of innovation and creativity seems to reject the idea that physical strength is a necessary attribute for survival —thus depriving the male gender of their culture-induced privileges, and serving as a medium of escape for the female gender from the web of gender discrimination— men have frequently turned to a more intense “male-female intelligence quotient debate” that aims to undermine the intelligibility of females to uphold the idea that male is superior to female.

In propagating her belief about the injustice against women in society, Adichie draws on the plight of the average woman across cultures, particularly in the African context. Being able to draw on women’s plight both in the Western and African world establishes gender issues as a global rather than an African problem. She cites examples that capture her experiences, those of friends and other women as they relate to the gruesome effect of gender discrimination on them everywhere they set their feet —in the hotel, at cultural meetings, at the restaurant, at moments of contesting against their male counterparts in the prospect of leadership role, etc. In short, women are victims of several denials in our society today.

Adichie identifies human socialization as the bedrock of gender issues, especially in the African context. She points out how socialization exaggerates the biological differences between males and females through the attribution of expectations to gender, and how this, in turn, does both genders a disservice. Among these deservices are the suppressed humanity of men and the exclusive, restricted goal of calming the delicate masculine ego that is ingrained in women.

Without mincing words, a truth worthy of full acceptance is that for decades, everyone has had their eyes fixed on female folks as the victims of gender discrimination. Unfortunately, the male, as Adichie posits, are themselves victims —victims of societal demands, and pretentious living due to unexpressed emotions. As such, Adichie does not just advocate the rights of women, but she also advocates the need for a better male upbringing system that recognizes the vulnerability of male folks and encourages their expression of it when they have to.

The possibility of varying responses of females to gender discrimination is also subtly encapsulated in the text. From a psychological standpoint, several women like the author have been able to maneuver “many lessons of the gender they internalized while growing up.” Many others have however not been able to. Several females in this category are deeply immersed in the pool of the lessons of gender that denigrate females which they have internalized day after day right from infancy to adulthood.

The accomplishments of well-meaning females in society serve as enough evidence to refute the erroneous belief that females are less intelligent than males. This landmark ought to serve as a motivation for females to live maximally exploiting their full potential, not with the narrow aim of proving a point but to be true versions of themselves. Females are as likely as males to possess intelligence, innovation, creativity, and inventiveness. In light of this, our society needs to evolve in its conception of gender and role attribution. If prejudice against women has always been fueled by society, then our culture is changing. We ought to handle gender issues in the same way.