Ted Talk analysis

 Name of the Ted Talk: We Should All be Feminist 

Speaker: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

Duration: 30 mins 16 sec 

Ted talk 

The speaker of the Ted Talk ' We should All be Feminist ' is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She is a Nigerian writer who has diversity in her work. 

The Ted Talk later was also published as an essay. 

Adichie is seen shattering various myths associated with the word " Feminist". She establishes that anyone who believes in equal rights for both genders is a feminist. She touches upon topics such as gender pay gaps, subtle discrimination in the society, narrow definition of masculinity, focus on ability instead of gender. 

She also speaks about how marriage is seen as an owner instead of a partnership. It is often the woman who has to sacrifice her dreams, her career, her passion in a marriage. 

Towards the end of the speech, she challenges the societal norms and the culture where women are made to feel like lesser beings by making a very powerful statement " People build culture, culture doesn't build people ". 

Analysis 

The speaker has used very simple and clear diction. This helps even non-native English speakers to understand her content. She hasn't made her speech dry and boring instead has used her wit and humor to communicate her points. The fascinating thing here is that the occasional use of humor does not dilute her stance makes it stronger. 

The speaker has accommodated her personal stories to bring to light the discrimination women face. This helps the audience connect to her emotionally. 

Adichie takes the necessary and correct pauses while delivering her speech which works very well. 

She makes use of her expressions and hand gestures to emphasize her points. 

The only flaw in the speech was that she did have a tendency to speak fast occasionally, which made it difficult for the audience to follow her. 

Learning 

The messages, the personal incidents, the thoughts of the speaker were very beautiful weaved together. The passion and the determination in her voice added value to the speech. 

What stood out to me was that there was no judgment in her attitude. She spoke about people who thought that it was wrong to be a feminist and that only unhappy women were feminists. But while speaking about these incidents she never blamed the person ( yes, she admitted that she was upset about it ) instead she presented their ignorance to the audience in a very matter-of-fact manner. She evoked sympathy and not anger for such personalities. 

My opinion on the topic 

The word " Feminism" has been wrongly perceived by many. Let's speak about India specifically. Our culture is deeply rooted in patriarchy that  Feminism as a concept is difficult for us to comprehend.

I have seen so many instances where females who demand equal pay or equal opportunities are called feminazi. A girl who puts on a lot of makeup is called names. Many women fear being called "girly" and take pride when someone calls them a tomboy. There is nothing wrong with being a tomboy likewise there is nothing wrong with putting on makeup or exercising your feminine side. 

The patriarchy not only harms the women but equally hampers the mindset and behavior of men. It defines how a man should behave. It dictates that a Man never cries or feels pain. This is extremely dangerous since it stripes a man of expressing basic emotions. 

Feminism is the need of the hour. It will not only empower women but also men in society.