Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie, has scoffed at suggestions that she became popular after American pop star, Beyoncé, sampled her speech titled ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ for her 2013 hit single, ‘Flawless’.
The 39-year-old also disassociated herself from the kind of feminism the former Destiny’s Child member propagates.
Speaking recently to Dutch newspaper, de Volkskrant, ahead of the Dutch translation of her TED talk, Chimamanda said “I think she’s lovely and I am convinced that she has nothing but the best intentions.
“In addition, Beyoncé is a celebrity of the first order and with this song she has reached many people who would otherwise probably never have heard the word feminism, let alone gone out and buy my essay.”
Chimamanda, however, said she was shocked at the response from the press, particularly by the number of interview requests she received after the release of Beyoncé’s video: “I felt such a resentment.
“I thought: are books really that unimportant to you?
“Another thing I hated was that I read everywhere: now people finally know her, thanks to Beyoncé, or: she must be very grateful. I found that disappointing.”
Beyoncé’s “type of feminism is not mine,” she said.
“As it is the kind that, at the same time, gives quite a lot of space to the necessity of men.
“I think men are lovely, but I don’t think that women should relate everything they do to men: did he hurt me, do I forgive him, did he put a ring on my finger?
“We women are so conditioned to relate everything to men. Put a group of women together and the conversation will eventually be about men.
“Put a group of men together and they will not talk about women at all, they will just talk about their own stuff.
“We women should spend about 20 per cent of our time on men, because it’s fun, but otherwise we should also be talking about our own stuff.”
