Word tussle…Between Beyonce and Adichie

Part of the lyrics from Beyonce’s new album titled Flawless is currently a feminism controversial one that suggests the American singer attempts to weaken the Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie’s speech on the same subject.

Beyonce and Adichie

Adichie, in a Ted Talk of April 2013 edition had given a speech that was widely regarded as “thoughtful” analysis of woman’s challenges in the contemporary world. But Beyonce’s lyrics, which is a re-written of Adichie’s speech, according to analysts ‘undermines' Adichie’s true reflection of the subject.

Beyonce sings: 

We teach girls to shrink themselves


To make themselves smaller


We say to girls


"You can have ambition


But not too much


You should aim to be successful


But not too successful


Otherwise you will threaten the man

"
Because I am female


I am expected to aspire to marriage


I am expected to make my life choices


Always keeping in mind that


Marriage is the most important


Now marriage can be a source of


Joy and love and mutual support


But why do we teach to aspire to marriage


And we don't teach boys the same?


We raise girls to each other as competitors


Not for jobs or for accomplishments


Which I think can be a good thing


But for the attention of men


We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings


In the way that boys are


Feminist: the person who believes in the social


Political, and economic equality of the sexes.