10 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie quotes to liberate your thoughts

In a world where many fear criticisms and would rather succumb to social pressures, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie stands out.

The Nigerian writer, activist and public speaker is admired by many for the blunt way she peaks to issues pertaining to gender, social class, feminism, race, and identity.

Her honesty and open-mindedness inspire many and her words can fill up any empty vacuum and spring them back to life.

Beyoncé featured her speech on feminism in her hit single ‘Flawless’ and it is just one of the avenues her work was used to bless the world. She is a role model for many young girls and her creativity speaks for itself.

Here are 10 Chimamanda quotes ranging from love and relationships to being African and proud, right through to gender, feminism and being a powerful woman.

“Please do not twist yourself into shapes to please. Don’t do it. If someone likes that version of you, that version of you that is false and holds back, then they actually just like that twisted shape, and not you. And the world is such a gloriously multifaceted, diverse place that there are people in the world who will like you, the real you, as you are.”

“Please love by giving and by taking. Give and be given. If you are only giving and not taking, you’ll know. You’ll know from that small and true voice inside you that we females are so often socialized to silence. Don’t silence that voice. Dare to take.”

“Racism should never have happened and so you don’t get a cookie for reducing it.”

“Some people ask: “Why the word feminist? Why not just say you are a believer in human rights, or something like that?” Because that would be dishonest. Feminism is, of course, part of human rights in general—but to choose to use the vague expression human rights is to deny the specific and particular problem of gender. It would be a way of pretending that it was not women who have, for centuries, been excluded. It would be a way of denying that the problem of gender targets women.”

“There are many different ways to be poor in the world but increasingly there seems to be one single way to be rich.”

“They themselves mocked Africa, trading stories of absurdity, of stupidity, and they felt safe to mock, because it was a mockery born of longing, and of the heartbroken desire to see a place made whole again.”

“The real tragedy of our postcolonial world is not that the majority of people had no say in whether or not they wanted this new world; rather, it is that the majority have not been given the tools to negotiate this new world.”

“Never ever accept ‘Because You Are A Woman’ as a reason for doing or not doing anything.”

“The truth has become an insult.”

“Culture does not make people. People make culture. If it is true that the full humanity of women is not our culture, then we can and must make it our culture.”