ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Novelist
Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature.

Why you should listen

In Nigeria, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Half of a Yellow Sun has helped inspire new, cross-generational communication about the Biafran war. In this and in her other works, she seeks to instill dignity into the finest details of each character, whether poor, middle class or rich, exposing along the way the deep scars of colonialism in the African landscape.

Adichie's newest book, The Thing Around Your Neck, is a brilliant collection of stories about Nigerians struggling to cope with a corrupted context in their home country, and about the Nigerian immigrant experience.

Adichie builds on the literary tradition of Igbo literary giant Chinua Achebe—and when she found out that Achebe liked Half of a Yellow Sun, she says she cried for a whole day. What he said about her rings true: “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers.”

(Photo: Wani Olatunde) 

More profile about the speaker
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxEuston

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: We should all be feminists

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Todos deberíamos ser feministas

Filmed:
4,033,919 views

Ensinamos ás nenas que poden ter ambición, pero non demasiada... poden ter éxito, pero non demasiado, ou os homes sentiránse ameazados, di Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Nesta charla clásica que abriu unha xuntanza mundial sobre feminismo, Adichie pídenos que empecemos a soñar e plantexar un mundo diferente, máis xusto -- de homes e mulleres máis felices que sexan fieis a si mesmos.
- Novelist
Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
So I would like to start by telling you
about one of my greatest friends,
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Gustaríame comezar falándolles
dun dos meus grandes amigos,
00:17
Okoloma Maduewesi.
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Okoloma Maduewesi.
00:19
Okoloma lived on my street
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Okoloma vivía na miña rúa
00:21
and looked after me like a big brother.
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e coidaba de min coma un irmán maior.
00:23
If I liked a boy,
I would ask Okoloma's opinion.
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Se me gustaba un rapaz, gustábame
pedirlle opinión a Okoloma.
00:28
Okoloma died in the notorious
Sosoliso plane crash
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Okoloma morreu no coñecido
accidente aéreo de Sosoliso
00:32
in Nigeria in December of 2005.
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en Nixeria en decembro de 2005.
00:35
Almost exactly seven years ago.
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Fai case exactamente sete anos.
00:38
Okoloma was a person I could argue with,
laugh with and truly talk to.
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Okoloma era unha persoa coa que podía
discutir, rir e verdadeiramente falar.
Tamén foi a primeira persoa
que me chamou feminista.
00:43
He was also the first person
to call me a feminist.
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Eu tiña uns 14 anos,
estabamos na súa casa rifando.
00:47
I was about fourteen,
we were at his house, arguing.
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Ámbolos dous alporizados polos
escasos coñecementos obtidos
00:50
Both of us bristling
with half bit knowledge
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00:53
from books that we had read.
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dos libros que leramos.
00:55
I don't remember what this
particular argument was about,
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Non recordo sobre
que era a discusión en particular,
00:59
but I remember
that as I argued and argued,
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pero recordo que rifaba e rifaba,
01:01
Okoloma looked at me and said,
"You know, you're a feminist."
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Okoloma miroume e díxome:
"Ti es unha feminista".
01:05
It was not a compliment.
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Non era un piropo.
01:07
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
01:08
I could tell from his tone,
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Decateime polo seu ton,
01:09
the same tone that you would use
to say something like,
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o mesmo ton que empregarías
para dicir:
01:12
"You're a supporter of terrorism."
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"Ti es unha terrorista".
01:14
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
01:17
I did not know exactly
what this word "feminist" meant,
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Non sabía exactamente,
o que significaba "feminista",
01:20
and I did not want Okoloma
to know that I did not know.
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e non quería que Okoloma soubera
que eu non o sabía.
01:24
So I brushed it aside,
and I continued to argue.
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Así que afasteina, e seguín discutindo.
01:27
And the first thing
I planned to do when I got home
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E o primeiro que fixen
ao chegar á miña casa
01:29
was to look up the word
"feminist" in the dictionary.
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foi busca-la palabra
"feminista" no dicionario.
01:32
Now fast forward to some years later,
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Agora dando un salto no tempo,
algúns anos máis tarde,
01:35
I wrote a novel about a man
who among other things beats his wife
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escribín unha novela sobre un home que,
entre outras cousas, pegaba á súa muller
01:39
and whose story doesn't end very well.
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e cuxa historia non remata moi ben.
01:42
While I was promoting
the novel in Nigeria,
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Mentres eu promocionaba
a novela en Nixeria,
01:44
a journalist, a nice, well-meaning man,
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un periodista agradable,
un home ben intencionado,
01:47
told me he wanted to advise me.
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dixo que quería darme un consello.
01:51
And for the Nigerians here,
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E para os nixerianos aquí,
estou segura que todos estamos
familiarizados
01:52
I'm sure we're all familiar
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01:54
with how quick our people are
to give unsolicited advice.
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có rápida que é a nosa xente
dando consellos non solicitados.
02:01
He told me that people were saying
that my novel was feminist
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Díxome que a xente dicía
que a miña novela era feminista
02:05
and his advice to me --
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e o seu consello para min,
02:06
and he was shaking his head
sadly as he spoke --
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e sacudía a cabeza
con tristura mentres falaba,
02:10
was that I should never
call myself a feminist
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foi que nunca debería
dicir que son feminista
02:12
because feminists
are women who are unhappy
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porque as feministas
son mulleres descontentas
02:14
because they cannot find husbands.
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porque non poden atopar marido.
02:16
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
02:21
So I decided to call myself
"a happy feminist."
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Así que decidín autodenominarme
"feminista feliz".
02:25
Then an academic, a Nigerian woman told me
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Entón, unha muller Nixeriana
académica díxome
que o feminismo
non era da nosa cultura
02:27
that feminism was not our culture
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e que o feminismo non era africano,
02:29
and that feminism wasn't African,
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02:31
and that I was calling myself a feminist
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e que me autodenominaba feminista
porque estaba corrompida
por "libros occidentais."
02:33
because I had been corrupted
by "Western books."
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O cal divertiume moito,
02:36
Which amused me,
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porque moitas das miñas primeiras
lecturas foron claramente anti-feministas.
02:37
because a lot of my early readings
were decidedly unfeminist.
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02:40
I think I must have read every single
Mills & Boon romance published
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Creo que lin cada novela (rosa)
publicada de Mills e Boon
02:43
before I was sixteen.
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antes de ter 16 anos.
02:45
And each time I tried to read those books
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E cada vez que intentaba ler eses libros,
02:47
called "the feminist classics,"
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chamados "os clásicos feministas",
02:49
I'd get bored, and I really
struggled to finish them.
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aburríame, e tiven que esforzarme
para terminar de lelos.
02:52
But anyway, since feminism was un-African,
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Pero, como de calquera xeito,
o feminismo non era africano,
02:55
I decided that I would now call myself
"a happy African feminist."
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decidín que agora denominaríame
"feminista africana feliz".
02:59
At some point I was a happy African
feminist who does not hate men
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Nese momento era unha feminista
africana feliz que non odiaba aos homes
e á que lle gustaba
o carmín nos beizos
03:04
and who likes lip gloss
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03:05
and who wears high heels
for herself but not for men.
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e que levaba tacóns para si mesma
e non para os homes.
03:08
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
03:09
Of course a lot of this
was tongue-in-cheek,
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Por suposto, moito disto é retranca,
03:12
but that word feminist is so heavy
with baggage, negative baggage.
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pero a palabra feminista é unha carga
tan pesada, tan negativa.
03:16
You hate men, you hate bras,
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Odias aos homes,
odias aos suxeitadores,
03:19
you hate African culture,
that sort of thing.
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odias a cultura africana,
ese tipo de cousas.
03:22
Now here's a story from my childhood.
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Agora unha historia da miña nenez.
03:25
When I was in primary school,
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Cando estaba na escola primaria,
03:26
my teacher said at the beginning of term
that she would give the class a test
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a miña mestra dixo ao comezo do curso
que faría unha proba á clase
e aquel que tivera a puntuación
máis alta sería o delegado da clase.
03:31
and whoever got the highest score
would be the class monitor.
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03:34
Now, class monitor was a big deal.
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Ser delegado de clase
era moi importante.
03:37
If you were a class monitor,
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Se un era delegado de clase,
03:39
you got to write down
the names of noisemakers --
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tiña que apuntar
os nomes dos revoltosos,
03:41
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
03:43
which was having enough power of its own.
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o que che daba bastante poder.
03:46
But my teacher would also give you
a cane to hold in your hand
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Pero a miña mestra tamén che daba
un bastón para soster na túa man
03:51
while you walk around
and patrol the class for noisemakers.
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mentres patrullabas a clase para
controlar aos revoltosos.
03:55
Now, of course you were not
actually allowed to use the cane.
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Por suposto, non tiñas permitido
realmente usar o bastón.
03:58
But it was an exciting prospect
for the nine-year-old me.
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Pero era unha actividade moi excitante
para unha nena de nove anos.
04:02
I very much wanted
to be the class monitor.
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Tiña moitas ganas de ser
a delegada da clase.
E conseguín a puntuación máis
alta na proba.
04:05
And I got the highest score on the test.
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Entón, para a miña sorpresa, a profesora
dixo que o delegado tiña que ser un neno.
04:07
Then, to my surprise, my teacher said
that the monitor had to be a boy.
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04:12
She had forgotten
to make that clear earlier
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Esquecérase de deixalo claro antes
04:14
because she assumed it was ... obvious.
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porque ela asumira que era... obvio.
04:16
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
04:18
A boy had the second highest
score on the test,
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Un neno tivo a segunda nota
máis alta na proba,
04:21
and he would be monitor.
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e el foi o delegado.
Agora, o que resulta aínda
máis interesante nisto
04:23
Now, what was even more
interesting about this
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04:26
is that the boy was a sweet, gentle soul
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é que o neno era unha
alma cándida
04:30
who had no interest
in patrolling the class with the cane,
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que non tiña ningún interese en
patrulla-la clase có bastón,
04:34
while I was full of ambition to do so.
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mentres que eu estaba
desexando facelo.
04:38
But I was female and he was male,
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Pero eu era muller e el era un home,
04:40
and so he became the class monitor.
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e así el chegou a ser o delegado da clase.
04:43
And I've never forgotten that incident.
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E eu nunca esquecín ese incidente.
A miúdo, eu cometo o erro de pensar
04:46
I often make the mistake of thinking
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04:48
that something that is obvious to me
is just as obvious to everyone else.
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que algo que é obvio para min,
ten que selo para os demais.
Agora, tomemos ao meu querido amigo Louis
04:51
Now, take my dear friend Louis
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04:53
for example.
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por exemplo.
04:54
Louis is a brilliant, progressive man,
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Louis é un home brillante, progresista,
04:56
and we would have conversations
and he would tell me,
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e tiñamos conversas nas
que el me dicía,
04:58
"I don't know what you mean by things
being different or harder for women.
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"Non sei que queres dicir con que as
cousas son máis difíciles para a muller.
05:02
Maybe in the past, but not now."
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Talvez no pasado, pero non agora ".
05:05
And I didn't understand how Louis
could not see what seems so self-evident.
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E eu non entendía como Louis non podía ver
o que para min é tan evidente.
05:10
Then one evening, in Lagos,
Louis and I went out with friends.
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Entón, unha tarde, en Lagos, Louis
e máis eu saímos cuns amigos.
05:14
And for people here
who are not familiar with Lagos,
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E para os que están aquí
e que non coñecen Lagos,
05:16
there's that wonderful Lagos' fixture,
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alí teñen algo marabilloso,
sempre hai algún home enérxico
pululando arredor dos establecementos
05:18
the sprinkling of energetic men
who hang around outside establishments
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05:23
and very dramatically
"help" you park your car.
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e de xeito moi serio "axúdate"
a aparca-lo teu coche.
05:28
I was impressed
with the particular theatrics
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Eu estaba impresionada
cun home en particular
05:31
of the man who found us
a parking spot that evening.
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que conseguiu atoparnos unha praza
de aparcamento pola noite.
05:34
And so as we were leaving,
I decided to leave him a tip.
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E así, cando marchabamos, decidín
deixarlle unha propina.
05:38
I opened my bag,
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Abrín o meu bolso,
05:40
put my hand inside my bag,
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metín dentro a miña man,
05:41
brought out my money
that I had earned from doing my work,
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saquei os meus cartos que
gañara có meu traballo,
e deillos ao home.
05:45
and I gave it to the man.
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05:47
And he, this man who was
very grateful and very happy,
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E ese home, que estaba moi agradecido
e moi feliz,
05:52
took the money from me,
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colleu os meus cartos,
05:53
looked across at Louis
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mirou cara Louis
05:55
and said, "Thank you, sir!"
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e díxolle: "Grazas, señor!"
05:57
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
06:03
Louis looked at me, surprised,
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Louis miroume, sorprendido,
e preguntoume
06:06
and asked, "Why is he thanking me?
I didn't give him the money."
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"Por que mo agradece a min?
Eu non lle din o diñeiro."
06:10
Then I saw realization
dawn on Louis' face.
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Entón vin a revelación
no rostro de Louis.
06:15
The man believed that whatever money I had
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O home pensaba que calquera diñeiro
que eu tivera,
06:17
had ultimately come from Louis.
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tiña que vir, en última instancia,
de Louis.
06:21
Because Louis is a man.
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Porque Louis é un home.
06:24
Men and women are different.
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Homes e mulleres son diferentes.
06:26
We have different hormones,
we have different sexual organs,
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Temos diferentes hormonas,
temos órganos sexuais distintos,
06:29
we have different biological abilities.
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temos diferentes capacidades biolóxicas.
06:31
Women can have babies, men can't.
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As mulleres poden ter bebés,
os homes non.
06:34
At least not yet.
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Ao menos, polo de agora.
06:36
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
06:37
Men have testosterone and are
in general physically stronger than women.
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Os homes teñen testosterona e son,
en xeral, máis fortes cas mulleres.
06:42
There's slightly more women
than men in the world,
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Hai lixeiramente máis mulleres
que homes no mundo,
06:45
about 52 percent of the world's
population is female.
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arredor do 52 % da poboación mundial
é de sexo feminino.
06:48
But most of the positions of power
and prestige are occupied by men.
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Pero a maioría das posicións de poder
e prestixio están ocupadas por homes.
06:52
The late Kenyan Nobel Peace laureate,
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A última premio Nobel da Paz de Kenia,
06:55
Wangari Maathai,
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Wangari Maathai,
06:56
put it simply and well when she said:
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díxoo moi claro en poucas palabras:
06:59
"The higher you go,
the fewer women there are."
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"Canto máis ascendes,
menos mulleres hai"
07:03
In the recent US elections we kept hearing
of the Lilly Ledbetter law,
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Nas pasadas elecións americanas estivemos
moi pendentes da lei Lilly Ledbetter,
07:08
and if we go beyond the nicely
alliterative name of that law,
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e indo máis aló da retórica,
o nome da dita Lei,
07:12
it was really about a man and a woman
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refírese realmente a homes
e mulleres que,
07:14
doing the same job,
being equally qualified,
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facendo o mesmo traballo,
estando igualmente preparados,
07:16
and the man being paid more
because he's a man.
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págaselle máis ao home,
porque é un home.
07:20
So in the literal way, men rule the world,
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Así, no sentido literal,
os homes gobernan o mundo,
07:23
and this made sense a thousand years ago
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e isto tiña sentido fai mil anos
07:27
because human beings lived then in a world
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porque os seres humanos
vivían entón nun mundo
07:30
in which physical strength was
the most important attribute for survival.
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no que a forza física era o atributo
máis importante cara a supervivencia.
07:34
The physically stronger person
was more likely to lead,
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A persoa fisicamente máis forte era,
probablemente, a que mandaba,
07:39
and men, in general,
are physically stronger.
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e os homes, en xeral, son
fisicamente mais fortes.
07:41
Of course there are many exceptions.
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Por suposto, hai moitas excepcións.
07:43
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
07:45
But today we live
in a vastly different world.
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Pero hoxe en día vivimos
nun mundo moi diferente.
07:49
The person more likely to lead
is not the physically stronger person;
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A persoa que probablemente manda
non é a persoa fisicamente máis forte;
07:53
it is the more creative person,
the more intelligent person,
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é a persoa máis creativa,
a persoa máis intelixente,
07:57
the more innovative person,
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a persoa máis innovadora,
07:59
and there are no hormones
for those attributes.
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e non hai hormonas para eses atributos.
Un home ten a mesma probabilidade
que unha muller de ser intelixente
08:02
A man is as likely as a woman
to be intelligent,
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08:05
to be creative, to be innovative.
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ser creativo, ser innovador.
08:07
We have evolved;
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Evolucionamos;
08:09
but it seems to me that our ideas
of gender had not evolved.
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pero paréceme que as nosas ideas
de xénero non evolucionaron.
08:13
Some weeks ago, I walked into a lobby
of one of the best Nigerian hotels.
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Fai algunhas semanas, entrei no vestíbulo
dun dos mellores hoteis de Nixeria.
08:18
I thought about naming the hotel,
but I thought I probably shouldn't.
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Pensaba darlle-lo nome do hotel,
pero probablemente no debería.
08:21
And a guard at the entrance stopped me
and asked me annoying questions,
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E un garda na entrada paroume
e fíxome preguntas molestas,
debido á súa suposición automática de que
08:25
because their automatic assumption is
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08:27
that a Nigerian female walking
into a hotel alone is a sex worker.
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unha muller Nixeriana que entra soa
nun hotel é unha traballadora sexual.
E, por certo,
08:33
And by the way,
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08:34
why do these hotels
focus on the ostensible supply
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por que eses hoteis céntranse
na oferta ostentosa
08:37
rather than the demand for sex workers?
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e non na demanda de profesionais do sexo?
08:41
In Lagos I cannot go alone
into many "reputable" bars and clubs.
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En Lagos eu non podo ir soa
a certos bares e clubs "respectables".
08:46
They just don't let you in
if you're a woman alone,
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Eles simplemente non te deixan entrar
se vas soa,
08:49
you have to be accompanied by a man.
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tes que ir en compañia dun home.
08:51
Each time I walk into
a Nigerian restaurant with a man,
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Cada vez que entro nun restaurante
nixeriano cun home,
08:54
the waiter greets the man and ignores me.
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o camareiro saúda ao home
e a min ignórame.
08:58
The waiters are products --
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Os camareiros son produtos
08:59
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
09:01
At this some women
felt like, "Yes! I thought that!"
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E nisto algunhas mulleres senten
como "Si! Iso pensaba eu!"
Os camareiros son produto dunha sociedade
09:03
The waiters are products of a society
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531920
1936
09:05
that has taught them that men
are more important than women.
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que lles ensinou que os homes son
máis importantes cas mulleres.
09:10
And I know that waiters
don't intend any harm.
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Eu sei que os camareiros
non pretenden facer dano.
09:13
But it's one thing to know intellectually
and quite another to feel it emotionally.
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Pero unha cousa é o saber intelectual,
e outra moi distinta son as emocións.
09:17
Each time they ignore me,
I feel invisible.
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Cada vez que me ignoran,
síntome invisible.
09:19
I feel upset.
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Síntome molesta.
09:21
I want to tell them
that I am just as human as the man,
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Quero dicirlles que eu son
tan humana como un home,
09:25
that I'm just as worthy of acknowledgment.
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2800
son tan merecente de consideración.
Son pequenas cousas,
09:28
These are little things,
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09:30
but sometimes it's the little things
that sting the most.
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pero, as veces, son as pequenas
cousas as que máis doen.
09:33
And not long ago, I wrote an article
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Hai pouco tempo, escribín un artigo
09:35
about what it means
to be young and female in Lagos,
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acerca do que significa ser
xove e muller en Lagos,
09:38
and the printers told me,
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e os editores dixéronme que,
09:41
"It was so angry."
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1200
"era tan indignado."
09:42
Of course it was angry!
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Por suposto que era indignado!
09:44
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
09:48
I am angry.
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Eu estou indignada.
09:50
Gender as it functions today
is a grave injustice.
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3136
O xénero, tal e como funciona hoxe en día,
é unha grave inxustiza.
09:53
We should all be angry.
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Todos deberíamos estar indignados.
09:55
Anger has a long history
of bringing about positive change;
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A indignación adoita traer
cambios positivos;
09:59
but, in addition to being angry,
I'm also hopeful.
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pero, ademais de estar indignada,
eu tamén estou esperanzada.
Porque creo profundamente
na capacidade dos seres humanos
10:02
Because I believe deeply
in the ability of human beings
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10:05
to make and remake
themselves for the better.
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para mellorarse cada vez máis.
10:08
Gender matters everywhere in the world,
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O xénero é importante
en todo o mundo,
10:10
but I want to focus on Nigeria
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2656
pero eu quero centrarme en Nixeria
10:13
and on Africa in general,
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1456
e en África en xeral,
10:15
because it is where I know,
and because it is where my heart is.
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porque é o que eu coñezo, e porque é
onde está o meu corazón.
10:18
And I would like today to ask
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1936
E gustaríame preguntar hoxe
10:20
that we begin to dream about
and plan for a different world,
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como empezamos a soñar e planificar
un mundo diferente,
10:24
a fairer world,
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1320
un mundo máis xusto,
10:28
a world of happier men and happier women
who are truer to themselves.
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un mundo de homes e mulleres máis felices
que son máis fieis a si mesmos.
10:32
And this is how to start:
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1536
E así é como debemos facelo:
10:34
we must raise our daughters differently.
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debemos educar as nosas fillas
de maneira diferente.
10:36
We must also raise our sons differently.
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Tamén debemos educar aos nosos fillos
de maneira diferente.
10:40
We do a great disservice to boys
on how we raise them;
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3656
Facemos un fraco favor aos nenos
tal e como os educamos;
10:43
we stifle the humanity of boys.
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reprimimos a humanidade dos nenos.
10:46
We define masculinity
in a very narrow way,
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Definimos a masculinidade
dun xeito moi limitado,
10:49
masculinity becomes this hard, small cage
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3496
a masculinidade convértese
nunha ríxida e pequena gaiola
10:52
and we put boys inside the cage.
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2296
e poñemos aos nenos dentro da gaiola.
10:54
We teach boys to be afraid of fear.
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1920
Ensinamos aos nenos a ter medo do medo.
10:57
We teach boys to be afraid
of weakness, of vulnerability.
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645480
3760
Ensinamos aos nenos a ter medo
da debilidade, da vulnerabilidade.
Ensinámoslles ocultar
o seu verdadeiro ser,
11:02
We teach them to mask their true selves,
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650200
2456
11:04
because they have to be,
in Nigerian speak, "hard man!"
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4240
porque teñen que ser, como din os
nixerianos, "homes duros!"
11:10
In secondary school, a boy and a girl,
both of them teenagers,
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658440
4136
No instituto, un rapaz e unha rapaza,
ámbolos dous adolescentes,
11:14
both of them with the same amount
of pocket money, would go out
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662600
3496
ámbolos dous coa mesma cantidade
de cartos no peto,
11:18
and then the boy
would be expected always to pay,
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2776
se saíran, esperaríamos
que o rapaz pagase
11:20
to prove his masculinity.
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para demostrar a súa masculinidade.
11:23
And yet we wonder why boys are more likely
to steal money from their parents.
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3800
E aínda preguntamos por que os nenos é
máis probable que rouben aos seus pais?
11:29
What if both boys and girls were raised
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3496
Que pasaría se educásemos aos nenos
e as nenas
11:32
not to link masculinity with money?
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2120
para non vincular a masculinidade
cós cartos?
11:35
What if the attitude
was not "the boy has to pay"
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683720
3016
Que pasaría se a actitude non fora
"o rapaz ten que pagar"
11:38
but rather "whoever has more should pay?"
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686760
2760
senón máis ben
"o que máis ten, debe pagar?"
Agora, por suposto, debido a
unha vantaxe histórica,
11:42
Now, of course because
of that historical advantage,
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690360
2576
a maioría das veces serán os homes
os que máis teñan hoxe,
11:44
it is mostly men who will have more today,
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692960
2456
11:47
but if we start
raising children differently,
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695440
2616
pero se comezamos a educar aos nenos
doutro xeito,
11:50
then in fifty years, in a hundred years,
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698080
2536
entón, en cincuenta anos, en cen anos,
11:52
boys will no longer have the pressure
of having to prove this masculinity.
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700640
3800
os nenos xa non terán a presión de ter que
demostrar a súa masculinidade.
Pero, con moito, o peor que
lles facemos aos varóns,
11:57
But by far the worst thing we do to males,
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705680
3016
12:00
by making them feel
that they have to be hard,
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708720
2336
facéndolles sentir que
teñen que ser duros,
12:03
is that we leave them
with very fragile egos.
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711080
3120
é que os deixamos con egos moi fráxiles.
12:07
The more "hard man"
the man feels compelled to be,
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3400
Canto máis "home duro" séntese
obrigado a ser un home,
12:11
the weaker his ego is.
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719320
1600
máis débil é o seu ego.
12:14
And then we do a much greater
disservice to girls
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722960
3016
E entón facemos un prexuízo
moito maior ás nenas
12:18
because we raise them
to cater to the fragile egos of men.
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3320
porque as educamos para atender
ós fráxiles egos dos homes.
12:22
We teach girls to shrink themselves,
to make themselves smaller,
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730200
3496
Ensinamos ás nenas a reprimirse a si
mesmas, a facerse máis pequenas,
12:25
we say to girls,
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733720
1200
dicimos ás nenas,
12:27
"You can have ambition, but not too much."
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735640
2176
"Podes ter ambición, pero non demasiada."
12:29
(Laughter)
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1376
(Risas)
12:31
"You should aim to be successful,
but not too successful,
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739240
2696
"Podes busca-lo éxito, pero non demasiado,
12:33
otherwise you would threaten the man."
247
741960
2040
senón, serás unha ameaza para o home".
12:36
If you are the breadwinner
in your relationship with a man,
248
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2896
Se ti e-lo sostén da túa relación
cun home,
12:39
you have to pretend that you're not,
249
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1976
tes que finxir que non o es,
12:41
especially in public,
250
749640
1656
sobre todo en público,
12:43
otherwise you will emasculate him.
251
751320
2040
senón vas a castralo.
Pero, que pasa se cuestionamos
a premisa en si mesma?
12:46
But what if we question
the premise itself?
252
754720
2336
12:49
Why should a woman's success
be a threat to a man?
253
757080
3320
Por que debería ser o éxito dunha muller
unha ameaza para o home?
12:53
What if we decide
to simply dispose of that word,
254
761200
3536
que pasa se, simplemente,
desfacémonos desa palabra,
12:56
and I don't think there's an English word
I dislike more than "emasculation."
255
764760
4720
e non creo que haxa unha palabra inglesa
que me desguste máis que "castración".
13:02
A Nigerian acquaintance once asked me
256
770720
2296
Un coñecido nixeriano preguntoume unha vez
se me preocupaba que os homes
sentíranse intimidados por min.
13:05
if I was worried that men
would be intimidated by me.
257
773040
2640
Non estaba preocupada en absoluto.
13:08
I was not worried at all.
258
776560
1736
13:10
In fact, it had not occurred
to me to be worried
259
778320
2256
De feito, non se me ocorrera
estar preocupada
porque un home que se sentira
intimidado por min
13:12
because a man who would
be intimidated by me
260
780600
2216
13:14
is exactly the kind of man
I would have no interest in.
261
782840
2616
é exactamente o tipo de home
que non me interesa.
13:17
(Laughter)
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785480
1216
(Risas)
13:18
(Applause)
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786720
2080
(Aplausos)
13:26
But still I was really struck by this.
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794120
2840
Aínda así, eu estaba realmente
sorprendida por isto.
Como son muller, espérase
que aspire ao matrimonio;
13:29
Because I'm female,
I'm expected to aspire to marriage;
265
797640
3600
Espérase que tome as decisións
da miña vida
13:33
I'm expected to make my life choices
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801960
1776
13:35
always keeping in mind
that marriage is the most important.
267
803760
3080
sempre tendo en conta que o matrimonio
é o máis importante.
13:40
A marriage can be a good thing;
268
808040
1976
Un matrimonio pode ser algo bo;
13:42
it can be a source of joy
and love and mutual support.
269
810040
4416
pode ser fonte de alegría e amor,
e de apoio mutuo.
Pero, por que ensinamos ás nenas
a aspirar ao matrimonio
13:46
But why do we teach girls
to aspire to marriage
270
814480
2456
13:48
and we don't teach boys the same?
271
816960
1720
e non ensinamos o mesmo aos nenos?
Coñezo a unha muller que decidiu
vende-la súa casa
13:52
I know a woman
who decided to sell her house
272
820840
2176
13:55
because she didn't want
to intimidate a man who might marry her.
273
823040
3040
porque non quería intimidar
ao home que puidera casar con ela.
Coñezo unha muller solteira en Nixeria
que, cando vai a congresos,
13:59
I know an unmarried woman in Nigeria
who, when she goes to conferences,
274
827880
4456
14:04
wears a wedding ring
275
832360
1376
leva anel de casada
14:05
because according to her,
276
833760
1216
porque, segundo ela,
14:07
she wants the other participants
in the conference to "give her respect."
277
835000
3920
quere que os outros participantes
do congreso lle "teñan respecto"
Eu coñezo mulleres novas, que están
baixo tanta presión
14:12
I know young women
who are under so much pressure
278
840120
2336
14:14
from family, from friends,
even from work to get married,
279
842480
4096
da familia, dos amigos,
incluso do traballo, para casarse,
que son empurradas a tomar
decisións terribles.
14:18
and they're pushed
to make terrible choices.
280
846600
2080
14:21
A woman at a certain age who is unmarried,
281
849520
2616
Unha muller de certa idade
que non está casada,
14:24
our society teaches her
to see it as a deep, personal failure.
282
852160
4120
na nosa sociedade ensínasenos a velo
como un profundo fracaso persoal.
14:29
And a man at a certain age
who is unmarried,
283
857040
2776
E un home de certa idade
que non está casado,
só pensamos que non lle chegou o tempo
de facer a súa elección.
14:31
we just think he hasn't come around
to making his pick.
284
859840
2616
14:34
(Laughter)
285
862480
1856
(Risas)
É fácil para nós dicir,
14:36
It's easy for us to say,
286
864360
1616
"Oh, pero as mulleres poden simplemente
dicir non a todo isto."
14:38
"Oh, but women can
just say no to all of this."
287
866000
2256
14:40
But the reality is more difficult
and more complex.
288
868280
2440
Pero a realidade é máis difícil
e máis complexa.
14:43
We're all social beings.
289
871360
1776
Todos somos seres sociais.
14:45
We internalize ideas
from our socialization.
290
873160
2496
Interiorizamos ideas a partires
desa socialización.
14:47
Even the language we use
291
875680
1976
Incluso a linguaxe que usamos,
14:49
in talking about marriage
and relationships illustrates this.
292
877680
3416
cando falamos sobre o matrimonio
e as relaciones, ilustra isto.
14:53
The language of marriage
is often the language of ownership
293
881120
2856
A linguaxe do matrimonio é,a miúdo,
a linguaxe da propiedade
14:56
rather than the language of partnership.
294
884000
2160
máis ca linguaxe da asociación.
14:58
We use the word "respect"
295
886800
2696
Usamos a palabra "respecto"
15:01
to mean something a woman shows a man
296
889520
2776
no sentido de algo que unha muller
amosa a un home
pero, a miúdo non é algo que un home
amosa a unha muller.
15:04
but often not something
a man shows a woman.
297
892320
2080
15:08
Both men and women in Nigeria will say --
298
896160
2456
Tanto homes como mulleres en Nixeria dirán
-isto é unha expresión que me parece
moi divertida-
15:10
this is an expression
I'm very amused by --
299
898640
2296
15:12
"I did it for peace in my marriage."
300
900960
2320
"Fíxeno polo ben do meu matrimonio."
Agora ben, cando é un home quen o di,
15:16
Now, when men say it,
301
904400
1576
15:18
it is usually about something
that they should not be doing anyway.
302
906000
3176
xeralmente refírese a algo que
non debería fixer.
15:21
(Laughter)
303
909200
1936
(Risas)
15:23
Sometimes they say it to their friends,
304
911160
2776
As veces, eles din aos seus amigos,
15:25
it's something to say to their friends
in a kind of fondly exasperated way,
305
913960
3936
é algo que dicir aos seus amigos
dun xeito claramente exasperado,
15:29
you know, something that ultimately
proves how masculine they are,
306
917920
3136
xa sabedes, algo que, finalmente,
demostra o masculinos que son,
o necesarios e queridos que son.
15:33
how needed, how loved.
307
921080
1456
"Oh, a miña muller di que non podo ir
ao club tódalas noites,
15:34
"Oh, my wife said
I can't go to the club every night,
308
922560
2496
15:37
so for peace in my marriage,
I do it only on weekends."
309
925080
2816
así que, para o ben do meu matrimonio,
só vou a fin de semana ".
15:39
(Laughter)
310
927920
1696
(Risas)
15:41
Now, when a woman says,
"I did it for peace in my marriage,"
311
929640
4256
Agora, cando unha muller di,
"fíxeno polo ben do meu matrimonio,"
15:45
she's usually talking
about giving up a job,
312
933920
3536
xeralmente está a falar de renunciar
a un posto de traballo,
15:49
a dream,
313
937480
1456
a un sono,
15:50
a career.
314
938960
1360
a unha carreira.
15:53
We teach females that in relationships,
315
941080
2416
Ensinamos ás mulleres que, nas relacións,
15:55
compromise is what women do.
316
943520
2280
o compromiso é o que fan as mulleres.
Educamos as nenas para que vexan
ás outras como competidoras,
15:59
We raise girls to see
each other as competitors --
317
947080
2576
16:01
not for jobs or for accomplishments,
which I think can be a good thing,
318
949680
3456
non para postos de traballo ou outros
logros, o cal pode ser algo bo,
16:05
but for attention of men.
319
953160
1600
senón para a atención dos homes.
16:07
We teach girls that they
cannot be sexual beings
320
955920
2936
Ensinamos ás nenas que non poden
ser seres sexuais
16:10
in the way that boys are.
321
958880
1496
no xeito en que son os nenos.
16:12
If we have sons, we don't mind
knowing about our sons' girlfriends.
322
960400
3320
Se temos fillos, non nos preocupamos
de coñecer ás súas noivas.
16:16
But our daughters' boyfriends? God forbid.
323
964480
2336
Pero,os noivos das nosas fillas?
Líbrenos Deus!
16:18
(Laughter)
324
966840
1616
(Risas)
Pero, por suposto, cando chegue o momento,
16:20
But of course when the time is right,
325
968480
1816
16:22
we expect those girls to bring back
the perfect man to be their husbands.
326
970320
3896
esperamos que esas chicas atopen ao home
perfecto para que sexa o seu esposo.
16:26
We police girls,
we praise girls for virginity,
327
974240
3376
Nós controlamos ás nenas,
loamos ás nenas pola súa virxindade,
16:29
but we don't praise boys for virginity,
328
977640
1936
pero non loamos aos nenos pola virxindade,
16:31
and it's always made me wonder how exactly
this is supposed to work out because ...
329
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3905
e sempre pregunteime como funciona
isto exactamente, porque ...
16:35
(Laughter)
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2327
(Risas)
16:37
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
Quero dicir, a perda da virxindade é,
polo xeral, un proceso que implica...
16:45
I mean, the loss of virginity
is usually a process that involves ...
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3400
16:50
Recently a young woman
was gang raped in a university in Nigeria,
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4176
Recentemente, unha muller nova foi violada
en grupo nunha universidade de Nixeria,
penso que algúns de nos
xa o coñecíamos.
16:54
I think some of us know about that.
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1696
16:56
And the response of many young Nigerians,
both male and female,
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3256
E a resposta de moitos mozos Nixerianos,
tanto homes como mulleres,
16:59
was something along the lines of this:
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2496
foi algo nesta liña:
17:02
"Yes, rape is wrong.
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2176
"Si, a violación é algo malo.
17:04
But what is a girl doing
in a room with four boys?"
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Pero, que facía unha rapaza nun cuarto
con catro rapaces?"
17:08
Now, if we can forget
the horrible inhumanity of that response,
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4120
Agora ben, se podemos esquecer
o inhumano desa resposta,
17:14
these Nigerians have been raised
to think of women as inherently guilty,
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3920
eses nixerianos foron educados para pensar
nas mulleres como culpables por natureza
17:19
and they have been raised
to expect so little of men
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3136
e foron educados para esperar tan pouco
dos homes
17:22
that the idea of men as savage beings
without any control
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que a idea dos homes como
seres salvaxes sen control
17:26
is somehow acceptable.
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é, dalgún xeito, aceptable.
Ensinamos ás nenas vergonza.
17:28
We teach girls shame.
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2017
17:30
"Close your legs." "Cover yourself."
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"Pecha as túas pernas." "Tápate."
17:33
We make them feel
as though by being born female
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2255
Facémolas sentir como se,
por naceren femias,
17:35
they're already guilty of something.
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2096
xa son culpables de algo.
17:37
And so, girls grow up to be women
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1045839
2336
E así, as nenas chegan a ser mulleres
17:40
who cannot see they have desire.
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que non poden amosa-lo seu desexo.
17:42
They grow up to be women
who silence themselves.
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2880
Chegan a ser mulleres que se silencian
a si mesmas.
Chegan a ser mulleres que non poden dicir
o que realmente pensan,
17:47
They grow up to be women
who cannot say what they truly think,
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3416
17:50
and they grow up --
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1336
e chegan a ser,
17:51
and this is the worst thing
we did to girls --
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2176
e isto é o peor que facemos ás nenas,
17:54
they grow up to be women
who have turned pretense into an art form.
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4136
chegan a ser mulleres que converteron
a simulación nunha forma de arte.
17:58
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
18:04
I know a woman who hates domestic work,
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3416
Coñezo a unha muller que odia
o traballo doméstico,
18:07
she just hates it,
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1496
Ela, simplemente, odiao,
18:09
but she pretends that she likes it,
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1720
pero simula que lle gusta,
18:12
because she's been taught
that to be "good wife material"
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4096
porque foi educada para ser
"unha boa esposa"
18:16
she has to be --
to use that Nigerian word --
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2376
ela ten que ser
-usando esa palabra nixeriana-
18:18
very "homely."
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1480
moi "caseira".
18:21
And then she got married,
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1536
E logo casou,
18:23
and after a while her husband's family
began to complain that she had changed.
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3816
e despois dun tempo a familia do seu home
queixouse de que ela cambiara .
18:26
(Laughter)
364
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1576
(Risas)
En realidade, ela non cambiara,
18:28
Actually, she had not changed,
365
1096440
1456
18:29
she just got tired of pretending.
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1920
ela, simplemente, cansou de finxir.
O problema có xénero,
18:32
The problem with gender,
367
1100720
3136
18:35
is that it prescribes how we should be
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2536
é que determina como debemos ser
18:38
rather than recognizing how we are.
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2000
en vez de recoñecer como somos.
18:41
Now imagine how much happier we would be,
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1109400
2456
Agora imaxinemos canto máis
felices seríamos,
18:43
how much freer to be
our true individual selves,
371
1111880
3496
canto máis libres para sermos
como verdadeiramente somos,
18:47
if we didn't have the weight
of gender expectations.
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2640
si non tiverámo-lo peso das
expectativas de xénero.
Nenos e nenas son, sen dúbida,
biolóxicamente diferentes,
18:51
Boys and girls are
undeniably different biologically,
373
1119240
4776
18:56
but socialization
exaggerates the differences
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2976
pero a socialización esaxera as diferenzas
18:59
and then it becomes
a self-fulfilling process.
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2576
e convértenas nunha profecía
auto-cumprida.
19:01
Now, take cooking for example.
376
1129640
2040
Agora, tomemos a cociña, por exemplo.
As mulleres de hoxe, en xeral, son máis
propensas ás tarefas de casa que os homes,
19:04
Today women in general are more likely
to do the housework than men,
377
1132280
3496
19:07
the cooking and cleaning.
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1135800
1256
a cociña e a limpeza.
19:09
But why is that?
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1576
Pero, por que?
19:10
Is it because women
are born with a cooking gene?
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1138680
2856
É porque as mulleres nacen cun xene
da cociña?
19:13
(Laughter)
381
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1416
(Risas)
19:15
Or because over years they have been
socialized to see cooking as their role?
382
1143000
4256
Ou porque durante anos foron socializadas
para ve-la cociña como o seu encargo?
19:19
Actually, I was going to say that maybe
women are born with a cooking gene,
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1147280
3576
En realidade, eu ia dicir que talvez
as mulleres nacen cun xene da cociña,
19:22
until I remember that the majority
of the famous cooks in the world,
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1150880
3456
ata que recordei que a maioría dos
cociñeiros famosos do mundo,
19:26
whom we give the fancy title of "chefs,"
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1154360
2296
aos que lle damos o bonito
título de "chefs",
19:28
are men.
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1156680
1200
son homes.
19:30
I used to look up to my grandmother
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1696
Eu admiraba á miña avoa
19:32
who was a brilliant, brilliant woman,
388
1160680
2056
que era unha muller realmente brillante,
19:34
and wonder how she would have been
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1736
e preguntábame como podería ter sido
19:36
if she had the same opportunities
as men when she was growing up.
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1164520
3360
se tivera as mesmas oportunidades que
os homes cando era pequena.
Hoxe en día, hai moitas máis
oportunidades para as mulleres
19:40
Now today, there are
many more opportunities for women
391
1168960
2576
19:43
than there were
during my grandmother's time
392
1171560
2256
das que había na época
da miña avoa
19:45
because of changes in policy,
changes in law,
393
1173840
2616
debido a cambios na política,
cambios nas leis,
19:48
all of which are very important.
394
1176480
1576
todos eles moi importantes.
19:50
But what matters even more
is our attitude, our mindset,
395
1178080
4536
Pero o que realmente importa é a nosa
actitude,o noso xeito de pensar,
19:54
what we believe
and what we value about gender.
396
1182640
3296
o que cremos e o que valoramos
sobre o xénero.
19:57
What if in raising children
397
1185960
2416
Que pasa se na educación dos fillos
20:00
we focus on ability instead of gender?
398
1188400
2800
centrámonos na capacidade
en lugar do xénero?
Que pasa se nos centramos nos
intereses en lugar do xénero?
20:04
What if in raising children
we focus on interest instead of gender?
399
1192000
4120
Coñezo unha familia que ten un fillo
e unha filla,
20:09
I know a family
who have a son and a daughter,
400
1197000
2216
20:11
both of whom are brilliant at school,
401
1199240
1896
ámbolos dous son brillantes na escola,
20:13
who are wonderful, lovely children.
402
1201160
1896
son nenos encantadores e marabillosos.
20:15
When the boy is hungry,
the parents say to the girl,
403
1203080
2536
Cando o neno ten fame,
os pais dinlle á nena,
20:17
"Go and cook Indomie noodles
for your brother."
404
1205640
2216
"Vai cociñar fideos Indomie
para o teu irmán."
20:19
(Laughter)
405
1207880
1216
(Risas)
20:21
Now, the daughter doesn't
particularly like to cook Indomie noodles,
406
1209120
3496
Agora ben, á filla non lle gusta
especialmente cociñar eses fideos,
20:24
but she's a girl, and so she has to.
407
1212640
2776
pero ela é unha nena, e por iso
ten que facelo.
20:27
Now, what if the parents,
408
1215440
1776
Agora ben, que pasa se os pais,
20:29
from the beginning,
409
1217240
1616
dende o principio,
20:30
taught both the boy and the girl
to cook Indomie?
410
1218880
3920
ensinaran, tanto ao neno como
á nena,a cociñar Indomie?
Cociñar, por certo, é unha habilidade
moi útil para os nenos.
20:35
Cooking, by the way,
is a very useful skill for boys to have.
411
1223920
3016
20:38
I've never thought it made sense
to leave such a crucial thing,
412
1226960
4856
Nunca pensei que tivera sentido
deixar algo tan crucial,
20:43
the ability to nourish oneself --
413
1231840
1896
a capacidade de nutrirse -
20:45
(Laughter)
414
1233760
1216
(Risas)
20:47
in the hands of others.
415
1235000
1536
nas mans doutros.
20:48
(Applause)
416
1236560
2920
(Aplausos)
Coñezo a unha muller que ten a mesma
titulación e traballo que o seu home,
20:53
I know a woman who has the same degree
and the same job as her husband.
417
1241760
3856
cando ambos volven do traballo, ela fai
a meirande parte das tarefas do fogar,
20:57
When they get back from work,
she does most of the housework,
418
1245640
2896
21:00
which I think is true for many marriages.
419
1248560
2176
creo que é igual en moitos matrimonios.
21:02
But what struck me about them
420
1250760
1736
Pero o que chamou a miña atención deles
21:04
was that whenever her husband
changed the baby's diaper,
421
1252520
2976
foi que, cada vez que o marido cambiaba
o cueiro ao bebé,
21:07
she said "thank you" to him.
422
1255520
2280
ela dáballe as grazas.
Agora ben, e si ela vira isto como
algo perfectamente normal e natural
21:11
Now, what if she saw this
as perfectly normal and natural
423
1259040
4416
21:15
that he should, in fact,
care for his child?
424
1263480
3336
como debería ser, de feito,
o coidado do seu fillo?
21:18
(Laughter)
425
1266840
1840
(Risas)
21:21
I'm trying to unlearn
many of the lessons of gender
426
1269680
3496
Eu estou tentando "desaprender"
moitas das leccións de xénero
21:25
that I internalized when I was growing up.
427
1273200
2296
que interioricei cando estaba crecendo.
21:27
But I sometimes still feel very vulnerable
in the face of gender expectations.
428
1275520
5056
Pero, as veces, síntome moi vulnerable
aínda fronte ás expectativas de xénero.
A primeira vez que din unha clase
de escritura na escola de posgrao,
21:32
The first time I taught
a writing class in graduate school,
429
1280600
3000
estaba preocupada.
21:36
I was worried.
430
1284360
1256
Non estaba preocupada pola
materia a ensinar,
21:37
I wasn't worried
about the material I would teach
431
1285640
2336
21:40
because I was well-prepared,
432
1288000
1336
porque a tiña ben preparada
21:41
and I was going to teach
what I enjoy teaching.
433
1289360
2216
e tiña que dar clase do que
me gusta ensinar.
21:43
Instead, I was worried about what to wear.
434
1291600
2080
No seu lugar, estaba preocupada
pola roupa.
Eu quería que me tomaran en serio.
21:46
I wanted to be taken seriously.
435
1294680
1600
Eu sabía que, como era unha muller,
21:49
I knew that because I was female
436
1297480
1576
21:51
I will automatically
have to prove my worth.
437
1299080
3160
tería que demostra-la miña valía
inmediatamente.
E estaba preocupada porque, se parecía
demasiado feminina,
21:55
And I was worried
that if I looked too feminine,
438
1303240
2256
21:57
I would not be taken seriously.
439
1305520
1776
non sería tomada en serio.
21:59
I really wanted to wear
my shiny lip gloss and my girly skirt,
440
1307320
4336
Realmente eu quería leva-lo meu brillo de
labios e a miña saia feminina,
22:03
but I decided not to.
441
1311680
1816
pero decidín non facelo.
22:05
Instead, I wore a very serious,
442
1313520
2376
No seu lugar, levei un traxe moi serio,
22:07
very manly and very ugly suit.
443
1315920
2576
moi masculino e moi feo.
22:10
(Laughter)
444
1318520
1496
(Risas)
Por que a triste verdade é que,
no que se refire á aparencia,
22:12
Because the sad truth is
that when it comes to appearance
445
1320040
2696
22:14
we start off with men
as the standard, as the norm.
446
1322760
2600
partimos dos homes como estándar,
como a norma.
Cando un home prepárase para unha
reunión de negocios,
22:17
If a man is getting ready
for a business meeting,
447
1325960
2336
22:20
he doesn't worry
about looking too masculine
448
1328320
2136
non se preocupa por parecer
demasiado masculino
22:22
and therefore not being taken for granted.
449
1330480
2496
e, polo tanto, non da por suposto nada.
Se unha muller ten que prepararse
para unha reunión de negocios,
22:25
If a woman has to get ready
for business meeting,
450
1333000
2496
22:27
she has to worry
about looking too feminine
451
1335520
2776
ten que procurar non parecer
demasiado feminina,
22:30
and what it says and whether or not
she will be taken seriously.
452
1338320
4280
porque é o que di si será ou non
tomada en serio.
22:36
I wish I had not worn
that ugly suit that day.
453
1344000
2200
Oxalá non puxera ese feo traxe ese día.
De feito, desterreino do meu armario,
por certo.
22:39
I've actually banished it
from my closet, by the way.
454
1347440
3136
Se tivera entón a confianza en mi mesma
que teño hoxe,
22:42
Had I then the confidence
that I have now to be myself,
455
1350600
4936
os meus estudantes beneficiaríanse
aínda máis das miñas ensinanzas,
22:47
my students would have benefited
even more from my teaching,
456
1355560
2936
22:50
because I would have been more comfortable
457
1358520
2056
porque eu sentiríame máis cómoda
22:52
and more fully and more truly myself.
458
1360600
2000
e máis plena e verdadeiramente eu mesma.
22:55
I have chosen to no longer
be apologetic for my femaleness
459
1363800
4016
Escollín non desculparme máis
pola miña non-virilidade
22:59
and for my femininity.
460
1367840
1200
nin pola miña feminidade.
23:01
(Applause)
461
1369680
3000
(Aplausos)
E quero ser respectada en toda
a miña non-virilidade
23:07
And I want to be respected
in all of my femaleness
462
1375800
2856
23:10
because I deserve to be.
463
1378680
1560
porque merezo respecto.
23:13
Gender is not an easy
conversation to have.
464
1381200
2440
O xénero non é unha conversa fácil.
Tanto homes como mulleres,
23:17
For both men and women,
465
1385080
1576
23:18
to bring up gender is sometimes
to encounter almost immediate resistance.
466
1386680
3936
ao saca-lo tema, atopan as veces
unha resistencia case inmediata.
23:22
I can imagine some people here
are actually thinking,
467
1390640
3256
Podo imaxinar que algunhas persoas aquí
están pensando en realidade,
23:25
"Women too do sef."
468
1393920
1920
"As mulleres tamén o fan"
Algúns homes aquí poderían estar pensando,
23:29
Some of the men here might be thinking,
469
1397520
2176
23:31
"OK, all of this is interesting,
470
1399720
1736
"Dacordo, todo isto é moi interesante,
23:33
but I don't think like that."
471
1401480
1560
pero eu non o vexo así ".
23:35
And that is part of the problem.
472
1403960
2216
E iso é parte do problema.
23:38
That many men do not
actively think about gender
473
1406200
2976
Que moitos homes non pensen
demasiado sobre o xénero,
ou non sexan conscientes do xénero,
23:41
or notice gender
474
1409200
1496
23:42
is part of the problem of gender.
475
1410720
2016
é parte do problema de xénero.
23:44
That many men, say, like my friend Louis,
476
1412760
2656
Que moitos homes digan,
como o meu amigo Louis,
23:47
that everything is fine now.
477
1415440
1680
que todo está ben hoxe.
E que moitos homes non fagan
nada para cambialo.
23:50
And that many men do nothing to change it.
478
1418160
2856
23:53
If you are a man and you walk
into a restaurant with a woman
479
1421040
2856
Se ti es un home e entras nun restaurante
cunha muller
23:55
and the waiter greets only you,
480
1423920
1680
e o camareiro saúdate só a ti,
non se che ocorre dicirlle,
23:58
does it occur to you to ask the waiter,
481
1426400
2496
24:00
"Why haven't you greeted her?"
482
1428920
1560
"Por que non saúdas tamén a ela?"
24:05
Because gender can be --
483
1433320
1496
Porque o xénero pode ser...
24:06
(Laughter)
484
1434840
2080
(Risas)
24:16
Actually, we may repose
part of a longer version of this talk.
485
1444880
4496
En realidade, podemos reflexionar parte
dunha versión máis longa desta charla.
24:21
So, because gender can be
a very uncomfortable conversation to have,
486
1449400
3576
Así, como o xénero pode ser
unha conversación moi incómoda,
24:25
there are very easy ways to close it,
to close the conversation.
487
1453000
3096
temos maneiras moi fáciles de pechala,
de pecha-la charla.
24:28
So some people will bring up
evolutionary biology and apes,
488
1456120
4176
De modo que, algunhas persoas falarán
de bioloxía evolutiva e primates,
24:32
how, you know, female apes
bow down to male apes
489
1460320
3656
e de como, xa sabemos, as femias de mono
inclínanse ante os machos,
24:36
and that sort of thing.
490
1464000
1240
e cousas dese tipo.
24:37
But the point is we're not apes.
491
1465880
2056
Pero a cuestión é que nós non somos monos.
24:39
(Laughter)
492
1467960
1416
(Risas)
24:41
(Applause)
493
1469400
4000
(Aplausos)
24:46
Apes also live on trees
and have earthworms for breakfast,
494
1474160
4816
Os monos tamén viven nas árbores e
comen miñocas no almorzo,
24:51
and we don't.
495
1479000
1200
e nós non.
24:53
Some people will say,
"Well, poor men also have a hard time."
496
1481240
4000
Algúns dirán: "Ben, os pobres tamén
o teñen difícil"
24:57
And this is true.
497
1485880
1200
E isto é certo.
24:59
But that is not what this --
498
1487920
1336
Pero non é o que...
25:01
(Laughter)
499
1489280
1096
(Risas)
25:02
But this is not
what this conversation is about.
500
1490400
2680
Pero non é do que trata esta charla.
25:06
Gender and class
are different forms of oppression.
501
1494480
3776
Xénero e clase son diferentes
formas de opresión.
25:10
I actually learned quite a bit
about systems of oppression
502
1498280
3656
En realidade, aprendín algo acerca
dos sistemas de opresión
25:13
and how they can be blind to one another
503
1501960
2456
e de como poden cegarnos mutuamente
25:16
by talking to black men.
504
1504440
1480
falando con homes de raza negra.
25:19
I was once talking
to a black man about gender
505
1507320
3176
Unha vez falei cun home negro
sobre o xénero
25:22
and he said to me,
506
1510520
1376
e díxome:
25:23
"Why do you have to say
'my experience as a woman'?
507
1511920
3456
"Por que tes que dicir,
a miña experiencia como muller?"
25:27
Why can't it be
508
1515400
1216
"Por que non pode ser,
25:28
'your experience as a human being'?"
509
1516640
1880
a túa experiencia como ser humano?"
Agora ben, este era o mesmo home
25:31
Now, this was the same man
510
1519840
1256
25:33
who would often talk
about his experience as a black man.
511
1521120
3000
que falaba decote da súa experiencia
como home negro.
25:39
Gender matters.
512
1527360
1216
Cuestións de xénero.
Homes e mulleres experimentan o mundo
de xeitos diferentes.
25:40
Men and women
experience the world differently.
513
1528600
2496
25:43
Gender colors the way
we experience the world.
514
1531120
2816
O xénero colorea o xeito
en que experimentámo-lo mundo.
25:45
But we can change that.
515
1533960
1400
Pero podemos cambiar iso.
25:48
Some people will say,
516
1536520
1936
Algunhas persoas dirán,
25:50
"Oh, but women have the real power,
517
1538480
2456
"Oh, pero as mulleres teñen
o autentico poder,
25:52
bottom power."
518
1540960
1776
o poder de abaixo".
25:54
And for non-Nigerians,
bottom power is an expression
519
1542760
2896
E para os non nixerianos,
poder de abaixo é unha expresión
25:57
which I suppose means
something like a woman
520
1545680
1856
que supoño que significa algo así
como que unha muller
25:59
who uses her sexuality
to get favors from men.
521
1547560
2760
pode utiliza-la súa sexualidade
para obter favores dos homes.
26:03
But bottom power is not power at all.
522
1551200
2720
Pero o poder de abaixo non é
poder en absoluto.
26:08
Bottom power means that a woman
523
1556400
2776
O poder de abaixo significa
que unha muller
26:11
simply has a good root to tap into,
from time to time --
524
1559200
2896
simplemente ten a opción de aproveitar,
de cando en cando,
26:14
somebody else's power.
525
1562120
1440
o poder doutro.
26:16
And then, of course, we have to wonder
526
1564640
1856
E, por suposto, temos que preguntarnos
26:18
what happens when
that somebody else is in a bad mood,
527
1566520
2656
que sucede cando ese outro
está de mal humor,
26:21
or sick
528
1569200
1376
ou enfermo
26:22
or impotent.
529
1570600
1200
ou impotente.
26:24
(Laughter)
530
1572280
3416
(Risas)
26:27
Some people will say that a woman
being subordinate to a man is our culture.
531
1575720
6240
Algunhas persoas dirán que a subordinación
da muller é parte da nosa cultura.
26:34
But culture is constantly changing.
532
1582640
1976
Pero a cultura cambia constantemente.
26:36
I have beautiful twin nieces
who are fifteen and live in Lagos.
533
1584640
4656
Eu teño dúas fermosas sobriñas xemelgas,
que teñen quince anos e viven en Lagos.
26:41
If they had been born a hundred years ago
534
1589320
1960
Se tiveran nacido hai cen anos
26:44
they would have been
taken away and killed.
535
1592000
2136
elas terían sido asasinadas
26:46
Because it was our culture,
it was our culture to kill twins.
536
1594160
3040
Porque era a nosa cultura, na nosa cultura
matábase aos xemelgos.
De modo que, cal é o sentido da cultura?
26:51
So what is the point of culture?
537
1599040
1720
26:53
I mean there's the decorative,
538
1601480
1576
Quero dicir que temos adornos,
26:55
the dancing ...
539
1603080
1616
bailes...
26:56
but also, culture really is about
preservation and continuity of a people.
540
1604720
4616
pero tamén, a cultura realmente trata da
preservación e a continuidade dun pobo.
27:01
In my family,
541
1609360
1256
Na miña familia,
27:02
I am the child who is most interested
in the story of who we are,
542
1610640
3176
eu son a nena máis interesada
na nosa historia,
27:05
in our traditions,
543
1613840
1256
nas nosas tradicións,
27:07
in the knowledge about ancestral lands.
544
1615120
2176
no coñecemento sobre as terras ancestrais.
27:09
My brothers are not as interested as I am.
545
1617320
2576
Os meus irmáns non están tan interesados
coma min.
27:11
But I cannot participate,
546
1619920
1440
Pero eu non podo participar,
27:14
I cannot go to umunna meetings,
547
1622200
2016
non podo ir ás reunións Umunna,
27:16
I cannot have a say.
548
1624240
1736
non podo ter unha opinión.
27:18
Because I'm female.
549
1626000
1200
Porque son muller.
27:20
Culture does not make people,
550
1628080
2096
A cultura non fai á xente,
27:22
people make culture.
551
1630200
1400
a xente fai a cultura.
27:24
So if it is in fact true --
552
1632920
1776
Así que, si é certo...
27:26
(Applause)
553
1634720
3496
(Aplausos)
27:30
So if it is in fact true
554
1638240
1616
Así que, si é certo que,
27:31
that the full humanity of women
is not our culture,
555
1639880
2896
a parte feminina da humanidade
non é a nosa cultura,
27:34
then we must make it our culture.
556
1642800
1720
entón temos que facer
que sexa a nosa cultura.
27:38
I think very often of my dear friend,
Okoloma Maduewesi.
557
1646040
5616
Penso a miúdo no meu querido amigo,
Okoloma Maduewesi.
27:43
May he and all the others
who passed away in that Sosoliso crash
558
1651680
3976
Que el e tódolos que morreron nese
accidente de Sosoliso
27:47
continue to rest in peace.
559
1655680
1480
sigan descansando en paz.
27:50
He will always be remembered
by those of us who loved him.
560
1658400
3080
El sempre será recordado por aqueles
que o amábamos.
27:54
And he was right that day many years ago
when he called me a feminist.
561
1662880
4496
E tiña razón ese día, fai moitos anos,
cando me chamou feminista.
27:59
I am a feminist.
562
1667400
1240
Eu son feminista.
28:01
And when I looked up the word
in the dictionary that day,
563
1669400
2696
E cando busquei a palabra no dicionario
ese día,
28:04
this is what it said:
564
1672120
1256
isto é o que dicía:
28:05
"Feminist: a person
who believes in the social, political
565
1673400
3376
"Feminista: Persoa que cree na
igualdade social, política
28:08
and economic equality of the sexes."
566
1676800
3696
e económica dos sexos".
28:12
My great grandmother,
from the stories I've heard,
567
1680520
2936
A miña bisavoa, segundo
as historias que oín,
28:15
was a feminist.
568
1683480
1576
era unha feminista.
28:17
She ran away from the house of the man
she did not want to marry
569
1685080
3376
Ela escapou da casa do home
con quen non quería casar
e terminou casando cun home
que escolleu ela.
28:20
and ended up marrying
the man of her choice.
570
1688480
2080
28:23
She refused, she protested, she spoke up
571
1691160
2976
Ela negouse, ela protestou,
ela tomou a palabra
28:26
whenever she felt she was being deprived
of access, of land, that sort of thing.
572
1694160
5296
sempre que sentia que estaba a ser privada
de algo, da terra, dese tipo de cousas.
28:31
My great grandmother
did not know that word "feminist,"
573
1699480
3296
A miña bisavoa non coñecía a palabra
"feminista"
pero iso non quere dicir
que ela non o fora.
28:34
but it doesn't mean that she wasn't one.
574
1702800
1920
28:38
More of us should reclaim that word.
575
1706160
1920
A maioría de nós deberíamos
recuperar esa palabra.
28:42
My own definition of feminist is:
576
1710040
2400
A miña propia definición de feminista é:
"Feminista é un home o unha muller
28:45
"A feminist is a man or a woman
577
1713200
2376
28:47
who says --
578
1715600
1200
que di,
28:49
(Laughter)
579
1717480
3136
(Risas)
28:52
(Applause)
580
1720640
3760
(Aplausos)
28:58
A feminist is a man or a woman who says,
581
1726600
3256
Feminista é un home o unha muller que di,
29:01
"Yes, there's a problem
with gender as it is today,
582
1729880
3296
"Si, temos un problema có xénero hoxe,
29:05
and we must fix it.
583
1733200
1296
e temos que solucionalo.
29:06
We must do better."
584
1734520
1720
Debemos facelo mellor ".
29:09
The best feminist I know
585
1737960
2056
O mellor feminista que eu coñezo
29:12
is my brother Kene.
586
1740040
1320
é o meu irmán Kene.
29:14
He's also a kind,
good-looking, lovely man,
587
1742920
3896
El tamén é un tipo ben parecido,
un home encantador,
29:18
and he's very masculine.
588
1746840
1760
e el é moi masculino.
29:21
Thank you.
589
1749320
1216
Grazas.
29:22
(Applause)
590
1750560
4280
(Aplausos)
Translated by Luz Leirós
Reviewed by Alicia Ferreiro

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Novelist
Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature.

Why you should listen

In Nigeria, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Half of a Yellow Sun has helped inspire new, cross-generational communication about the Biafran war. In this and in her other works, she seeks to instill dignity into the finest details of each character, whether poor, middle class or rich, exposing along the way the deep scars of colonialism in the African landscape.

Adichie's newest book, The Thing Around Your Neck, is a brilliant collection of stories about Nigerians struggling to cope with a corrupted context in their home country, and about the Nigerian immigrant experience.

Adichie builds on the literary tradition of Igbo literary giant Chinua Achebe—and when she found out that Achebe liked Half of a Yellow Sun, she says she cried for a whole day. What he said about her rings true: “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers.”

(Photo: Wani Olatunde) 

More profile about the speaker
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Speaker | TED.com
THE ORIGINAL VIDEO ON TED.COM