Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a celebrated author, has spoken out about how social media users claimed her parents’ deaths were “punishment” after she refused to acknowledge that transwomen are women.
Adichie wrote Purple Hibiscus. However, Akwaeke Emezi, another Nigerian writer, accused Adichie of being transphobic earlier in the year. This was after Adichie said that “Trans women are trans people” during a 2017 interview.
Emezi went as far as to claim Adichie supported the ‘murder’ of trans children.
Adichie responded by publishing a trilogy of essays on her website, entitled “It is Obscene”, which was praised on social media by fellow writers.
Adichie spoke to BBC to reveal how the essay was inspired by being targeted online.
She explained that it was my nephew calling me telling me on social media that someone had claimed that my parents were dead. This was a good thing for me because it wasn’t my fault that I didn’t say trans women were females.
James Nwoye Adichie was her father and died last summer from complications due to kidney disease. Grace Ifeoma Adichie died in unexpected circumstances in March.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a well-known author who revealed that social media users had deemed her death a ‘punishment for refusing to admit transwomen as women.
She stated, “Being true to myself and authenticating my thoughts is very important.”
As a human living in this world there are obvious consequences to not performing, so I accept them.
“We live now in an age where people are quick to judge others and put the worst spins on other people’s words.
“These moral judgments are permanent and the next thing you know, that person must lose their job. This person needs be terminated from every position.
Adichie was the author of Purple Hibiscus. She was later this year accused by Akwaeke Emezi (a fellow Nigerian writer) of being transphobic after she stated that ‘Trans women, trans women’ in an interview from 2017.
“And I can’t help but wonder, when is it going to stop?”
She shared how she was attacked by social media users for refusing to acknowledge that transwomen were women.
Elle continued explaining that she had never understood why transwomen were called transwomen offensive.
Adichie said, “On one hand we declare that we want inclusion and on the other we accept that differences exist between us.
James Nwoye Adichie, her father, passed away from complications caused by kidney disease last summer. Grace Ifeoma Adichie, her mother, also succumbed to the illness in that same year (pictured).
“Wait, why are you so reluctant to acknowledge that we have differences?
“So, I am, of course, deeply and have been, in fact, profoundly supportive of diversity in general.
“In my opinion, transgender people deserve gender affirming care.
“If Transpeople in certain countries want to change but are not able to access healthcare then that’s immoral.
“But, to say transwomen have the same experiences as transwomen, doesn’t make any sense. I believe in certain ways, that’s denial of the transness transpeople.
Author Emezi took offence to Adichie’s essay and publicly slammed her former mentor on social media as a transphobe and even went as far as to claim Adichie supported the ‘murder’ of trans children
“Fundamentally this is about language doctrine. If I believe that language orthodoxy poses a problem I won’t be participating in it.
“But, it does not mean I will refuse to be a part of the process because I was told that people want me dead.” This whole thing is ridiculous.
Adichie (author of novels such as Americanah, Half of a Yellow Sun) is one of most beloved authors around the globe, and has been praised and celebrated by Oprah Winfrey, the Obamas, and Oprah Winfrey.
In 2017, she caused controversy by saying that it was not a good idea to discuss women’s issues as trans issues.
Adichie shared that she feels trans women were trans women in the interview. “I believe the problem of gender is not just about what we do with our hair or whether or not we have a penis or a vagina. It’s all about how the world views us.”
This feud was revived last year by Adichie (right), who backed JK rowling following her transphobic remarks. Emezi continued to attack Adichie.
Adichie (right), is seen with Michelle Obama at a London 2018 event.
Adichie stated, “I think that if a person has lived the life of a man with all of the privileges and privileges of the world, then then they have changed and switched genders, then it is difficult for me accept that we could compare that experience with that of a woman who lived the first part of her journey in the same world as men but who was not afforded the same privileges as men.”
Adichie said that transgender individuals should be permitted to be.
The interview was the cause of an argument with fellow writer Emezi – Emezi took offence to the piece and publicly slammed her former mentor on social media as a transphobe and even went as far as to claim Adichie supported the ‘murder’ of trans children.
After Adichie was accused of transphobic remarks, Adichie supported JK Rowling and the feud was revived last year. Emezi continued to attack Adichie.
The essay garnered such attention that it crashed her website for a brief time in July, she has been widely praised by journalists and other authors.
Emezi responded to Adichie’s essay on Instagram. He said that Adichie was trying to incite “hordes” of transphobic Nigerians towards him.