Through My Eyes

by Phyllis Chesler

 Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie

And so, Fortune’s Favorite, Lin-Manuel Miranda, has been accused of choosing performers for the movie version of his play, “In the Heights,” who indeed may be Latinx—but who are too “light skinned.” Once this kind of “race” rage and anguish is unleashed, nothing is ever enough, it will shame all the “Karens” in the world as well as the very best of their own.

And now, the great and greatly celebrated Nigerian novelist, Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie, has been accused, by a young Nigerian “non-binary” writer, someone whom she herself had mentored, of writing an essay designed to “incite hordes of transphobic Nigerians to target… them.” (Adichie did not name anyone but the courtesy was experienced as an insult and the Insulted One, ravenous for attention, went on the attack.) Adichie’s Thought Crime was her support for J.K. Rowling when Rowling had been attacked as “transphobic;” Adichie defended Rowling’s views on the subject as “perfectly reasonable.”

Bringing down Authority, especially those who are more talented, more recognized— the worthiest of “stars” are fair game in this zero sum game now in play.

Something a bit more sobering. A 23-year-old, socially conscious, talented Native-American tribal leader, Silver Little Eagle, became her (Cheyenne) tribe’s youngest-ever council woman. For triumphing, she was beaten badly and robbed by two women, one of whom she knew. Although traumatized, she is “trying to shift attention away from her case to those of other indigenous women who have faced violence or have gone missing altogether.” She did get an order of protection against these two women—but a tribal judge allowed it to lapse. Silver Little Eagle was then also subjected to vicious gossip on social media.

And I was warned against publishing my book Woman’s Inhumanity to Woman (which I published anyway in 2002), by feminist leaders who feared it would tarnish womankind’s reputation. Who could make this up?

I hope that Silver Little Eagle recovers from the physical and psychological trauma of having been beaten by two other women and then attacked again by evil rumors on the internet.