“Feminism Lite” is the idea of conditional female equality, where men believe they are superior but should be expected to “treat women well.” It can be disguised as real feminism when men behave in an equitable way – but believe it’s optional and provisional. You hear it in phrases like “he will do housework when his wife is out of town.” You also see it when powerful women are judged more harshly than powerful men. In this short book, which originated as a letter to a friend, there are 15 suggestions that clarify what it means to believe in full equality.
Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions. Anchor Books, 2017, p. 20.