A Portrait Subverting the Normative Gender Identity

Abstract

Autobiographical discourses written by women globally in their perceptions indicate that women are struggling to be given an equal playing field in academia and politics. The paper looks at a portrait of the Legacy of subversion of gender identity in Wangari Maathai’s Unbowed, sampled purposively. Tenets of New Historicism and Gender theory are used in analysing data. Qualitative analytical research design with data collected through textual reading and analyzed by content, are used. Findings indicate that Wangari defines herself as a political, feminist, and human rights activist; as well as an environmentalist and a literary artist in Kenya. She narrates how she helps shape up and transforms Kenya’s government into a democracy in which she later serves. Her fearless strength in adversity, her creative approach to building a peaceful, healthy planet; her hard work inspiring and empowering women are accolades that culminate into her being crowned a Nobel Peace laureate.