“‘Because you are a girl’ is never a reason for anything. Ever.”

Please note that since I listened to the audiobook of this book I do not have page numbers for all of my quotes.

Recently, when I was looking for a book to read, I stumbled upon Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I thought this would be a perfect book to read since it included writing by Adichie, author of Purple Hibiscus, and it is a manifesto, which is a writing form we covered in class.

Dear Ijeawele is a letter that Adichie wrote to her friend after being asked how her friend could raise her newborn daughter as a feminist. Throughout fifteen thoughtfully written pieces of advice Adichie underlines what it means to be and raise a feminist in our twenty-first century society. Although I cannot relate to the latter, I still think this book is a thought provoking piece of literature that addresses serious issues in our society.

I personally really enjoyed this book. From the opening lines Adichie sets the stage for a discussion of feminism and equality.

“Your feminist premise should be: I matter. I matter equally. Not “if only.” Not “as long as.” I matter equally. Full stop.”

I think this is such a powerful message to start the book with. Especially since many people who misinterpret feminism or are anti-feminist believe that feminists are trying to promote prejudice against men (misandry). This statement shows the inaccuracy of that depiction of feminism. Feminists aim to make everyone equal, not promote one gender over others. 

Another thing I liked about this book is how accessible it is. Adichie writes about complex topics in a way that is easy for anyone to understand. For example, in one paragraph where she describes societal double standards she says,

“If you criticize X in women but do not criticize X in men, then you do not have a problem with X, you have a problem with women.”

Additionally, one thing I found interesting about Adichie's writing is that she directly criticizes using the words “misogyny” and “patriarchy” without further explanation. I had never considered this point before but after the way she explained it in the book I agree. When people use words like those it can often feel “jargony” and some people might be less inclined to listen. However, when things are stated more simply the messages can be more accessible to all people.

“Do not ever tell her that she should or should not do something because she is a girl. 'Because you are a girl' is never a reason for anything. Ever.” 

Overall I really liked reading Dear Ijeawele and I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys Adichie’s writing style or her TED talk we watched in class.