Book review: Dear Ijeawele or A Feminist Manifesto in fifteen suggestions and My View on Feminism

About the Book

From the best-selling author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists comes a powerful new statement about feminism today–written as a letter to a friend.

  A few years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie received a letter from a dear friend from childhood, asking her how to raise her baby girl as a feminist. Dear Ijeawele is Adichie’s letter of response.

Here are fifteen invaluable suggestions–compelling, direct, wryly funny, and perceptive–for how to empower a daughter to become a strong, independent woman. From encouraging her to choose a helicopter, and not only a doll, as a toy if she so desires; having open conversations with her about clothes, makeup, and sexuality; debunking the myth that women are somehow biologically arranged to be in the kitchen making dinner, and that men can “allow” women to have full careers, Dear Ijeawele goes right to the heart of sexual politics in the twenty-first century. It will start a new and urgently needed conversation about what it really means to be a woman today.

Note: The views of this reviewer have changed over the years and some of these opinions have also changed. This Reviewer is now a Feminist. Read on to get a glimpse of her previous mindset.

Book Review and My View on Feminism 

“Teach her that the idea of ‘gender roles’ is absolute nonsense. 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 reason for anything. 
Ever.” 
― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

    A friend of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie asked her to teach her how to bring her daughter up a feminist. So CNA wrote her 15 suggestions on how to bring her daughter up a Feminist.

This was a short read for me, but I had to go back to check some sentences and some words. Some I wanted to be sure to remember, some I wanted to be sure to know—so I’d never do it—all in the name of Feminism.

I read an article last week about some ladies who do believe in some aspects of Feminism but just don’t understand why people take it overboard and make it look like an insult to women or why women campaign wearing their underwear outside their clothes or putting images of their private parts on their body. Why? Just for the world to see that they root for women. That is highly absurd and a big blow to women. I think that even shames women rather than praise them.

I have mixed feelings about this book, which should explain why I’d give the stars at the end of this book. I Love CNA, in fact, she could be my role model but there were just some things I did not agree with, like Feminism.

This book actually shed some light on feminism for me, I didn’t know much about Feminism until I read this book. I agree with some things and disagree with others.

  Before I used to be all No to feminism because at a point I didn’t get what they were all about anymore, a lot of people started to abuse the word and it got me (that had no idea before) confused,  but after reading this book. I got a lot of understanding of what Feminism is all about. And I have decided that I am a Feminist lite. You will get to know in this book, The people who are Feminists and the Feminist lites.

I also learned new words like the difference between being Feminine and being a Feminist, it was also an eye-opener for me. In our society today, there are so many belittling words used on the girl child/women and I totally see it as degrading and enraging. Although there are so many things I do not agree with, I still understand the point CNA was trying to pass across.

I would hate anyone who would tell me to keep quiet when I want to talk or who would tell me I had no right to dreams and visions because I am a Girl.

There were also some unrealistic things I don’t think I would do if I were a Feminist and some things I just love and wouldn’t see as bad if anyone did it to me.

There were parts I really loved like when she advised her friend to make sure to teach her daughter how to read. That is something very important to us Girls if we want to pave way for ourselves in Life.

I give this book 3 stars ⭐⭐⭐

Photo Credit: http://www.google.com/imagesofdearijeawele/

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Glossary

Misogyny

the hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women or girls

Feminist

a person who supports feminism.

Feminine 

having qualities or an appearance traditionally associated with women, especially delicacy and prettiness.

Feminism 

the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.

Patriarchy 

a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.

Evolutionary 

relating to the way in which living things develop over millions of years.

Non-judgmental 

not judgemental; avoiding moral judgements.