Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

Last updated
Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
Dear Ijeawele.jpg
First edition
Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Audio read by January LaVoy
LanguageEnglish
GenreEpistolary, feminism
Published2017
Publisher Knopf Publishers
Publication placeNigeria
Media typePrint, e-book, audiobook
Pages80 pages (hardback)
ISBN 152473313X US hardback
OCLC 975594894

Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions is an epistolary form [1] manifesto written by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Dear Ijeawele was posted on her official Facebook page on October 12, 2016, [2] was subsequently adapted into a book, [3] and published in print on March 7, 2017. [4]

Contents

Before becoming a book, Dear Ijeawele was a personal e-mail written by Adichie in response to her friend, "Ijeawele", [5] who had asked Adichie's advice on how to raise her daughter as a feminist. [6] The result of this e-mail correspondence is the extended, [1] 62-page [7] Dear Ijeawele manifesto, written in the form of a letter. [5] While the manifesto was written to a female friend, the work's audience scope has been recognized to extend beyond only the mothers of daughters. [8]

Dear Ijeawele is composed of fifteen suggestions on how to raise a feminist daughter, [5] with references to Adichie and Ijeawele's shared Nigerian heritage and Igbo culture. [1] [9] Adichie was inspired to publicize the letter after becoming increasingly aware of what she recognized as ongoing gender inequality in her native Nigeria. [6] Dear Ijeawele featured on NPR's list of "2017's Great Reads". [10]

Synopsis

Dear Ijeawele attempts to challenge the prejudices of gender roles and expectations. [9] with the epistolary form used as a literary device to give the reader a personal and intimate connection with the manifesto. [8] In language that is clear, direct, and simple, [1] [9] the manifesto aims to provide parents with the tools to combat situations of gender inequality when raising daughters. [8] Issues covered range from domestic duties, such as cooking, to gendered baby clothes. [7] The manifesto asserts that central to raising feminist daughters is the embracing of feminist ideals by mothers raising daughters. [5] One piece of advice that Adichie gives is: "Ask for help. Expect to be helped...Domestic work and care-giving should be gender-neutral." [2]

Adichie rejects the idea of Dear Ijeawele being intended as "a parenting book". [7] Her manifesto references notable figure Hillary Clinton's title of "wife" on her Twitter account to exemplify claims of gender inequality. [7] The overarching goal of the manifesto is gender equality. [7]

The suggestions

Dear Ijeawele is prefaced by Adichie's "two 'Feminist Tools'", of which the first is: [2] [9]

your premise, the solid unbending belief that you start off with. What is your premise? Your feminist premise should be: I matter. I matter equally. Not 'if only.' Not 'as long as.' I matter equally. Full stop.

The fifteen suggestions of Dear Ijeawele begin, respectively, with the following prompts: [2]

  1. Be a full person.
  2. Do it together.
  3. Teach her that 'gender roles' is absolute nonsense.
  4. Beware the danger of what I call Feminism Lite.
  5. Teach Chizalum to read.
  6. Teach her to question language.
  7. Never speak of marriage as an achievement.
  8. Teach her to reject likeability.
  9. Give Chizalum a sense of identity.
  10. Be deliberate about how you engage with her and her appearance.
  11. Teach her to question our culture's selective use of biology as 'reasons' for social norms.
  12. Talk to her about sex and start early.
  13. Romance will happen so be on board.
  14. In teaching her about oppression, be careful not to turn the oppressed into saints.
  15. Teach her about difference.

Reception

Upon release, it was generally well-received. According to Book Marks, the book received "rave" reviews based on four critic reviews, with three being "rave" and one being "positive". [11] According to CREETIQ, based on critic reviews, the book received a 7.1 out of 10. [12]

In a Guardian review of the work in its book format, Tessa Hadley said that "It would be difficult not to like this little book, which shines with all Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s characteristic warmth and sanity and forthrightness" and that "Some of the suggestions feel like mountains of difficulty made simple: but then that's what manifestos are for." [13] The Harvard Crimson wrote favorably about the book, stating that it "sets a standard for feminism". [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie</span> Nigerian writer (born 1977)

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a Nigerian author who is regarded as a central figure in postcolonial feminist literature. She is the author of the award-winning novels Purple Hibiscus (2003), Half of a Yellow Sun (2006) and Americanah (2013). Her other works include the book essays We Should All Be Feminists (2014); Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions (2017); a memoir tribute to her father, Notes on Grief (2021); and a children's book, Mama's Sleeping Scarf (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African feminism</span> Type of feminism

African feminism includes theories and movements which specifically address the experiences and needs of continental African women. From a western perspective, these theories and movements fall under the umbrella label of Feminism, but this categorization is misleading for many branches of African "feminism". African women have been engaged in gender struggle since long before the existence of the western-inspired label "African feminism," and this history is often neglected. Despite this caveat, this page will use the term feminism with regard to African theories and movements in order to fit into a relevant network of Wikipedia pages on global feminism. Because Africa is not a monolith, no single feminist theory or movement reflects the entire range of experiences African women have. African feminist theories are sometimes aligned, in dialogue, or in conflict with Black Feminism or African womanism. This page covers general principles of African feminism, several distinct theories, and a few examples of feminist movements and theories in various African countries.

<i>Purple Hibiscus</i> 2003 novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Purple Hibiscus is a novel written by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Her debut novel, it was first published by Algonquin Books in October of 2003.

<i>Half of a Yellow Sun</i> 2006 novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Half of a Yellow Sun is a novel by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Published in 2006 by 4th Estate in London, the novel tells the story of the Biafran War through the perspective of the characters Olanna, Ugwu, and Richard.

<i>The Thing Around Your Neck</i> 2009 short-story collection by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The Thing Around Your Neck is a short-story collection by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, first published in April 2009 by Fourth Estate in the UK and by Knopf in the US. It received many positive reviews, including: "She makes storytelling seem as easy as birdsong" ; "Stunning. Like all fine storytellers, she leaves us wanting more".

Feminist views on transgender topics vary widely.

<i>Half of a Yellow Sun</i> (film) 2013 film

Half of a Yellow Sun is a 2013 Anglo-Nigerian drama film directed by Biyi Bandele and based on the novel of the same name by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This film explores the profound themes of identity, love, and resilience in the face of war. It confronts the complexities of personal relationships set against the backdrop of political chaos, while also addressing the lingering effects of colonialism on Nigerian society. The narrative portrays the struggle for personal identity and the quest for love amidst the horrors of war, offering a poignant reflection on the human condition during one of Africa's most challenging historical periods.

<i>Americanah</i> 2013 novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Americanah is a 2013 novel by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, for which Adichie won the 2013 U.S. National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. Americanah tells the story of a young Nigerian woman, Ifemelu, who immigrates to the United States to attend university. The novel traces Ifemelu's life in both countries, threaded by her love story with high school classmate Obinze. It was Adichie's third novel, published on May 14, 2013, by Alfred A. Knopf.

"Flawless" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé from her self-titled fifth studio album (2013). Knowles wrote the track with Rashad Muhammad, Terius Nash, Chauncey Hollis and Raymond DeAndre Martin, with production handled by Hollis, Knowles, Martin, Muhammad, and Boots. An early version of the song, titled "Bow Down / I Been On", was released onto the Internet by Beyoncé in March 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TERF (acronym)</span> Acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist

TERF is an acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist. First recorded in 2008, the term TERF was originally used to distinguish transgender-inclusive feminists from a group of radical feminists who reject the position that trans women are women, reject the inclusion of trans women in women's spaces, and oppose transgender rights legislation. Trans-inclusive feminists assert that these ideas and positions are transphobic and discriminatory towards transgender people. The use of the term TERF has since broadened to include reference to people with trans-exclusionary views who are not necessarily involved with radical feminism. In the 2020s, the term "trans-exclusionary radical feminism" is used synonymously with or overlaps with "gender-critical feminism".

<i>We Should All Be Feminists</i> Book by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

We Should All Be Feminists is a book-length essay by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. First published in 2014 by Fourth Estate, it talks about the definition of feminism for the 21st century.

Lenny Letter, also known as Lenny, was a weekly online feminist newsletter created by Lena Dunham and Jennifer Konner. Lenny also had a book imprint called Lenny Books on Random House. It was shut down in October 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Grazia Chiuri</span> Italian fashion designer (born 1964)

Maria Grazia Chiuri is an Italian fashion designer. After stints working at Fendi and Valentino, Chiuri was named creative director at Dior in 2016.

Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals wholly or partly due to their gender or sex. It arises from differences in socially constructed gender roles. Gender inequality in Nigeria is influenced by different cultures and beliefs. In most parts of Nigeria, women are considered subordinate to their male counterparts, especially in Northern Nigeria as well as in other sectors including the Nigeria music industry, politics, and education sector. It is generally believed that women are best suited as home keepers.

Malathi Maithri is an Indian writer, activist and feminist, who is recognised as a distinguished poet in contemporary Tamil literature. Maithri has been the recipient of the Tirupur Tamizh Sangam Award and the State Award for Poetry by the Government of Puducherry. She is also the founder of a publishing house called Anagu (transl. Woman) which has translated works of Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie such as Purple Red Poppy and We Should All Be Feminists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nandar (activist)</span> Burmese podcaster, human rights activist and feminist activist

Nandu Gyawali, known as Nandar, is a feminist activist in Myanmar. She is the founder of the Purple Feminists Group and hosts the podcasts G-Taw Zagar Wyne and Feminist Talks. In 2020, she was named to the BBC's 100 Women list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Divya S. Iyer</span> Indian Administrative Service Officer, medical doctor, and author

Divya Sesha Iyer is an Indian bureaucrat, medical doctor, editor, and author who is part of the Indian Administrative Service in Kerala. She is the managing director of Vizhinjam International Seaport. She previously has held the posts of District Collector of Pathanamthitta and Mission Director of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.

<i>Freshwater</i> (novel) 2018 novel by Akwaeke Emezi

Freshwater is a 2018 autobiographical fiction novel by Nigerian writer Akwaeke Emezi. Emezi's debut novel, it tells the story of Ada, a girl with multiple ogbanje dwelling inside her. A TV series based on the novel is under development by FX.

<i>Notes on Grief</i> 2021 memoir by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Notes on Grief is a 2021 memoir written by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Presented in 30 short sections, Notes on Grief was written following the death of her father James Nwoye Adichie in June 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is expanded from an essay first published in The New Yorker. As The New York Times notes: "What she narrates is not only father loss, but the ways Mr. Adichie endures in having made of her a writer."

<i>Mamas Sleeping Scarf</i> 2023 children book by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Mama's Sleeping Scarf is a 2023 children's picture book written by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie under the pseudonym Nwa Grace-James and illustrated by Congolese-Angolan illustrator Joelle Avelino. The narrative centers on Chino, a young child who finds solace in her mother's scarf while awaiting her return. The story unfolds as Chino, longing for her mother's presence, is comforted by the familiar scent and feel of her mother's sleeping scarf. Throughout the day, Chino engages in various activities with her grandparents and father, with the scarf serving as a source of reassurance and warmth. The book's illustrations, praised for their vibrant and fantastical backgrounds, complement the tale's tender and relatable narrative.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hampton, Nia (March 7, 2017). "The Wise Counsel of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Feminist Manifesto". The Village Voice .
  2. 1 2 3 4 Adichie, Chimamanda (October 12, 2016). "'DEAR IJEAWELE, OR A FEMINIST MANIFESTO IN FIFTEEN SUGGESTIONS'". Facebook.
  3. ↑ Bascaramurty, Dakshana (March 6, 2017). "Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on Living and Teaching Feminism". The Globe and Mail .
  4. ↑ "About Chimamanda Adichie". Archived from the original on 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Greenberg, Zoe (March 15, 2017). "Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Blueprint for Feminism". The New York Times . Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Discusses Her New Feminist Manifesto, Dear Ijeawele". YouTube. March 9, 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Krug, Nora (March 8, 2018). "Women, Stop Worrying About Being Liked — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Advice for Living Boldly". The Washington Post .
  8. 1 2 3 Ahsan, Sadaf (April 6, 2017). "Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Voice Speaks Above The Noise with her Guide to Raising a Feminist". National Post.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Katara, Nikhil (September 3, 2017). "Dear Ijeawele or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions: Review". The Free Press Journal.
  10. ↑ "Best Books of 2017". NPR.org. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions". Book Marks. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions". CREETIQ. Archived from the original on 24 Jan 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  13. ↑ Hadley, Tessa (May 4, 2017). "Dear Ijeawele by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie review – a feminist manifesto". The Guardian. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  14. ↑ Aguilar, Marianne T. (March 29, 2017). "'Dear Ijeawele' Sets a Standard for Feminism". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.