Adichie Post

 Will Pikus

            Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions offers us a new perspective on feminism today. Instead of being a raging feminist that so many people complain about these days, Adiche comes off as analytical and level-headed. Arguably, one of the most important parts of the book is the first suggestion. In this suggestion, Adichie states that “Domestic work and caregiving should be gender-neutral, and we should be asking whether or not a woman can “do it all” but how best to support parents in their dual duties at work and at home.” (Adichie 11). This destroys the idea of a traditional marriage that is still alive today. The idea that a man should be out at an office all day while a wife stays home to take care of children and do housework is incredibly harmful to society. Children who grow up with their mother doing all of the caregiving and housework will usually end up resenting their father for not being around. Women end up miserable and bored in a marriage where they’re stuck home all day with children. The only person who benefits from this arrangement is the father. The father will get to go to work and have his freedom while the wife is left to fill both parental roles. 

            Another important lesson is in the sixth suggestion, where Adichie states “Teach her to question language. Language is the repository of our prejudices” (Adichie 26).  Adichie demonstrates the importance of not using words like “misogynistic” or “patriarchy” too liberally. If we just label things that way, it can be confusing for a young girl. The jargon is simply too abstract for any child to understand, whether they are a young girl or a young boy. Both of those terms taken out of context can be incredibly damaging to society. 

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