Adichie's 12th Suggestion and a Reflection on Roe v. Wade


Katie Roessel

21st Century Literature and Time

October 10th, 2022

 Adichie's 12th Suggestion and a Reflection on Roe v. Wade


    When reading Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions,” there were ample opportunities offered for personal introspection, how these suggestions relate to my own interpretation of feminism, especially as a white woman. A suggestion that stuck out to me the most, though, was suggestion 12: “Talk to her about sex, and start early.”

    Through this suggestion, Adichie implores that Ijeawele’s daughter is given comprehensive sex education early in life, and to not be shamed by her sexuality. She cites an experience growing up with Ijeawele where “we were supposed to be taught about ‘sexuality’ but instead we listened to vague semi-threats about how “talking to boys” would end up with us pregnant and disgraced(.)” Adichie wants Ijeawele to break that status quo, to encourage her daughter to never feel pressured to say yes to anything she does not desire.

    This notion of sexual liberation for women is an idea that has been discussed, encouraged, and discouraged in communities around the world. When reading this suggestion, I couldn’t help but think about the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the narrative around it, specifically the narrative against pro-choice women. The story that Adichie cites reminds me far too much of the discussions of women who seek out abortions and support the freedom of abortion access. I have heard people say that women are using abortion as birth control, that if she didn’t want to get pregnant then she should not have had sex, and a woman should keep the pregnancy conceived from rape because it’s a “gift from God.”

    There is so much shame surrounding the concept of women’s sexuality, and this shame has been used in the United States legislature to regulate abortion access. This manifesto was written in 2017, and yet its words are still incredibly applicable to 2022, and it can be applied to fights for women’s bodily autonomy and sexual liberation in the past. This feminist manifesto as a whole teaches lessons that transcend time, because there will unfortunately always be a time where a woman’s right to live is infringed upon.



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