That formula is “can you reverse X and get the same results?” (8). The second tool is like a formula for determining whether something is sexist or not. Mothers can do this by committing to a feminist premise which serves to remind them never to compromise on the equality that they are struggling for as women. The idea here is that if mothers want to raise feminist daughters, they must embrace feminist ideals themselves. That premise (as a woman) should be “I matter.

Her first “feminist tool” is to have a premise. In the introduction, before she begins laying down her suggestions, Adichie offers two feminist tools which serve as a sort of springboard for the rest of the text. Her hope is that this work will contribute to a more gender-equal world. As Adichie characterizes it, gender roles are like a straitjacket designed to restrict women’s freedom and limit their potential. The purpose of the manifesto is to undo this gender inequality by raising girls to reject traditional gender roles and expectations.

The book references ongoing gender inequality in both countries and draws comparisons between the two cultures. The book addresses the dual context of both Adichie and Ijeawele’s home country of Nigeria and Adichie’s adopted home country of the United States. Adichie’s response forms the basis of this manifesto, which was first published by Knopf Publishers in 2017. Ijeawele just gave birth to a baby girl, Chizalum, and asked Adichie for advice on how to raise her to be a feminist. Written by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the work is the product of a correspondence between Adichie and her friend Ijeawele.

Feminist manifesto chimamanda