Why I composed the Feminist Manifesto –Chimamanda Adichie

The well known and honor winning writer, Chimamda Adichie in a meeting with the New York Times discloses what spurred her to thinking of her most recent book ‘Feminist Manifesto in fifteen suggestions.

She explained that the book was birthed while she was trying to help a friend, who had intentions of raising a feminist child.

She clarifies, “I ventured into writing that book because of friend who once told me that she wanted to raise her daughter as a feminist. She told me that she needed to raise her daughter as a feminist so that she doesn’t take the kind of nonsense she took; she wanted her daughter’s life to be better than hers.”

“Something in me was both moved and sad; to me it’s an act of love and also a mark of being a parent, you want your child to be better than you.”

She also expressed her reaction to her friend’s request as being awe-inspiring due to her own belief as a feminist.

Adichie said, “To be called to be part of this process was a little overwhelming. I replied her mail and I also thought that I had to be honest with her and very practical with my friend on this.”

The award-wining writer also said that the request by her friend became an eye-opener for her as she began to realize the impact of the book on her.

“The letter became for me a map of my own feminism because after I  wrote the letter to her, I realised that I had never sat down to write about the things I think we should do differently in feminism.

“I have taught a lot about how we really need to raise boys and girls differently but I have never really sat down to write this down.”

She also linked the book writing to her incessant desire to help mankind especially African women.

She jokingly said, “I have a bit of a messiah complex; there is a part of me that wants to help and this is not good thing. I have the impulse to help and that makes me cross so many boundaries like getting to people’s place here is what you need to make things better for yourself.

She however stated that she anticipates that the book help to clarify and distinguish between theoretical and practical feminism.

“There is this debate in Nigeria about women’s role and I will often need young African women who will say to me ‘I identify as a feminist but I don’t really know what this means in practical terms, in my life. I don’t know the feminist answer to this is’.

“I released this with the hope that it will help some people. My feminist vision is not about theories or arguing. it is practical and pragmatic; about how I can make people’s lives better. I hope this book helps demystify feminism.