Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

that she will be full of opinions, and that her opinions will come from an informed, humane and broad-minded place.

Teach her that saying no when no feels right is something to be proud of.

The writer had accused me of being ‘angry’, as though ‘being angry’ were something to be ashamed of. Of course I am angry. I am angry about racism. I am angry about sexism.

that she should never feel the need to say yes to something she does not want, or something she feels pressured to do.

Tell her that if anything ever makes her uncomfortable, to speak up, to say it, to shout.

Encourage her to speak her mind, to say what she really thinks, to speak truthfully.

they just need to be treated as equal human beings.

If a woman has power then why do we need to disguise that she has power?

The second tool is a question: can you reverse X and get the same results?

women actually don’t need to be championed and revered; they just need to be treated as equal human beings.