”We have a world full of women who are unable to exhale fully because they have for so long been conditioned to fold themselves into shapes to make themselves likable.”

4.5 rounding up.

I loved all the points brought up in this letter, and I feel that they cumulatively create a solid idea of what feminism is in the face of implicit and explicit sexism. I specifically enjoyed the suggestion about unlinking female sexuality and shame, and the one about refusing to cater towards likability because those are two aspects of my own womanhood that I struggle with.

Adichie has a way of conveying complex issues in a concise, no-nonsense manner, making this letter a great introduction to feminist works due to the relative ease readers can digest the essence of the problem within the gender issues outlined in these 15 suggestions. However, because of this—along with the short text length as a whole—I find myself wishing for an expansion on some of the points brought up since I think there is much remaining to be said.

All in all, an amazing and important read for women who may have thought themselves alone or confused in their experiences and opinions, and for men who wish to take a more active role in dismantling patriarchic institutions by acknowledging their own place in the system.