This year, one of my reading goals was to read more books by women. Having to choose from such a broad range of novels and stories written by women offered me immense joy. Women have a voice, and are using it!
Why read books written by women? First of all, women’s experiences and stories are the most relatable to us as women, and women have historically been underrepresented and misrepresented in literature, it is wonderful to see women take charge of their own stories and in control of their own narratives. Below are books which I think every woman should read.
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda N’gozi: This is one of the best books on feminism I have ever read. It is a fantastic source of information for anyone interested in learning about feminism. In the introduction, she shares what prompted her to write this book. She narrates how a childhood friend sought her for guidance on how to raise a feminist baby girl, and Chimamanda being one of the most well-known African feminists decided to do so by writing a letter with detailed suggestions on how to raise a feminist baby girl.
The book is brief, straightforward, and easy to read. I strongly recommend you pick up this book to educate yourself, especially if you have children or plan on having children, I promise that it will change your perception of what feminism is. The suggestions can apply to both a boy and girl child. In this book she tackles issues of gender, gender roles, equality, marriage and many more. Among the singled-out advice is that she encourages her friend to teach her daughter to read and love books, question everything, including the language used around.
Every suggestion offered is incredibly thought-provoking and pushes the reader to question their line of thinking, especially when it comes to raising a girl-child. I found most of what was said very relatable having experienced it myself or observed it around me. For instance, a suggestion to the parent to be thoughtful about how to interact with the girl child, especially when it comes to her appearance as she hit puberty really hit home for me. Every girl knows that everything about her, including how the outside world perceives her, changes the moment she reaches puberty.
Most girls find puberty uncomfortable, and from what I've observed, most girls approach it with shame and guilt (wearing oversized clothes to hide their developing body). She notes in the book that research indicates that most girls give up sports when puberty sets in because breast and other physical changes, along with self-consciousness, become obstacles.
“Teach her to reject likability, her job is not to make herself likeable, her job is to be her full self, a self that is aware of the equal humanity of other people”
The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, you are aware of how delicate the topic of sex is in our culture. After reading the book, I questioned why it is the norm for women to discuss sex-related topics in hushed tones. When someone inquired about what I was reading, I remember feeling awkward to disclose the title of the book . Women and girls hardly ever discuss sex-related topics openly.
This book will alter your perspective and expose you to new sex and relationship experiences. The book is an anthology of stories by African women (local or diasporan) of different backgrounds, ethnicities, nationalities, religious beliefs, and sexual orientations. More than 20 women from 31 countries share their experiences regarding sexuality, sexual freedom, relationships and identity. Imagine having access to that many stories and experiences in one book !
Please read part 2
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