The Voice of Empowerment: Joan Thatiah

In the world of literature, few names resonate as powerfully as Joan Thatiah. Starting her writing journey at only fifteen, Joan has grown into a formidable voice in empowering women through her bold and unapologetic writing. She talks about her journey from a young writer to a celebrated author, highlighting the societal changes her work aims to inspire. Joan’s passion for writing and her commitment to challenging the status quo make her a true hero in the literary world.

Joan Thatiah has become synonymous with bold, unapologetic literature aimed at empowering women. Joan’s journey into writing wasn’t a straightforward path. Her days as a journalist, listening to countless stories of women from all walks of life, became the backbone of her writing. “My literary voice has been shaped by everything I have read so far and everything I have written. I always knew I wanted to write books. Journalism was what I did to get here,” she says.

Joan’s literary career took off in 2016 with the publication of ‘Things I Will Tell My Daughter’, a book that immediately struck a chord with readers for its raw honesty and practical wisdom. “I wrote it as a platform to write all these lessons I was picking up interviewing women, which I couldn’t put in the newspaper,” she says. “It’s everything I wished someone had told me when I was growing up.”

Joan’s writing style is both engaging and confrontational. Her books are pleasant reads, often just a few hundred pages, but oh do they pack a punch. ‘I’m Too Pretty to Be Broke and Other Lies You’ve Been Telling Yourself’ is a perfect example. This book deconstructs the myths and misconceptions that women have been led to believe about themselves. Joan tackles 21 lies, ranging from the idea that beauty equates to worth, to the misconception that financial independence isn’t attainable for women. “The one in the title. That a woman can be too beautiful that it’s enough for her not to try to be something more. This misconception that all a woman needs to be successful or fulfilled persists in our lives today because we are a visual society. We judge people and things by how they appear,” she explains. It’s about society waking up to the reality that we have been selling ourselves short.

Joan’s candid approach has earned her a loyal following, but it has also invited some pushback. She understands that not everyone will agree with her viewpoints. She acknowledges that her goal is to provoke thought and initiate conversations. The diversity of opinions signifies that her work is impactful and fulfilling its purpose of challenging conventional beliefs.

Joan’s transition to fiction with her book ‘Guilty’ was another significant milestone. This novel, which earned her the 1st runner-up award at the Quramo Writers’ Prize in 2019, explores themes of guilt and redemption, wrapped in a gripping narrative. “Fiction takes you to where it wants to go,” Joan enjoys writing fiction most, as often, her characters surprise even her.

Despite her success, Joan remains grounded and deeply connected to her roots. Growing up as the only daughter in a family of six brothers, she was exposed to different perspectives on gender and society. “Being an only girl of seven siblings, I became aware of gender disparity at quite a young age. My most memorable incident was at about the age of 9; one of my brothers was miffed that I couldn’t perform a household task perfectly and snapped, ‘Sasa wewe nani atakuoa?’” she recalls. “Even then I knew that this was not the expectation that society had of my brothers.”

There’s a powerful wave of female voices emerging; vocal, unapologetic and without fear. Joan believes that literature is a mirror to society, a recording of our history and writers have both a duty and right to be part of public discourse. A role she takes seriously, amplifying voices. She defines empowerment as “…to me it means women having as many options in life as possible. Being aware of those choices. Picking the choice that best suits her with this knowledge.”

Her advice for aspiring writers is simple yet profound: “The only way to get your own voice in writing is to keep reading and to keep writing. There is nothing under the sun which hasn’t been written about before. But the more you grow your skills, the more you sharpen your eye for new angles and new ways to say things.”

Joan’s warmth and authenticity shine through, making it clear why she has become such a beloved figure in the literary world. Her dedication to empowering women through her writing is not just commendable; it’s necessary. In a world that often tries to silence women’s voices, Joan Thatiah’s fearless storytelling is a beacon of hope and strength. Her books remind us that we all have the power to change our narratives and live life on our own terms. That we should never sell ourselves short; we are so much more than society wants us to be.

Joan hopes to be remembered as the woman who went for it even when she couldn’t see the whole way. And I think she will be remembered exactly as that. A voice for empowerment, a writer whose words reached out and changed the world of women.

Stay tuned as she finishes up on her Confessions of Nairobi Men and Women series. One we surely look forward to and wish her speedy writing.

This article was originally published in Issue 442

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