Feminism is not a preserve of the West.
There are various types of feminisms all over the world. Let me define
my feminism for you:
Feminism for me means that I will not be treated as any less of a human because of my gender, my ethnicity, my religion, my race, my sexuality or my social class. That I will enjoy the same social, political and economic rights as other people, men or women. One thing you probably did not know happened during the era of colonialism in many African societies is that women were doubly-colonized (and of course, colonialism was/is Western domination). According to Oyewumi Oyeronke, among the Yoruba people, women chiefs were unseated and their positions given to men because colonial officers refused to have dealings with women since their women back home did not enjoy such social and political power.
Feminism for me means that I will not be treated as any less of a human because of my gender, my ethnicity, my religion, my race, my sexuality or my social class. That I will enjoy the same social, political and economic rights as other people, men or women. One thing you probably did not know happened during the era of colonialism in many African societies is that women were doubly-colonized (and of course, colonialism was/is Western domination). According to Oyewumi Oyeronke, among the Yoruba people, women chiefs were unseated and their positions given to men because colonial officers refused to have dealings with women since their women back home did not enjoy such social and political power.
I absolutely respect people (women) who do not call themselves feminists
but still believe in gender equality. When I was growing up, if I did the
dishes my brother swept the house and if I swept the house he did the dishes.
My mother did not subscribe to the notion that because he happened to be born
with a penis he should go out and play while I stayed at home to do the chores,
in fact I would play soccer with him and his friends.
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| Photo Credit: joshuaproject.net |
Women coming together to work to
better their lives is a form of feminism. I see many women organizing susu
groups to economically empower themselves. That is feminism. I need feminism
because there is a 5 year old girl called Rahina in the Miong District who
carries her 6 month old sister to school and cares for her. Only God knows how
her education will suffer with this kind of distraction.
Some people speak like corporal punishment miraculously made them
perfect human beings. The lashing may have worked for you but it probably did
not work for everyone. I got so used to being caned in junior high school that
I didn't even care if I went to school late or broke any school rules. In fact,
if my parent ever said to me they were disappointed in me (as a result of my
actions or inactions) it hurt me more than all the lashing I had to endure on
cold harmattan mornings in jss/sss.
A man who is threatened by a woman
enjoying equal opportunities as him just feels that his masculinity is
threatened. It takes a lot of strength and nerve to acknowledge the oppression
of women and speak against it without feeling emasculated by the prospect of women wielding
social, economic and political power.
It's sickening to hear people
hide behind sexism and misogyny to call themselves “conscientious feminists”.
Wunps dear, you have spoken my mind and for that I thank you
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks! :)
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