Oh but I need to be specific and add that I am not a Feminist backed with that westernised gibberish but an African feminist.
I embarked on an extensive research on the take of feminism especially on political and societal matters. I stumbled on African feminism and decided to redirect my energy to the movement . What I discovered restructured my perception on the concept of feminism. I believe that what we have right here ( African feminism) is a damn good fight!
African feminism borders on speaking up against most of these violations against the girl child like child marriage, genital mutilation, rape and domestic violence amongst others. It speaks of these injustices and demands for change.
Now look, AF ( African Feminists) just don't talk,write and talk some more, they act. Take for instance, genital mutilation; a cultural act once prevalent in Africa now almost extinct.
While I celebrate that victory, I know there is still a lot to be done. The average girl child is still plagued with not only physical violence but mental.
The society we live in is not just patriarchal but girl child unfriendly. Though we all pretend to be just fine, we are yet to find that happy place. The societal structures still uphold the suppression of the girl child.
I'm sure we all must have heard about Ese Oruru who was kidnapped from her parents and forced to be married and converted to Islam. Imagine a fourteen year old child laden with the responsibility of pregnancy and childbirth . Ese is one out of millions of teenage girls who are constantly raped by members of their families, forced to marry men twice their age and beaten to stupor for trying to be more than the standards set for them by the society. While we celebrate womanhood, let's keep that in mind.
I know I have no right to speak on such issues as I have lived a relatively sheltered life safe from violence, rape, mutilation but who am I truly if I can't share in the pains of my kind?
As we celebrate women, mothers, daughters today, I employ us all, men and women to realise the importance of the girl child. We are not the problem of the world like Bob Marley wrongly accuses. We hold the power to life in the world.
Mothers can stand up and refuse their daughters to be married off even before they can tell their lefts from their rights. Its tradition but so was the killing of twin children. Does it make it right?
The other day, a colleague and I got into a heated argument. According to his twisted mind, it would be a catastrophe if Hillary Clinton became the President of America. In his words "as stupid as Trump is, he remains a better choice for America than Clinton". His reasons being that women are not supposed to think as far as becoming Presidents. We should and must be made to remain beneath the authority of the man as the bible instructs.
If you have any iota of good reasoning then I expect you to be raging from these words. I was shocked that men like that roam the streets like normal people instead of being locked up somewhere near abyss.
Well these class of men still exist and will continue to exist if we don't put our foot down.
Now why can't we be feminists? Feminists are bold, refuse to let themselves be trodden by the large feet of society. Feminists are smart considering the thousands of articles I read only on African feminism. Feminist get married ( just not to any simpleton with a penis) , feminist take the bull by the horns and fight for the sanity of our kind.
African Feminists are not lesbians or phallus envying creatures. They are in no way seeking to overthrown the headship of the man according to how the bible instructs rather they are just a bunch of women who you find disgusting things to say about because they have pulled out the wool from their eyes. They do not have a problem with submission just a problem with oppression.With that being said, feel free to call me a feminist but do specify that I am an African feminist!
Also, I need to clear out that every time a man wants to manipulate you, he clings on to the bible that says that the woman should be submissive to her husband , conveniently forgetting tthat the bible also says that man must love his wife. If you love and care for a woman, submission would come easy. Submission does not mean kissing your ass, it means allowing you head the home. It means allowing you love her and your children. If a man truly loves his wife, there wouldn't be any issue of inequality and injustice against the female child. So where does the problem lie? Feel free to look at those fingers pointing right back you!
Finally,Women's Day shouldn't be about posting pictures of odes to the many strengths of a woman, its not a day to go out shopping or get roses from our lovers rather, It is a day of coming to a point of consciousness. The consciousness that despite the fact that you might be free, some girl child somewhere is made to face horrors indescribable. Its a day you ask yourself your purpose as a woman. Its a day to decide to be the change that you demand. Its a day to stand on your feet and glare oppression in its bloody face.
To all African Feminists who have caught my eye like Nawal El Saadawi, Buchi Emecheta, Flora Nwapa, Chimamda Adichie, I wish that my name someday would be listed amongst yours!
#BringBackOurGirls
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