FEMINISM: The African Misconception (PART 1) - Opinion

In today’s world, the word “Feminism” has totally lost its meaning especially in the African Society. Feminism is the Theory of the POLITICAL, ECONOMIC and SOCIAL EQUALITY of the sexes. Feminist therefore, are persons who advocate equal treatment for all sexes in all aspect of public and private life, and they can be both male and female alike.

Africa is known to have a rich cultural heritage and majority of Africans misconstrued the concept of Feminism as a direct opposite to their culture and tradition. In Nigeria for instance, a great number of people, men especially see the feminist movement as “anti-male dominance” on every front. I’d like to point out that male or female, we are all Humans. There is a saying, “do to one what you expect them to do to you”.
Misconception 1 – All Feminist are Men Haters
A Man hater is a man hater and not a Feminist. Cultural practices across the country are majorly harmful and derogatory to the women folk. When a feminist stands in the gap to speak up for women who are hurt by some cultural practices, the men folk conclude they are Men haters.
In some parts of the country, when a woman is widowed she is required to drink the water used to wash the corpse of her late husband in other to prove her innocence in the events leading to his death.
The Feminist stand will be: if it were the other way around, would the husband drink the water from his late wife’s corpse? The Answer, NO. These two people are humans treat them alike. That’s not to mention the bacteria composition of such water and the after effect which it would have on the body of one who drinks it.

In recent years, the demography of the composition of the workforce has slightly shifted away from men dominating the workplace and being breadwinners in their respective homes. This is an offshoot of several factors ranging from Ego, badluck to wrong choices. Most women in African homes, who find themselves in the breadwinners position in their respective families, saw themselves in such position mostly out of pure desperation for the survival of their children.

Traditionally, the male folk is suppose to bear the burden of providing Food, Shelter and Clothing for the members of his family, but due to the recent economic situations the efforts of one is not enough, hence, the woman helps out.
The general perception of men is that a career or working woman will never submit to her husband.  This is so not true. If you have failed in your manly duties which are to provide Food, Shelter, Clothing, Security, Protection etc for your wife and children, inferiority complex automatically sets in and the ability to think rationally becomes an alien concept to such a man.

In some cultures in this clime, when a man dies and leaves his wife and kids, the man’s family steps in to strip the woman of all her husband left behind. It is in this light that Feminist advice women to have a hustle that would provide for her and her children in case of such eventualities. Then African men name them “Men Haters” because they preach that women should be independent to some extent.

Feminist look out for the Political, Economic and Social well being of women, that doesn’t make them ‘Men Haters’.

Written By Jim