African peoples and feminism
tashi
Why do we always seem to talk about the deliverance of Nigeria
without discussing the deliverance of Nigerian women. To say that we
do not experience culturally sanctioned oppression is an erroneous
statement. The attitudes of many men on this list range from
outright misogyny to patronising coddling. Women everywhere want
only to be respected and allowed to pursue the course of life they
choose. I can hear the replies now from men who say that Nigerian
women are able to be educated and live however they wish. That is
not true. We are still subject to the ridicule and censure of men.
Any ground we may have gained has been given grudgingly and probably
only because economics makes it so that men cannot bear the burden
alone. However women make less money than men and recieve fewer
promotions. Women are generally less likely to be taken seriously.
Women of colour are virtually invisible. Foreign women of colour do
not exist. Or if they do exist, are placed in the role of an exotic.
How many of my sisters on this list have heard "Oh your work is very
good, but unfortunately the company cannot reward you just yet." and
just as you begin to ask why "How do you manage, you, know it must be
so hard to be coloured and female. My you speak English very well."
ARGH!!! Yet I have many Nigerian male friends, who even though they
experience difficulties, at least they are male so of course more
reasonable. And that is just in the west. How is it that you
whenever you speak of Nigerian leaders, they are all male. Whenever
we speak of Nigerian writers, everyone knows Wole Soyinka, Ken
Saro-Wiwa, Chinua Achebe, Ben Okri and many others. And yet no one
ever mentions anything about Buchi Emecheta, hello are there any
other Nigerian women writers, I was raised in the states, no one ever
told me. Funny enough, Buchi Emecheta in her works describes the
trials and tribulations that Nigerian women experience. If I hear
one more "Be strong for Nigeria, oh the country must have good women
standing behind it" I will honestly scream. Obviously the sole
purpose of women is to uplift the nation by uplifting her man and her
home. Oh yes and educated women are there to produce educated
children. Yeah right!!! I have dreams, goals, and plans, that are
not dependent on a man. And if any one who reads this message thinks
that I am some raving lonely feminist you can ask my boyfriend, a
strong supportive wonderful Nigerian man, who appreciates me for what
I am, not for what hole he can use.
FREEDOM FOR ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WITHOUT REGARDS TO
RACE, GENDER, RELIGION, SEXUALITY, HANDICAP, ETHNICITY, OR
CREED.
Anika Tene' Cazenave
Cyril U. Orji
> Yeah right!!! I have dreams, goals, and plans, that are
> not dependent on a man. And if any one who reads this message thinks
> that I am some raving lonely feminist you can ask my boyfriend, a
> strong supportive wonderful Nigerian man, who appreciates me for what
> I am, not for what hole he can use.
Although I understand the point you are making, there's the possible
danger of insinuating that feminists are biologically different
than non-feminists. I am not really comfortable discussing such issues.
I don't understand them. But to be honest with you, when I see the
vigor with which many respectable and intelligent female netters
announce that they are not feminists, I always want to go back to
my dictionary to attempt to find out why.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language says that
feminist is both a noun and an adjective derived from the word (noun)
feminism -- ``A doctrine that advocates or demands for women the same
rights granted men ... The movement in support of such a doctrine.''
If we accept this as a working definition, it is then not clear
why one would consider a feminist as -- raving, lonely, etc.
You can be a feminist and yet loving.
Just to pick up not quite where you left off in your last
line referenced above -- I recall in Achebe's Thing Fall Apart
where it was considered impossible for one to suggest that
... the woman lies on top when they are making children ...
Assuming that you've made the legal drinking age, I leave it
to you to judge if we are not making progress :)
In any event, I hate the appearance of being opposed
to women issues because I am not. I know this sounds
like a typical white racist who tells you s/he does not hate blacks,
s/he has a black driver or cook, and in fact, no black has
complained about his/her behavior. I understand all these.
However, I think the general treatment of blacks/minorities is
different than the issues we are discussing here.
I am in general opposed to the use of language that degrades any person,
sex or group. But if you watch carefully on naijanet, you'll note
that as a people, we are sensitive to our women. We love them. We
respect them. We forgive them. You might even mistake these qualities
as patronizing. Consider a non-issue as mistaking of e-MALE for e-mail,
not once, not twice, but quite a bit. Was naijanet delivering
overnight mails or overnight MALES, probably with money back guarantee,
if for any reason you are not satisfied with the level of performance?
Naijanet MALES overlooked that. And I am glad we did.
May be it was patronizing. MALES on Bosnia-net or Canada-net or Anglo-net
will most probably have reacted.
That takes me nearly full circle to my package concept. You have to
accept Nigerian men for what we are. When we go wrong, point that out,
lets discuss it, and move on. When we are loving, caring, forgiving,
etc., please acknowledge those and lets also move on. Although we may
not all be as tall as Alonzo Mourning, or have as many mouth-rings as
brother Rodman, but as brother Jesse Jackson would say -- We are somebody.
Finally, I will end with my usual attack on picking and choosing.
No. It doesn't work that way. You can't take all the wonderful Nigerian
in me, and reject those other characteristics that do not pass your
test of westernization. You've got to take me or leave me.
Cyril