Ladies,
its hard out there for a girl, this is the truth the world treats you like you
are and enemy sometimes, both women and men.
There
is so much idealism that surround this school of thought, this belief that a
woman has a right to be equal to a man in all day to day dealings but this idea
rubs the some people the wrong way.
The
stereotypes that exist against feminism are very funny; some believe you need
to be an unhappy woman, because I mean if you have a man in your life already
telling you what to do you will stop complaining right?
Who
said a feminist can't be a wife or mother or straight.
Basically
feminism is the pursuit of the equality of the sexes in all spheres of life.
Like one author said, it's basically the belief that women are people. People
attribute some odd things to feminist like masculinity and all that but just
because a woman says she is a feminist does not mean the woman is a man. It
just means the woman is capable of the same things if not more than the man is.
The
thing is that people don't like to associate themselves with feminism because
it seems a small minority have defined what feminism should really be. Ideally
feminism does not look at the superiority of women but at their equality like I
said before, so the bad feelings this word engenders in the mind are just
raised by the misdirection of a small group.
The
idea that feminism is new is very wrong. Since feminism basically surrounds the
fact that woman can think and produce the same results that men can, women can
fight wars and women can work, giving
just as good as the results the men are giving. Women can also build homes, nurture
families and relationships, take all forms of abuse and still stay and women
love inexcusably too.
Right
from biblical times and much earlier women have been taking
control
of their destinies, choosing what to and what not to accept.
One
example that comes to mind is the woman called Ruth who lost her husband. Then
she saw this man she liked, well it was one of 2 things either she acts all coy
and shy so that the man can one day or maybe never decide that he wanted to be
with her. She takes matters into her own hands and goes and chases the man
herself. Now this will be awkward if the guy doesn't like you, but he did so it
all worked out great.
There
was also the woman from Judges 4:4 Deborah the prophetess who was the judge,
she was also the wife of Lappidoth. I believe God knows what women are worth and
what we are capable of and he has no intention of subduing us, that's all a human
thing.
There
are many occasions especially in this Nigeria where we encounter men who
probably in a normal situation should treat us with respect because we are
human beings but we end up hearing all sorts of things from their mouths like ''I
get your type for house'' or ''who are you a woman to talk to me like that''.
We can't blame them because these men mostly are illiterates and lack the
common sense to know that whether someone is a woman or man you are required to
show some respect. I am raising all these instances so you understand
where I am coming from. I think the women who suffer the most from gender suppression
are right here in Africa whether through culture or religion it is forced on us.
Our
culture is patriarchal and permits it but
women live and thrive in this society, starting game changing businesses and
mentoring other women to greatness.
There
are also instances where women are suppressed because it is believed that
it is for our own good. Just like it doesn't make any sense to tell a full
grown man what he can do and force it on him so it makes no sense to force a
woman.
All
being said there is a feminist in all of us. If you don't expect anything less
from yourself because you are a woman then you are feminist. If you believe
that your level of education should earn you just as much as a man on the same
level as you then you are feminist if you believe in your right to vote, make
decisions in your home and have people listen to what you have to say no matter how you say
it or if it makes sense then my dear woman or man you are feminist.
If you believe your money is as good as the man's own you are feminist. I respect
that some of us do not like to label our fierceness but it is what it is, just
like denying something is stupid does not make it any less so.
another
issue I will like to address is that we can live totally independent of the
other sex, I believe this is a myth, we are going to be needing men for as long
as they will be needing us. The capacity in which we will need a man or a man
will need us is dependent on the circumstance. So does being a feminist mean
you are independent of men, I don't think so. There is also the issue of
blaming all our problems on men, a true feminist should understand that more
often than not, the only obstacle to her fulfillment is her, she has her own
power so stop waiting for a man to hand it to you go out and get it yourself. Another
thing feminists could do to reverse the bad rep is stop trying to force what is
their ideal feminism on others, some people need our help but some people need
to come into their own independence by themselves.
My
ideal feminist is; a woman who understands her worth, strong, smart, beautiful,
feminine, free(in whatever way she wants to be), happy and fulfilled in
whatever road in life she chooses.
This
post is dedicated to all the hard working, smart and beautiful Women out there.
Stay Fierce and Fabulous always!!!
For
more interesting reading:
http://www.thenewlocalmag.com/clearing-the-air-on-feminism/
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