Today, more than ever before, people identify with feminism. For some, there’s a concrete understanding of the ideology, for some others, it’s a little more than just another ideological bandwagon to hitch themselves to.
In any event, the latter category of people have in their enthusiasm and despite their best intentions, contributed to a misunderstanding of feminism.
My Twitter timeline is a mix of jumbled myths and half truths about feminism and the resultant effect is the constant in fighting between people who have now been labelled “Twitter feminists” and the opposition on the other side of the divide.
So, how about we dispel a few myths and spell out what feminism really seeks to achieve?
Unlike what arguments tell you, feminism isn’t really about who does the dishes or cooks meals at home, it really is about creating equal rights for women. Feminism is a social theory or political movement supporting the equality of both sexes in all aspects of public and private life
It’s the simple idea that men and women should have equal opportunities and equal rights even within marriage.
Feminism isn’t about hating men!
If you know that in Nigeria, woman can’t post bail, simply by virtue of being a woman and you wonder why such a senseless rule exists, you’re halfway into understanding the feminist movement.
If you admit to yourself that the society we live is skewed to favor men even when women have the same qualifications or you’ve heard the phrase “see as him dey drive like woman” while in traffic, then you’re getting somewhere.
If marriage is a contract entered into by two adults, then it stands to reason that a man and his wife have equal rights within the realms of marriage. So, no, it’s not about who washes clothes and does the dishes or changes the kids diapers, it really comes down to the question “is your wife an equal partner in your marriage”?
If you think we shouldn’t have a female governor or President simply because “Nigeria is just not ready for a female President”, then surely people should fight to enthrone logic.
There we have it people, go and put an end to mumu arguments.