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I’ll give my pondo. Don’t @ me. Perhaps feminism isn’t being misrepresented. Perhaps it has several “factions”. It’s like the theoretical complexities of feminism are reminiscent of the theological complexities of Christianity. Everyone claims to believe in a deity for salvation.
One says, eat pork and you’re outta the game. The other says if you don’t speak in tongues, you’re outta the game. Another says, Jesus was just an angel and if you don’t believe that, you’re outta the game. One says dishonor Virgin Mary and you’re out.
All say “I’m Christian.”
All say “I’m Christian.”
That’s odd, isn’t it? We have Anglican, Catholic, Orthodox, Pentecostal, SDA, Protestant, Mormonism etc. We’re all somehow “Christian”. The same pattern appears to me to be true of feminism.
Last year I wrote my research proposal on decolonizing feminism & tried to theorize a version of feminism that is suited for Africans. Suffice it to say, I still dk what’s going on. I ended up changing my topic bc I felt extremely conflicted - personally & intellectually.
One thing I learnt is that feminists, on the surface, are all looking for equality in the same way Christians (regardless of denomination) are all looking for salvation. How we get there seems to be the source of all this nuance.
I don’t know where I stand apart from the fact that I believe in equality of opportunity: politically, socially, economically, culturally. How we get there becomes a matter of ideology. That’s why I don’t engage too many feminist convos bc I first have to identify what ideology
informs the argumentation of this person. In the same way I don’t engage theological debates with people whose ideology is significantly different from mine. To me, it’s developmentally futile, unless I’m doing it out of curiosity.
I also know for sure that I don’t want a western feminism informing the trajectory of my empowerment while simultaneously labeling my very apparent cultural identity as demonic. In my research I came across an obnoxious piece of writing by a European feminist who labeled African
cultures oppressive (albeit true in some circumstances, she indirectly said “throw the whole thing away”). An attempt to dilute our heritage with some white-washed feminism (excuse my annoyance, this is a story for another day).
I do, however, have to end this thread by honouring the African feminists that have shown me that ideology is multifaceted & ever-evolving.
Omolara Ogundipe-Leslie whose version of feminism (for African women) is called STIWAnism (Social transformation including women in Africa)
Omolara Ogundipe-Leslie whose version of feminism (for African women) is called STIWAnism (Social transformation including women in Africa)
Clenora Hudson-Weems whose feminism (for African women) is called Africana Womanism.
I’d never heard of these until a year ago. But there’s so much to learn. Even here on Twitter, there’s a lot to learn and unlearn.
I’d never heard of these until a year ago. But there’s so much to learn. Even here on Twitter, there’s a lot to learn and unlearn.
Anyway, we get to define for ourselves what feminism looks like (and that’s why we’re all hardly ever on the same page. Nevertheless, we have that freedom...somewhat).
No 1 has said it better than Obioma Nnaemeka
I felt like this quote was a complete thesis on its own. K bye
No 1 has said it better than Obioma Nnaemeka
I felt like this quote was a complete thesis on its own. K bye
