Introduction (By Woju)
So I am always going on about my mum and her anti-feminist views, so whilst she was in Nippon I decided to get her to write about it. So yeah, here is my mama telling us why she isn't a feminist.
"I don’t identify as a feminist because as far as I am concerned, it is a tag. I do not have to identify as a feminist to support women empowerment. As a woman, I believe that women should be respected and treated properly. I also believe that women already hold in their hands great, God-given power. In the hands of every woman is the power to shape/change her nation. The saying goes that children are the future. So it can be said that women raise and build their nations’ future, as they care for and nurture the children of that nation. I know I am generalising, but, in most cultures this is the true position.
As a mother, I have derived great pleasure in raising my children to be responsible members of society. I believe that the feeling of entitlement or superiority by men starts from home, so my son has not been raised any differently from my daughters. He cooks and cleans just like they do. He does not see himself as better than his sisters either. When my children were younger, some of my guests would tell me that I was raising my son to be soft because of all the housework he did and, most especially, because he cooked. I did not agree with them and I still don’t. He has turned out to be a kind gentleman of whom I am very proud!
In the Yoruba culture women have always been respected recognised. Our history is full of strong and powerful women, and even today there are still a great many! But can men and women be equal? No, I don’t think so. Should men and women be treated the same? Yes. There is a Yoruba saying ‘ika o dogba’ (your fingers are not the same length), a metaphor to say no two people can be equal. God did not create us equal. Life is fairer to some than to others. Pay me a salary commensurate to my work because I have earned it and not because I am woman.
Each person has their strengths and weaknesses. We are good at some things and not so good at others. I will not keep doing something I know I am not good at simply to prove the point that anything a man can do a woman can do too. There are some things that men are just better at doing because of they are men and built for it and there are things that women are better at doing because they are women. We should celebrate our differences and respect each other instead allowing our differences to separate us and cause division. We should recognise our strengths and weaknesses while helping each other to grow and develop. Mothers should raise sons to respect all the women they come across in their journey of life and daughters who respect themselves no matter the situation in which they find themselves."
Comments and Conclusion
Don't know about you, but I feel like she is a feminist. I guess sure she doesn't have to identify as one but she is one no? Mumma, call a spade a spade, don't be scared of being a feminist :((
'Ika o dogba' = fingers are not of the same length, therefore no two humans are the same, but all your fingers are of equal use so I would say that every human is equal. God made us in His image, we are all His children, He loves us all equally. Yes, life is more fair to some, but I would like to think my God doesn't condone the unfair treatment of His children!
And the salary thing is exactly what we are asking for, our gender shouldn't be a factor but it actually is!
Anyway, she read the blog and liked it and said she is gonna keep coming back, so that's a positive! Wooo! Maybe I'll start swearing less so that your not-so-feminist mums and dads can keep coming back too LOL