A section of feminists ideologue tend to assume that feminism’s meaning and cause is obvious, but that is not the case. There’s still an obstacle to understanding feminism, its conception and objective.
Is feminism a women movement against men? Well, in this article I would like us to discuss about the subject, its challenges and misconception in Rwanda with different global perspective.
I asked few women and men what they think of feminism, and here are some feedback:
- Feminism is good. However, we have to accept that men and women are completely different. Men take decisive risks. It’s not a 100% good thing, because 99% of the time they realize they were wrong, but they do it anyway. Contrary to women – they are careful, they take time, enough time. Therefore, we can’t be equal, maybe equitable. I mean there are many things which I suppose you already know about those two genders.
- I think modern feminism and woke culture destroys everything or almost everything we appreciate about classic feminism.
- I was recently told that feminism isn’t christian and therefore, I’m still trying to understand and reassess my understanding of feminism. As a believer of Christ, I believe in God giving us the path to walk on. But as a former feminist, I used to believe that a woman could be anything without being labelled for what she must do. And that’s exceeding God’s will upon my life. Feminism was created by the western world, which isn’t suited for believers of Christianity. Therefore, from a christian perspective, feminism is a way of the world, which is to destroy anything that bonds us to God.
- Feminism is neo-colonialism. We are being forced to believe in it for certain people to get control over our minds. They are investing a lot of money. They know well that people, especially Africans, don’t fully understand the subject but they know in the long-run they will get their benefits. The money is to attract us. They know it’s our weakness. It’s the same strategy the Roman Catholic Missionaries used to spread the gospel. Either you’re with them or against them.
- Feminism is the absolute way! I remember when I was still young, my dad could interrupt my mother while speaking and my mum would just bend her neck and look down and I found it normal. Why would she contradict my father? Now I know better and that shouldn’t happen to anybody in this era.
The Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS 2019-2020) findings indicated that: 65% of women and 39% of men justify wife beating in at least one of 7 circumstances: she burns the food, she argues with him, she goes out without telling him, she neglects on the children, she refuses to have sex with him, she has sex with someone else, and she looks in his phone.
It made me think of Bell Hooks’ book “Ain’t I a Woman.” She states that, in the 20th century, black women had learned to accept sexism as natural, a given, a fact of life. No one bothered to discuss the way in which sexism oppresses them.”
There were a number of reactions to the report from the public, some questioning about who conducted the survey, the quality of samples & the methodology used in the research. Others were convinced that this was because the survey had been conducted by men, or maybe a result of Stockholm syndrome from SGBV, a result of patriarch system that teaches women they can be abused.
This being said, Rwanda is ranked first country in Africa and sixth globally in terms of gender equality, according to the Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
I am of the view that, there is an intersection of gender bias in legal cultures and traditional constraints that keep the woman inferior to the man.One of the outstanding effects of feminism is challenging laws, and dismantling the systems that disadvantage women and creating a more equitable society for all. I believe women of the 20th century would be mesmerized to see some roles now women are occupying.
Historically, women have faced numerous challenges related to their status within Rwandan society. Before 1999, Rwandan women could only rely on customary law. Only sons could inherit from their father and provided only weak and unpredictable inheritance rights for married women. In general, women had no direct claim on land and were forced to rely on association with male members of their birth family and husband.
It was not until 2005, that women’s rights to land ownership were recognized. The limited formal laws that regulated land relations in 2004, undermined women’s access to land since land titles were only registered on the name of the husband.
For patriarchy to run successfully, it rewarded oppressed women as strong human beings who can bear violence and still raise important people for the society.
That is why, one must keep in mind that creating formal rights does not automatically mean that these legal provisions are translated into reality. Therefore, sensitisation and engagement of society is vital in order for these rights to be protected by the law and culture.
All over the world, there are phenomenal women who have fought a winning battle. I’ll just state two from Rwanda:
– The first Prime Minister of Rwanda, Mm. Agathe Uwilingiyimana. She was a transformational leader. Before entering politics, she dedicated her life to promoting women’s equality, removing obstacles to girls’ education, and speaking on behalf of the disadvantaged. Her impact is beyond the work she has done, even daring to aim higher serves as an inspiration to girls.
– The late Ms. Alyosia Inyumba, a pioneer in the advancement of women’s right in Rwanda. As Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, she contributed a lot to the reform of laws and policies concerning women’s participation in decision-making positions. A cadre that carried injustice against women on her shoulders.
Women’s oppression has been also fertilized by the interpretation of some biblical stories by men. I’ll just mention 2.
First – Eve, the mother of humankind. In the book of Genesis, we read that Eve was created from Adams’ rib. This statement has led many to conclude that man is the source from where a woman came, therefore, a woman ought respect to a man.
Second – Mary, the mother of all Christians. She gave birth without having sexual intercourse. A miracle, right? Saintly, she was obedient, pure enough to give birth to a Saviour while being a virgin. She’s also praised for enduring pain in silence. She not only raised the bar too high for other women after her but also men’s expectations.
To this date, many girls having sexual intercourse for the first time feel like they have offered their most valuable thing to men. There are cultural beliefs, especially in Africa that losing virginity (from girls) comes with curse to the family.
A number of mothers are criticized whenever there’s a slight fallibility, contrary to men. Do women have inborn parenting skills?
Is there sex differences in brain cognition? I mean do we have different nervous systems?
The truth is, humans are a socially influenced species, either by environment, climate, and biological factors (NCBI, Article, 2020). However, there are behavioural differences that obviously come from hormones and rate of neurotransmitters, especially during puberty, but this doesn’t lessen one’s capability of thinking or performing.
Simple scenarios:
- – A man walking on a small road on a dark evening, he might have suspicions either of being attacked, robbed or killed
– A woman walking alone and she meets a single man or a group of men on the same road, she’s afraid of being attacked, assaulted, raped, robbed or killed. A zillion thoughts running into her mind – how would she escape?
Can every man rape a woman, molest a girl or a boy, for his own satisfaction?
Can every woman protect children and be her sisters’ keeper?
Andrea Dworkin in her book “Our Blood” talks about rape, as an act that occurs when a man, who is dominant by definition, takes a woman who, according to men and all the organs of their culture, was put on this earth for his use and gratification.”
In Nigeria, sex trafficking is considered the business of women. In Ukraine, one study found that 60% of all traffickers were women, and in Thailand and Laos, women may own the establishments from where women are trafficked (Psychology Today, Study, 2021).
It is said that this is because the women have faced violence themselves.
Would it be a valid excuse also for men who mistreat women, that they do what they do because they saw their fathers doing the same or that the system is favourable for violence against women? I don’t think both reasons make sense.
- – From the past centuries up to date, when a woman and a man are both facing problems in complex situations let’s say financial instability, attacks or war; men are likely expected to find solutions even if it requires losing their lives.
– When a couple is going on a date regardless of one’s income in comparison to the other, a number of women love to see a man who picks up the bill.
How is feminism tackling all these behavioural differences? But first, feminism is also facing backlash; feminists are stereotyped as “man-haters” which inhibits the progress.
Diverse perceptions on feminism are shared on the internet, some considerably, others irrationally because people let their feelings interfere with objective truth. If radicalism is feeding itself, what will marginalized people benefit from the movement? There are feminists who when invited to debates, spend much of their time being defensive, with refutable reactions, throwing insults; now how do you expect achieving a positive result if in your mind you are talking to a barking dog? This creates a weakness of perspective.
When a woman knows better, she wishes her other fellow women would also know and act better. But my question is, will a woman be respected for her choice and keep her dignity, if she chooses what seems wrong to feminism? You’ll hear a woman apologizing for her thoughts differently from feminists’; “I don’t want to be judged or feminists don’t get me wrong”, when expressing her opinion. Some women take their stance against feminism. Does that mean they are pro-patriarchy? Or do they not fully understand the agenda of the movement?
As far as I’m concerned, if feminism is for expanding human choice and promoting sexual freedom, it shouldn’t be exclusive to certain people with the exact viewpoint but same vision.
