I am only a Feminist, not a terrorist
Written by Nwaokolo Nneamaka
We live in a society where to be identified as a feminist, is to be identified as a terrorist. A society with people who believe that being a feminist equates to being a misandrist. We live in a society where it is believed that a feminist must be a deeply unhappy human being.
It is no longer a secret that society holds a seething abhorrence for anyone who dares to identify as a feminist, for those who live and breathe in the spirit of feminism. We are regarded as “Bitter People”, who will someday live to regret our decision to reject patriarchy and fight for the equality of all.
This negative outlook towards feminism has led to many women denying being a feminist out of fear of being slammed with a stereotypical tag. There is a significant number of individuals who believe and subscribe to the core principles of feminism yet refuse to be identified as a feminist.
The solution to this overlooked, yet crucial dilemma is to continuously school people on what feminism is and what it is not. It is important now, more than ever to enlighten those around us that feminism is not equated to the hatred of men. Feminism is and will never be about hating men, as opposed to the ideology that the African society has. Feminism is more about respecting the voice of us women and realizing that we matter in every facet of life. It is about the empowerment of women. It is the desire to drive and desire to achieve equality in all spheres if society. To be a feminist is to fight against erroneous assumptions that we have been made to carry on our backs.
To fully understand the concept of feminism, I believe Adichie’s book; We Should All Be Feminists, should be enlisted as part of literary texts at all levels from secondary to tertiary, only for the purpose of schooling people so they can fully understand what the concept of Feminism entails. Adichie cited some certain takes on women that shouldn’t be so — every cent owned by a woman automatically is generated from the pockets of a man, a lady visiting a hotel alone is not of noble cause and thus, she is portrayed as a sex worker in most cases.
It is important that as women, we shouldn’t be apologetic for our femininity. We shouldn’t be okay with being treated poorly despite having the same right as any individual, all because we are invested in being approved by everyone, because we don’t want to come off as aggressive or harsh.
It is important to note also that advocating for equity isn’t hatred for the male gender, needing importance isn’t trying to bite off more than we can chew. Feminism is simply requiring importance as humans regardless of how we are perceived to be seen as the weaker sex.
Nwaokolo Nneamaka is a mass communication student, majoring in broadcast at the University of Lagos. She is enthusiastic about writing, music, and art in general. Nneamaka is also an advocate for the ‘You Matter’ tag amongst the female gender. Connect with Nneamaka on Instagram and Twitter.
Edited by Blessing Temitope Oguntuase
Blessing Temitope Oguntuase is a law graduate who obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Master of Laws in International Air, Space, and Telecommunications Law from the University of Pretoria. Temitope enjoys writing and engaging in research. She is passionate about exploring the intersection between disruptive technologies and the Law. Connect with Temitope on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Published by Peace Solomon
Peace is a fourth year Law student of the University of Lagos. She’s the Operations Lead at Sisterly HQ. She loves creating beautiful experiences for people and making an impact.
