#17
Ever heard about the danger of a single story? In 2017 Chimamanda Adichie hosted a Ted Talk in which she defined the danger of a single story to be "show a people as one thing over and over again and nothing more, then over time they eventually become that one thing in the human subconscious."
That explains why the average human mind holds so many unexamined perspectives of certain humans, certain tribes and certain organizations:
"Yoruba people like pepper"
"Igbo people like money"
"A rape victim was probably wearing a revealing dress and walking in a dangerous neighborhood alone" all these and many more might be true to a certain level, but the portrayal of just that side of a people becomes that one thing we tend to know them as and more often than not, we are surprised when they act in other manners.
In that same vein, show a feminist as a bitter woman who hates men, is a witch, probably had bad experiences with men in the past and is a Devil. and it sticks! I of all people should know.
The danger of the single story is rooted in stereotype and stereotype can very gravely dangerous. The idea of feminism began as an idea to fight against Patriarchy, a part of patriarchy which was against the women, over the years in which it evolved to accommodate and project the ills of superiority on the object and it's act on the subject and vice versa for inequality. Over the years many people have subconsciously accepted many notions of feminism but have outrightly rejected the term because of the danger of the single story; Misandry marauded as feminism and the fears instilled in potential feminist: you won't get married if you claim feminism, you are a devil and you will roast in hell like fire, you will be a lesbian etc etc are lies created by passive aggressive patriarchy and subtle misogyny to subvert Feminism's purpose.
READ ALSO: Gender Diaries: Body Shaming - Deborah Oludimu
It was not till 2014 that Malala Youfazavi, (Pakistani female rights activist, who championed the cause of female education and was shot in the head by the Taliban) affirmed herself as a feminist when reeducated by Emma Watson. She was scared to identify with a cause she devoted her entire life to and nearly died for all because of the danger of a single story.
Telling a people their fear or their hate is their messiah is pointless, it is running on a treadmill, you'll get tired and won't go far.
Feminism is an idea against an idea; Patriarchy. Patriarchy is a thief which, robs you, be you male and female of choices, your choices, the choices that make you human.
That is the truest single story
© Deborah Oludimu
MY BIGGEST ISSUE AS A FEMINIST IN THIS AGE ISN'T FIGHTING PATRIARCHY.
That explains why the average human mind holds so many unexamined perspectives of certain humans, certain tribes and certain organizations:
"Yoruba people like pepper"
"Igbo people like money"
"A rape victim was probably wearing a revealing dress and walking in a dangerous neighborhood alone" all these and many more might be true to a certain level, but the portrayal of just that side of a people becomes that one thing we tend to know them as and more often than not, we are surprised when they act in other manners.
In that same vein, show a feminist as a bitter woman who hates men, is a witch, probably had bad experiences with men in the past and is a Devil. and it sticks! I of all people should know.
The danger of the single story is rooted in stereotype and stereotype can very gravely dangerous. The idea of feminism began as an idea to fight against Patriarchy, a part of patriarchy which was against the women, over the years in which it evolved to accommodate and project the ills of superiority on the object and it's act on the subject and vice versa for inequality. Over the years many people have subconsciously accepted many notions of feminism but have outrightly rejected the term because of the danger of the single story; Misandry marauded as feminism and the fears instilled in potential feminist: you won't get married if you claim feminism, you are a devil and you will roast in hell like fire, you will be a lesbian etc etc are lies created by passive aggressive patriarchy and subtle misogyny to subvert Feminism's purpose.
READ ALSO: Gender Diaries: Body Shaming - Deborah Oludimu
It was not till 2014 that Malala Youfazavi, (Pakistani female rights activist, who championed the cause of female education and was shot in the head by the Taliban) affirmed herself as a feminist when reeducated by Emma Watson. She was scared to identify with a cause she devoted her entire life to and nearly died for all because of the danger of a single story.
Telling a people their fear or their hate is their messiah is pointless, it is running on a treadmill, you'll get tired and won't go far.
Feminism is an idea against an idea; Patriarchy. Patriarchy is a thief which, robs you, be you male and female of choices, your choices, the choices that make you human.
That is the truest single story
© Deborah Oludimu
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