I got chatting with a colleague at work. After exchanging pleasantries, we couldn’t help but overhear an audio from a television programme coming from the reception. The television host was interviewing a guest who was spoke strongly on feminism. This made my colleague shook his head and said that he would not like to have a girl child. I wondered why he held such an opinion. According to him, having a girl child was like having a gun at home( It was a dangerous thing to do).
I tried to make him realise that the boy child and female child were nothing but genders who had the same potentials. He was bent on that the females needed extra care. He ended that he would be an overprotective father to his daughters because of the temptations from the society. I tried to understand where he was coming from. Perhaps he should talk to her about sex very early to allay his fears of unwanted pregnancies and other issues.
In the African culture,from day one the girl child is programmed that marriage was the goal. Imagine attending a baby girl’s naming ceremony and one prayer said was ‘May she get a suitable husband’. As little as she is, marriage has become the standard for her. All her degrees, certificates and accomplishments meant nothing unless she was a somebody’s wife.
Girls were to be only seen and not heard. The girl child had to adopt roles well. She had to know how to sweep, wash clothes and cook like an excellent wife material. There were certain toys, particularly made for her. Pink had to be her best colour. Blue was was boys.
The girl child would always be judged by her dressing. If she dressed in a way that society frowns at, then she must be a prostitute. It is believed that the sole aim of her dressing is to entice men.
Girls should never see their gender as limiting. She should reject the need for likeability. She should aim for ‘her full self, a self that is self- aware and sincere of the equal humanity of other people’.