GENDER ROLES AND GENDER EQUALITY: THE AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE -By Star Arinbomen

When discussions about the concepts of ‘gender roles’ and ‘gender equality’ arise, partisanship is bound to play out; while emotions are let loose and allowed to flare unrepressed. Once, I witnessed one of such impassioned discussions among a group of would-be medicos. Moved by their conflict of thoughts, I indicated my desire to weigh in with my position on the subject of discourse. No sooner had I started enunciating my thought on the subject matter than the superintendent of the discourse, a medico, cut in and rebuffed my contribution. For the rest of the session, I was just a spectator. I felt a pang of unease within me, as the contributors seemed to have stereotyped perspectives about the discourse.

“Do you believe in the concept of gender roles?” The superintendent started out. “No! What a man can do, a woman can do also”, a male contributor retorted. “Do you think men should show special consideration for women in social situations; for instance, a man offering a woman his seat?” The superintendent added. “No! Men and women should be treated alike in social situations”, another male contributor replied. In a rather quick succession, the superintendent posed another question: “Should family responsibilities be borne by the husband alone or shared equally by both spouses?” This time, however, he specifically requested a female contributor. After a momentary period of quietude, a mellifluous feminine voice responded: “Well, I think it’s a matter of the level of cooperation among couples. Perhaps the husband can take responsibility for major family affairs such as upkeep and payment of their children’s school fees; while the wife can take responsibility for providing food for the family”. The discussion went on and on; but there was no meeting point in the diverse thoughts of the participants.

Admittedly, the concepts of ‘gender roles’ and ‘gender equality’ are contentious and socially divisive; and it is difficult, nay impossible to sway one’s audience in one’s direction, especially if they hold a contrary view. However, before I pontificate on this issue, I would like to kick the ball rolling by shedding some light on some terms that are germane to this piece- ‘sex’, ‘gender’, ‘gender role’, and ‘feminist’.

Conventionally, ‘gender’ may pass as a synonym for ‘sex’, among other contextual meanings of ‘gender’. However, technically- especially in medical parlance- a distinction is often being made between ‘sex’ and ‘gender’. Technically, ‘sex’ refers to the biological characteristics that define humans as males or females. These biological characteristics are not mutually exclusive, as there are some individuals who possess both; nevertheless, they tend to differentiate humans as males or females. ‘Gender’, on the other hand, refers to social or cultural distinctions associated with a given sex. It is generally considered to be a socially constructed concept.

‘Gender roles’ refer to socially constructed roles of men and women within a given culture or location. A ‘feminist’ is a proponent of a doctrine or movement that advocates equal rights and opportunities for women as men.
Now, let’s consider the first part of the crux of the matter. Should the concept of ‘gender roles’ be given a place in contemporary African society? A feminist or a pro-feminist’s answer to this question will most probably be in the negative; while the answer of a proponent of this concept is most likely to be in the affirmative. Nevertheless, I think the answer to this question should be informed by reason rather than emotion; and objectivity rather than personal bias. In this regard, the concept of cultural diversity should be borne in mind. Culture has classically been defined as the way of life of a people. In other words, culture is the true identity of a people; it portrays what they stand for and what they believe in; and it epitomizes their ideals, values and most treasured heritage.

The concept of ‘gender roles’ is an integral component of the African cultural configuration. The patriarchal social organization in the typical African setting lends credence to this position. In recent times, however, there have been several crusades against the place of ‘gender roles’ in modern-day African society. Both external and internal influences underlie the advocacy of consignment of the concept of ‘gender roles’ in the African culture to the rubble of time. The external influence is borne out of the rub off of western culture on Africa by virtue of western colonialism and cross-border migration. The internal influence is an offshoot of iconoclastic tendencies precipitated by modernization and global networking of the diverse cultures of the nations of the world.

Cultural ideology is a unique impression of nature on every human society, as it varies in different climes of the world. As such, this natural bequeathal should be guarded jealously. Furthermore, culture is a unifying factor of a people; thus kicking against one’s culture is akin to deliberately undermining the symbol of unity and essence of one’s society. It is important to reckon that culture adoption is a very contentious and divisive issue. Also, that a society is seemingly faring well under the influence of its cultural setting does not imply that any society that adopts such a culture will equally fare well. On the contrary, adopting the culture of another society could open a Pandora’s Box of chaos in a given society.

The other part of the kernel of this discourse is the concept of ‘gender equality’. ‘Gender equality’ is a concept that has been in the front burner of the campaigns of many human rights and other allied organizations in recent times. Both on the local and on the international scenes, these organizations have been in the vanguard of the crusades for ‘gender equality’. The proponents of this concept believe that men are not superior to women; and, therefore, demand that both genders be given the same consideration in every facet of life. Equality is an egalitarian concept, which can only exist in a Utopian sphere. In reality, however, equality cannot be achieved in any practical human society. The quest for equality always culminates in hostility, polarization and uprising against the fundamental ideals and values that unite a people.

Given the foregoing, there is the need to negotiate some common ground in this contentious and socially divisive matter. The common ground here should be the advocacy of gender equity and fairness. Rather than allow our ideological differences on this issue translate into bigotry and cultural extremism, we should redirect the drives for the crusade against ‘gender roles’ and for ‘gender equality’ towards the achievement gender equity and fairness in contemporary Africa.

Although a patriarchal society, Africa has not fared ill under the influence of this social configuration; however, some may contest this position. Every society operates a social structure that is in sync with its fundamental cultural ideology. The proponents of the crusade against ‘gender roles’ and for ‘gender equality’ might argue that the patriarchal nature of the African cultural setting has resulted in the marginalization of the feminine folks, while also promoting intimate violence against them. Well, from an objective point of view, it is apparent that the originators of the crusades that we’re currently promoting have not fared any better with their cultural settings. Evidence abounds that the owners of these exotic cultures harbor the weirdest forms of feminine marginalization and intimate violence, their façade of social civility notwithstanding. Perhaps their climes could also pass as the fountain of the most heinous acts of inhumanity.

Therefore, rather than promoting exotic cultural ideologies in the name of addressing some so-called ‘aberrations in our social configuration’, I think it will be rational for Africans to look inwards and evolve solutions to our social challenges within the confines of our cultural peculiarity. In recent times, a lot of resources have been devoted to fighting the social ethos, values and ideals that have kept us strong as an indivisible entity. This is rather unfortunate! I suppose the time has come for us to have a profound reflection on our actions so far on this matter vis-à-vis our cultural ideology.
On a final note, it is imperative that the proponents of the crusade against ‘gender roles’ and for ‘gender equality’ take a step backwards and reflect again on the objectives of their course. Their crusades should be reorientated towards the pursuit of gender equity and fairness. Gender equity and fairness is about a man acknowledging the uniqueness of a woman in terms of her strengths and foibles; and a woman reckoning a man in the same light. Gender equity and fairness does not consist in a woman striving to be recognized as a man; or a man striving to be recognized as a woman. It’s about creating the right pedestals for both sexes to fulfill their potentials. Gender equity and fairness is without strife, envy or tussle. It promotes peaceful coexistence among men and women; and helps translate the potentialities that repose in them into creating a rejuvenated human society. This, therefore, should be the pursuit of every well-meaning African.

Arinbomen Star,
Ibadan.
Starins4real@yahoo.com