Are Feminists instinctive lesbians?

08:04 2 Comments

I read the most absurd arguments against feminism from Nigerian e-intelligentsia every other day.

Feminists are home breakers.

Feminists cannot take care of children.

Feminists are the cause of half the problem in the state, and are fully responsible for anyone who cannot get a free pass at a toll gate.

These pile-up accusations are meant to rattle you; make you shrink to bean size and eventually disappear from the face of the earth.

Last week, one of my mentors called me. It was an urgent call.

“Come now, Joy.”

I have the utmost respect for this man. A well-rounded individual, well-traveled, built his empire through blood and sweat. A decent human being. A true believer of talent and a great inspiration.

So I am sitting in his office. He moves his laptop for me to see. He is looking at Linda Ikeji’s blog with the cover of my new project, Happenings magazine, on display. Kenny Bademosi, Orange Academy boss and popular gay man living with HIV, is on the cover (see pix above).

Let’s call him Dee.

Dee: Joy, what is this? Why do you have this man on your cover?

Me: His story is inspiring. Worth reading. I’ll rather have him on my cover than a ‘celebrity’ without a clue what climate change means. I’m trying to build a brand with substance.

Dee: And you think this is a good direction? Having this gay man on your cover? Ehn?!

Me: Yes it is. The magazine is not out yet, but it’s in hot demand. I have orders from Abuja to New York.

Dee: And advertisers? Will this not affect your chances?

Me: This man is an advertising expert. If companies still require his services and people still flock to Orange Academy, surely it means people are more interested in value than anything else. As we speak, I am in talks with a prestigious company who wants the back page of my magazine based on the cover promo we did.

Dee: Hmmm! Ok, let’s talk about you for a minute. I hear you are a feminist. What do you need that for? What do you need feminism to do for you that you have not done for yourself? Does this mean you are now into women?

Me: Hian! Sir, feminism has nothing to do with lesbianism. It’s a movement for equal rights. That’s all.

Dee: Ok?

Me: Equal rights, sir. Just like you have done for me. For all the career opportunities you have given me, you have judged me on my ability to deliver, my skill, and not my gender. I dare say you are a feminist too, sir.

Dee: Ah!

Me: Yes you are. I sit with you as a ‘competent individual’ and nothing more. You see me only as that. You have related with me based on my performance and knack to succeed. My gender has never been an issue. You challenge me. You are a feminist.

Dee: Hmm. I see. But why should gender ever be a problem? You are good at your job, that’s all that matters to me. If I want to keep succeeding, I pick the best ‘man’ for the job.

Me: That’s feminism, really. That’s it. Truly, you are one of us.

Dee: Interesting!

PS: I realise these conflicting conversations on feminism are, sometimes, genuine ignorance and not hate. Of course, there’s still a lot of deliberate hate and misinterpretation out there…

But whether hate or ignorance, I wear my tag proudly.

Have a good day y’all!