Beauty is a function of consensus. To determine that something possesses beauty, it must align with socially-accepted criteria for beauty. In the Beauty Myth, Naomi Woolf writes that beauty is not a function of evolution, sex, gender, aesthetics or God, yet “women must embody it and men must want to possess women who embody it….
How many women have led African countries? This was the debate last week as President Samia Suluhu of Tanzania took oath of office, following the death of her predecessor John Pombe Magufuli. Most people couldn’t agree whether acting presidents should be included in the count, so the final figure is still a matter of debate….
The danger of having a narrow-minded notion of success is that it neglects how different shoes fit different sizes, thereby expecting people to live up to ridiculous standards that are in conflict with their real selves. Lies disguise as truths until they are questioned. For ages, society has lied that a woman’s crowning glory is a…
When Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni and his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) designed their manifesto for the January 2021 elections, issues affecting women were given little attention. Given that NRM has control over parliament, with more than 63 per cent of legislators, one would be forgiven for assuming that for the next five years, the…
When Nigerian journalist Angela Ulunma Agoawike was conducting research for her university project in the late 1980s, she had difficulties finding the information on women in politics. “I visited two university libraries – Nsuka and Port Harcourt – but there was not much literature on women like Margaret Ekpo, a frontline politician in her time. Despite the involvement of women in…
I began working as a freelance writer and journalist in 2018, after leaving my job in HR consulting. I loved writing and I wanted more flexibility: I wanted to spend time with my daughter. After my son was born in 2019, I had less time to work on my writing career. Taking care of the baby…
We live in a patriarchal society, and when we speak of patriarchy, it’s not just about men, but a system. A social system in which men hold the power, leaving women largely excluded from it. And as with all social systems, it has mores, norms and institutions put in place to sustain it. Patriarchy is…
Samantha “Gonyeti” Kureya and Sharon “Magi” Chideu have been creating humorous and satirical content tackling the day-to-day issues affecting ordinary Zimbabweans for nearly a decade. Mention Gonyeti and Magi and you will get knowing nods and smiles in response. Kureya chose Gonyeti as her stage name with reference to the size of her body – Gonyeti is street slang for the size of haulage trucks. Chideu goes…
When Patricia Olubunmi Etteh was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria in June 2007, she made history. She was the first woman to occupy that position, but media reportage downplayed her achievement. Initial commentary focused on her professional background as a hairdresser and beauty therapist, creating perceptions that she was not deserving…
My story started late at night when I received a late night call from my superior which I was tempted to ignore as I was so sleepy thought it was my wake up alarm. Little did I know that it was a wakeup call for me. He asked me to try and apply for the…
As I walk through Lindi area of Kibra, the largest slum in Kenya and Africa to conduct interviews for my pitch, so many questions linger in my mind considering the rate of crime; how safe am I? How safe are my equipment? Could there be someone tracking me since I look more of a stranger?…
There is no lie in the claim that social media is a power tool in discovering opportunities that are way beyond what we expect. I learned about African Women in the Media through a social media post from an acquaintance. Since the pandemic has created a lot of spare time, I decided to research about…
