Women In Culture

Hey guys! So last night I had a long conversation with my best friend and both of us are Nigerian. I'm actually half Jamaican and half Nigerian, but basically our conversation was about African culture and sexism. We went back and forth for about 15 minutes, and I argued based on my own experiences with having an African father, and from talking to my family that lives in Nigeria, that women are expected to do so much just because they are women. This means taking care of themselves, the kids, their man, while still having to cook, and clean. In 2017, women in Nigeria are working as well and the men work and come home, but do not take on the same duties as their wives. It always bothered me to the point where I never wanted to date an African man.

I, personally, am an alpha female. I believe in a 50/50 relationship. There is no way on this God given earth that me and my husband are going to live in the same house and he is not going to cook, clean, and take care of the kids as well. I also don't believe in a man paying all the bills either. My mom always told me that as women we have to bring something to the table as well. We have to have things of our own and be able to show that we want a man, but we do not need them. This means being able to take care of ourselves without the help of a man.

My best friend pointed out that if you compare African culture to American culture then an American would see the roles of men and women as sexist, but in African culture alone it is just tradition. But, I still asked myself, does it make it right? It just seems like women are expected to do so much, its as if they are raised to be wives and not individuals. Now don't get me wrong, there are African men who believe in the 50/50 rule and do their part and shout out to them! I've noticed American men have adopted African culture, but it is 2017 people! Women are taking over. Gender roles have to stop and "tradition" and "culture" have to stop being the excuses for expecting men and women to do certain things just because they are men and women.

Being cultured is a blessing, but not everything in a specific culture you have to agree with!