User:Reesedog15/African feminism

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• Pre-existing lead section with my edits.

African feminism is a branch of feminism innovated by African women that specifically addresses the living conditions, historical context, and needs of continental African women (African women who reside on the African continent). African feminism includes many strains of its own, including Motherism, Femalism, Snail-sense Feminism, Womanism/women palavering, Nego-feminism, and African Womanism. Because Africa is not a monolith, none of these feminisms is universally reflective of the range of experiences African women have. Some of the feminisms are specific to particular groups of African women. African feminism is sometimes aligned, in dialogue, or in conflict with Black Feminism or African womanism (which is perceived as by and for African women in the diaspora, rather than African women on or recently from the continent) as well as other feminisms and feminist movements, including nationally based ones, such as Feminism in the United States, feminism in Sweden, feminism in India, feminism in Mexico, feminism in Japan, feminism in Germany, feminism in South Africa, and so on. African women have been engaged in gender struggle since long before the existence of the western-inspired label "African feminism," and this history is often neglected.

Need for African Feminism

• This is my addition to a preexisting section on the actual African feminism page

Initially, many African men and women distrusted feminism. They considered it just another exploitative colonial framework from the west. In fact, many women who have fought for gender equity in Africa have never called themselves feminists. For some African women, attitudes towards feminism became more accepting over time. For instance, Ghanaian writer Ama Ata Aidoo initially believed that feminism would only harm African home and family life, but she demonstrated a more positive stance on feminism in her 1991 novel Changes. Others, like Buchi Emecheta, Molara Ogundipe, Micere Githae Mugo, Amina Mama, and Obioma Nnaemeka, accepted some feminist values while also making clear their reservations regarding feminism in the African context. ultimately, discourse among prominent female theorists and writers from the continent decisively concludes that any African feminism must address specific historical and cultural conditions in Africa in order to provide value. Specifically, any brand of African feminism must address what Awa Thiam calls multiple jeopardy: many African women deal with patriarchal oppression on account of their sex, capitalist exploitation on account of their socioeconomic class, and colonialism on account of their race and geographic location in the global south.

Certainly, these conversations proved the need for a set of African gender theories as diverse as the continent itself. But the argument that a brand of African feminism is specifically needed may be an issue of terminology biased by western perspectives. It is a misconception that African women do not have a long history of mobilization around gender issues. This history may not fall under the label umbrella of feminism, but it does include diverse gender struggles that are adjacent if not similar to the ones that western feminism hopes to combat. In many ways, the term "African feminism" is incongruous with the fight to attain gender equity amidst challenges specific to various parts of Africa. The case of Africa reminds us that feminism is not one-size-fits-all, and that western feminist ideologies do not always apply, whether in name or in concept.

Principles of African Feminism

• not my writing - this feels incomplete and I will do my best to add to it. African feminist theories don't just come from West Africa / Nigeria/

African feminisms address cultural issues that they feel pertain to the complex experiences faced by all women of all cultures on the African continent. In regards to feminist theorizing, many of the authors of such theories originate from West Africa and Nigeria in particular.

In her article, "West African Feminisms and Their Challenges", Naomi Nkealah discusses the various forms of African feminisms. First, she points to womanism, which she argues is not part of African feminism, as it pertains to African women of the diaspora and not continental African women. Second, she looks at stiwanism, which, on the contrary, places African women at the center of the discourse because stiwanism is deeply rooted in the experiences and realities African women face. Third, she looks at Motherism, a maternal form of feminism that sees rural women as performing the necessary task of nurturing society. Fourth, she looks at femalism, which puts the woman's body at the center of feminist conversations. Finally, she looks at nego-feminism and snail-sense feminism, which urge the inclusion of men in discussions and advocacy for feminism and both argue that the inclusion of men is necessary to the freedom of women.

These modes of feminisms share several commonalities. First, they all challenge the term "feminism," both its Western term and roots, because they bring to the forefront the experiences of the African woman. Second, because they are dependent on indigenous blueprints, they take from the histories and cultures of African peoples in order to create the necessary tools needed to embolden women and educate men. Third, they incorporate "gender inclusion, collaboration, and accommodation to ensure that both women and men contribute (even if not equally) to improving the material conditions of women."

• my addition - this also needs to be fleshed out more, but this idea is a starting point

Islamic feminism also bears relevance to the development of African feminist theories. Because Islam is a dominant religion in many African regions, African feminism must take into account the particular ideological complexities and patriarchal structures that may accompany its practice.

Examples of African Feminism:

Kenyan Feminism

The experiences of women in Kenya are not monolithic, but incredibly diverse. The same principle applies to Kenyan feminism. Therefore, this section does not exist to suggest that all Kenyan feminist movements are categorically the same. Rather, it provides an umbrella structure to organize information about vastly different Kenyan feminist movements.

See Women in Kenya for historical reference.

The Green Belt Movement

In Kenya, the Green Belt Movement has been a prominent ecofeminist movement since 1977, when it was founded by activist Wangari Maathai. This movement centers planting trees and protecting the environment while also empowering Kenyan women. The Green Belt Movement emerged because women in rural Kenya were among the first to experience the adverse effects of Climate change. The movement believes that the wellbeing of women in Kenya and similar African countries must be inextricably linked to the preservation of the environment. In other words, there can be no gender justice for many African women without climate justice. By 2000, this grassroots organization had expanded its mission to include pro-democracy work.

Digital Feminist Movements

Since the global rise of social media, Kenyan feminists have adapted their tactics in order to take advantage of powerful new platforms. One prominent example of this trend has been organized campaigns in response to sexual violence against Kenyan women. For instance, the #JusticeForLiz movement emerged in 2013 after a sixteen-year-old girl named Liz was gang-raped while walking home from her grandfather's funeral in Butula County, Kenya. Instead of facing real legal consequences, the suspected perpetrators were sentenced to mild manual labor at the local police station. This lack of legal justice in the wake of a horrific attack triggered protests in Nairobi. Outrage spread like wildfire online via the #JusticeForLiz. Similar online feminist justice communities emerged in the wake of two other acts of violence against Kenyan girls: #JusticeForKhadija and #JusticeForFatuma. In a society which has historically cast aside issues of women's rights in traditional media forms, social media has given a platform for women's stories and voices.

Kenyan feminists again took to social media in the lead-up to the 2017 election. This time, they rallied around the campaign #WeAre52, which advocated for a rule mandating that no governing body be composed of more than two-thirds members of a single gender. Via social media, Kenyan feminists bypassed traditional media outlets and joined the political conversation, a space from which Kenyan women have been historically excluded.

Hostile Resistance

In Kenya, feminism is often met with hostility both in physical and digital spaces. Women's rights activists in Kenya are often targets of violent threats and hateful speech. The ability of Kenyan feminism to persist and even thrive despite such attacks demonstrates great resilience.