|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
| Hello friend, When women negotiate salaries, a behaviour encouraged in men, research shows they face social and professional backlash. Also, a woman who speaks up in meetings often faces labels like “domineering,” while her male counterpart is assertive. This double standard creates an impossible situation where women must somehow lead in organisations without showing leadership traits. The expectations around family and career expose another layer of contradictions. Society demands women excel professionally while simultaneously insisting they prioritise family above all else. When women focus on careers, critics attack them for neglecting family duties. When they prioritise family, the same voices mock them for lacking ambition. Men face no such divided expectations; their career success draws praise regardless of family involvement. Catalyst’s research shows this form of sexism contributes to women holding only 31%, the highest recorded number of senior leadership positions despite making up nearly half the workforce. Physical appearance requirements follow similar illogical patterns. Women must appear attractive but not too attractive, professional but not masculine, feminine but not provocative. They spend thousands more annually on appearance-related expenses while being shamed for vanity. The beauty industry profits from these impossible standards, creating a cycle where women chase ever-moving targets of acceptability. The sexual double standard perhaps best illustrates this flawed thinking. Traditional views demand women remain sexually pure while simultaneously expecting them to be sexually available. This paradox creates scenarios where women face judgment regardless of their choices. The same behaviour praised as masculine prowess becomes grounds for social ostracisation when exhibited by women. These contradictions reveal misogyny as a system designed to maintain control rather than follow logical principles. By creating impossible standards and shifting goalposts, it ensures women always fall short of accepted norms. Understanding these inconsistencies is one of our major works at Naija Feminists Media (NFM). With improved knowledge of belief systems that support gender-based discrimination, we can better challenge it and create a society based on a more rational and equitable treatment of women. With love and solidarity,The NFM Team. |
 |
| The Double Standards of Purity Culture By: Tobiloba Akanni Women’s vaginas, for example, do not get ‘slackened’ after regular periods of sex. There is also no evidence to show a correlation between dressing and sexual assault. All people, women inclusive, are born with intrinsic value, and the state of being sexual or never having had sex does not diminish this inalienable worth. It is one thing to have an issue with a phenomenon and to preach and live by whatever ideals one deems fit for one’s life, but when the issue with an occurrence is only with women doing or engaging in it, that is quite literally misogyny. Hating women for the sake of their being women or for the fact that they engage in activities that would be overlooked by men. Being modest or immodest for the sake of “attracting” a man or doing anything at all aimed at disingenuously getting the perks of a human relationship from anyone is manipulative and unfair. Values like kindness, friendship, love, attention, respect, civility and decency in public spaces should be practised for their sake and freely given and received for their mutual benefit and humane function. Read more on the double standards of purity culture, its illogicality, and how it affects women as a class. |
 |
We have extended our call for literary submissions addressing male violence against women until November 15. This ensures we can receive more of your poems, short stories, or essays focusing on gender-based violence experiences and prevention. Selected works will support the #16DaysofActivism campaign. Send your stories to: naijafeminists@gmail.com |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| LIBRARY HERE |
 |
| Join our volunteering team to be a part of social change. We are accepting applications for grant manager and social media manager positions. Send your application to mail@naijafeministsmedia.org.ngThe LAWA Fellowship Programme seeks African female lawyers dedicated to advancing women’s rights. Fellows will gain hands-on legal experience and mentorship and connect with a network of social justice advocates. Apply now!Aurora Tech Award is recognising women building startups and promoting female leadership in technology. The top 5 winners will share the $85k prize fund. Apply for the competition. |
 |
