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| Hello friend, It’s funny, isn’t it? How there is a recurring claim that ‘submission is a form of leadership… from behind.’ Let’s evaluate what submission means because it is tiring to watch women get gaslit into accepting this subordinate position while being told they’re actually in charge. Think about words with the prefix “sub;” subject, subpar, submarine, subservient, subordinate, substandard. Every single one of these words indicates something beneath, below, or lesser than something else. The prefix “sub” literally means “under” or “below” in Latin. So how did submission magically become the only “sub” word that supposedly means leadership? It’s giving cognitive dissonance, honestly. Even in Yoruba culture, the word for submission is “Itẹ́ríba” –literally meaning to bow your head. Now, when was the last time you saw equals bowing to each other? The very act of bowing acknowledges a power differential. You bow to kings, to masters, to those deemed superior. Nobody bows to their equal. Remember how historical documents about slavery explicitly detailed methods used to “make the slaves submit?” They knew exactly what submission meant: a complete surrender of will and autonomy. Do you think slave masters would have wanted their slaves to submit if submission actually meant leadership? Here’s another thing—if submission is such a powerful position, why do patriarchal religions and cultures have to preach it to women constantly? This gaslighting about “leading through submission” is just another tool to make women accept less while feeling like we’re getting more. Not only is it semantically incorrect, but it is also disrespectful to suggest women should submit directly or lead indirectly. The leadership position is clear, and women should never have to lead “indirectly” or from “behind,” while men’s position of authority is clear. At Naija Feminists Media, we are committed to deconstructing narratives that foster gender inequality. With love and solidarity,The NFM Team. |
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| How Nigerian Men Inflitrate Feminists Group, Doxx Them and Threaten RapeBy: Ogunsola Oluwafunmbi In a calculated attack that unfolded on Twitter on Nov. 6, 2024, male infiltrators spearheaded by @societyhatesjay penetrated private feminist groups such as Feminist Witches and Just Feminists, where women were processing their trauma and expressing justified rage against their abusers. These men, pretending to be women together with their female allies, captured screenshots of women’s raw emotional responses saying they wished to kill their abusers, deliberately stripped them of context, and weaponised them against the entire feminist movement. Moreover, they strategically cropped these messages from another mixed-sex group where a member expressed her heartbreak at how men trivialise their rape, and Kummie responded with “Why men go rape fellow man? When woman full school,” a popular statement often made by Nigerian men on Twitter in response to male rape. Thus, the men shared the responses without context to create a false narrative of organised violence when, in reality, these were isolated expressions of pain from survivors. Furthermore, the orchestrated nature of this attack became clear when these men simultaneously released personal information about these women, including phone numbers, pictures, and addresses. The consequences were swift and severe, with hundreds of men flooding these women’s WhatsApp with rape threats and death threats, calling their families to harass them, and in several horrifying instances, showing up at their homes. Continue to read about how Nigerian men invade female-only spaces to suppress women from mobilising against patriarchy. |
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We have been at the forefront of improving women’s representation and inclusion in the media. Our stories from this week have included an analysis of how Donald Trump’s ticket to the white house is based on misogyny, the work Katsina is doing with the World Bank to improve women’s lives, and the importance of reporting gender-based violence. There are more stories to explore. Don’t forget to follow our WhatsApp channel to be the first to get notified of readings! |
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| Volunteer positions as Video Editor are available at Naija Feminists Media. Mail: mail@naijafeministsmedia.org.ng with your applications to get considered to join the team.The Pioneering Women in STEM scholarship is for women pursuing master’s degrees in Sweden. Apply now to receive full funding and connect with a network of future leaders.The KPMG 2025 Female Founders in Africa Competition is looking for ambitious female entrepreneurs with high-growth ventures. Participants will gain mentorship and access to investors. |
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