As much as the world has come a long way on the subject of gender equality and there have indeed been so many female empowerment movements recently, sometimes it feels like women work more against each other than with or for each other.
Women do the absolute most these days, and it is rather impressive that they can now find themselves in the same positions or with similar or even higher earnings than men; with the likes of popular figures such as Angela Merkel, Christine Lagarde, Theresa May, Oprah Winfrey, Jacinda Arden, Ibukun Awosika, Bola Adesola, Deola Sagoe, Beyonce and many others in the world and in Nigeria who have made prominent names for themselves in their respective fields.
Back in the mid-20th century and prior to then, it was rare to find women outside of their homes or in more conservative careers such as secretaries and teachers. This is not to say that these careers are any less important, but women are now able to thrive in careers and do those things that were traditionally set aside for men.
So it was a really big deal when Amelia Earheart became the first female aviator to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1928, Margaret Thatcher became the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1979 and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti became the first woman to drive a car in Nigeria.
Having female leaders of organisations and countries and doing what they wouldn’t dare attempt in the past was a fine definition of breaking barriers. Now this is becoming the norm as women are growing more in confidence and traditionalists are becoming more accepting.
It is very encouraging to see that there are many initiatives that women take on these days to unite and support themselves both on the global and local platforms (through movements such as the Women’s March and organisations such as Women in Management and Business in Nigeria “WimBiz”, She Leads Africa, and many other support groups). It is necessary that women stand for and support each other what some may view as “a man’s world”.
By nature, women tend to think and act more with their emotional minds than with their logical minds. So when mixed with professionalism, there may be some blurred lines or grey areas in supporting each other. Women are sometimes defensive and could feel threatened by what they may view as competition
As a result, women seem to be under a lot of pressure these days. Our Nigerian society holds a peculiar case in that it is really not enough to have a career alone. Women must have a husband, children and also play a role in the social or not for profit scene to be viewed as successful. If they lack one or two of these attributes, they may be viewed as a failure or not doing enough.
How could women overcome this situation and feel secure with who they are and whatever their achievements are, regardless of how little they may seem? How should women seek self-encouragement and not underrate themselves?
Well, this may be a different context, but the title of Steve Harvey’s book, “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man”, could be applied to this situation. It would not be easy, because naturally, women are delicate and sensitive creatures, and they cannot run away from this nature. But with a dose of that sort of testosterone-driven self-confidence and more support from the society, women would not need to feel so insecure.
OYIN EGBEYEMI
