Gender Inequality

I actually had an encounter with some people on my way from school today while in a tricycle.
We actually wanted to over-take the lady in front cause she obviously seemed like a learner.

At first he didn't know it was a lady
He was screaming asking the driver to move or speed up. Immediately he saw it was a lady,he started insulting her,calling her a prostitute,a husband snatcher,cheap whore simply because she was riding a car.
She just looked at him and drove off.
You can imagine the shame of being ignored.

Two ladies behind interrupted him one supported him saying she was stupid while the other one defended her saying she worked hard for her money so he shouldn't insult her.
The other lady who defended her dropped and the other lady who was against her started altering nonsense that they were birds of a feather(the abused lady and the one that dropped).

I thought it was over until she continued talking still saying ladies were cheap.
I was wondering to my self.. "Ain't she a lady or was she a transgender",I had to look back to see her.

I was actually pissed when I heard her response...
She said the young lady is either a whore or a second wife to a rich man or maybe into some kind of dirty job,she cannot work for it.
No one of that age would achieve that except a man she sleeps with had helped her.
I turned back and looked at her again,she noticed I was angry.

Our dialogue
With all due respect I am a lady and wouldn't accept your conclusions,I'm not bragging oh but as we speak I'm plus 1( don't want to disclose my age) but I can strongly say I'm independent.
I work hard daily,I study,I blog,I take care of my self even my parents look up to me cause I gained their respect and trust through my hard work.
Have not slept with anyone's husband or any man to reach where I am now so she should take back her words.
Ma'am:ehh i'm married and a matured woman,even if I'm a full time house wife,my husband care for me,I don't need to struggle to earn anything,that's why I'm a woman,he should struggle while I enjoy.(she said admiring herself)
That girl is a prostitute..end of discussion.
(This pissed me more)"I'm a woman".

You think you are matured cause of your age or reputation of being married.
Ma'am,age is just a number and marriage sometimes a prison that stops you from achieving your dreams.
I don't expect you to respect her cause she's a fellow woman like you but as a young girl I know "WOMEN EMPOWER WOMEN AND GIRLS GOSSIP GIRLS",I think you should change your mindset about we woman and I think you are a girl in this case.

You should support your fellow woman instead you are jealous about her success,don't bring others down cause you couldn't climb and you shouldn't pull others down because you didn't go up.

We are suppose to be in the same class with a man,gender is about our sexual organs not our brains,ending up in a man's kitchen or bed is not our last bus stop.
Be wise.
(She was left speechless cause of what I told her,I even offered to pay her transport to prove to her age doesn't stop you from actualizing your dreams).

What is Gender Inequality?

Image source

Gender inequality is the idea or a situation whereby women and men are not equal.
According to Wikipedia,Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals wholly or partly due to their gender. It arises from differences in gender roles.

Discrimination take place when men and women are subject to prejudicial treatment on the basis of gender alone. Sexism is a situation whereby men and women are framed within two dimensions of social cognition.

Men occupy positions of power within the job economy.
Due to preference for other men because they share similar characteristics, men in these positions of power are more likely to hire other men.

I remember the first woman in Nigeria,Remi Sonaiya, first woman running for president in Nigeria's history, who wanted to change the society but had only one vote meanwhile majority of people available were women,I guess they just want one cup of rice and salt but I ask...
For how long do they want to continue collecting rice and salt?
Will it feed you and your generations to come?

Women are behind men in many domains,like education, labor market opportunities and political representation.

Society has made the girl child inferior,women are only seen but not heard.

According to Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie
"The knowledge of cooking doesn't come pre-installed in the vagina,cooking is learned,cooking,domestic work in general is a life skill that both men and women should ideally have.it is a skill that can elude both men and women."

Our society and culture starts to form ideas on what a girl child should be.
I would say i see a girl child as an individual,not as a girl with certain restrictions placed on her by society.
She should be strengthen so she can reach her full potentials.

I respect ladies who stood up but I will mention a few viz; Viola Davis Oprah,Charlize Theron,Jennifer Lawrence, Ngozie Okonjo-iwela,late Dora A,even Diezani Alison Madueke.
According to Charlize Theron,"Girls need to know that being a feminist is a good thing. It doesn't mean that you hate men. It means equal rights. If you're doing the same job, you should be compensated and treated in the same way"

I think feminism starts from us,we shout feminism daily but we still go back to sell ourselves to men,we are greedy,we rather be first lady to our husband the president than see another woman rule or rule yourself

Change should begin with us
I saw this Nigerian movie "wives on strike" by omoli oboni
And an Indian movie "destiny" forgotten the director and knew we had the say in the society.

How to encourage the girl child
Instead of gender roles,teach her to be self reliant.
She should be educated,both physically and emotionally,she should be given the freedom to become who she choose to be.

She should be confident to question the restriction imposed on women.
Gender roles is absolutely nonsense,she's not restricted cause she's a girl,anything and everything is possible.

Many women are being sexually and physically abused and they are advised to be quite to save them from shame.
The idea is given that if she fights back,she would lose and might end up being unmarried till death.
If she wants to achieve her dreams,they would say there's no need,her place is in a man's kitchen and bed room
They would say she's not a wife material
If she's sick,and happens to vomit,they would say she's pregnant and useless.
When she's abused sexually or emotionally,they would say she's at fault.

The President of Nigeria said he's wife belongs to the "other room".
I saw it from the positive side, if I must belong to the other room,it must be a place of freedom.
This "other room"should be our private business place or a place where we are giving the freedom to associate and been heard.

Let's debunk the myth that being proficient in household chores is a major "marriageability test" for girls.
Society frowns at a girl who is probably smart,hard working but isn't proficient in household chores.
Let us change our mindset
Let's work together cause we are both equal.
United we stand and grow,divided we fall.

Image source

Image source

Thanks for reading