A woman can’t earn more, I would lose control!

PHOTO CREDIT: KABALI PAUL

Ladies and gentlemen, why do many think women empowerment threatens family stability, Oh! Specifically I mean “superiority” position of men as husbands, fathers, and masculinity in all its sense.

Bother way, it has been a generational perception and stereotyping that once a woman shifts from “her place” she becomes “untold”. Nye what is this place? As you wonder like I always do, my holy circle of male counterparts argued it this way;

Them: Hey, hey, hey! A woman is supposed to be in all definitions submissive and below her partner or any man. Let’s be specific, to have a woman earn more, too much educational status and titles is to have a man turned into a woman. You women simply need a limited and controlled empowerment.

Guys, my spirit can’t find the will to talk further on the submitted “place” like I just can’t, I can’t!! Let me also submit rhetorically, who says submissiveness reduces to inferiority? I don’t remember the biblical writings strongly defining a woman to inferiority or I read my scriptures wrong?

Banange who says payments, titles, education create these “blah blah blah”. Oh! I hold my peace as losing it isn’t part of my preferred life dockets.

Friends, vehemently, we were at battlefront to disagree to agree that this was a stereotype. Oh dear! How I wish my fellow media fraternity had fought this battle before arm. Yes! Have representative coverage of women empowerment, these ‘empowered’ women earn big, stand high, talk big, bring huge but equally remain “submissive” mothers, wives, sisters and daughters.

Let’s agree, the socio-economic empowerment of any woman is an added and equal advantage just like a man would be in society, and I mean in all aspects. This isn’t only my recognition. You see if a whole state/government can acknowledge kati olwo?

Article 32 of the Uganda constitution emphasizes affirmative action (equality to both men and women). Let alone we have a whole policy and ministry to enforce…Uganda Gender Policy-Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. All these guarantee equal and equitable representation and ‘push’ of women.

This was informed by the gender gap of marginalization of women entirely. No wonder the UPE and USE policy, the law, etc. All in effort to equally disregard the reasoning of women as marriage materials and name it but please don’t.

Clearly, we have all witnessed the contribution of women in their diverse empowerment. Their efforts have contributed to both national and international development but also a balanced resource utilization by all with women as part of decision making. Indeed, in the recent elections, we have seen a 43% women political positioning, the kind of Winnie Byanyima become Executive Director, UNAIDS, among many. Largely, these women are responsible and respectful wives, mothers, daughters, sisters and colleagues, a contrary to the belief of “control”

Do you still think the same? I may not blame you in a way, how your TV, radio, newspaper and online exposure represents this is an ask?

Indeed women have come an achievable long way. Yes, we are there, respectfully and respectably there.

Kale, this one of many may blow their trumpet too much out of “submissiveness” but banange that is one to your experience. It doesn’t represent us the whole. Kale, this talk never ends; ela that day, the battle was put at halt till further meeting. But one thing was agreeable, IT’S ONLY a stereotype.

I leave the wider battle win to my table of elders, media fraternity, debunk through appropriate coverage!

#EndStereotyping