Role Of Feminism In African Feminism

My answer is two-fold. Yes, colonialism has played a major role in forcing western ideals and notions onto Africans, creating confusion in African women’s identity and ignoring grassroot issues. More focussed on sexual identity and self-actualisation, western feminism’s individualistic way of thinking is in direct conflict with the original community-based collectivism, valued by those native to the African continent. The issues of the western woman is much different from that of the African woman. Although hierarchy exist, each person has a role to fulfil and each role is important to ensure health, wealth and survival of the community, with a deep-seated sense of spirituality, belief- and value system. Individual fulfilment is not born from
It emphasises the need to recognise and respect African diversity in terms of classes, religions, societies and ethnicities. It focusses on participation, the community and collectivism rather than opposing and competing against men and striving for individualism. African feminist focusses less on the woman’s sexual identity, the female body and theoretical debates but rather on culture and power. By strengthening women’s political effectiveness, the African feminist’s aim is to incorporate their views for gender equality into policy and legislation. The African Feminist is heterosexual in nature. In the mind of the African feminist, gender and patriarchy are western constructs - seniority, motherhood and matriarchy are the basis of African social organisation. However, their wish is to reconcile modern roles with traditional roles. The African Feminist finds commonalities among women rather than differences, referred to as the sisterhood of women. However, sisterhood is not accepted as a global construct as it is recognised that black and white women have not been able to reconcile their thoughts in the past. Motherhood forms an important component of African Feminism as it promotes matriarchy and the African woman as a nurturer and mother to the environment. The African woman’s reproductive role is very important and in no way of less importance than any other role. African feminism focusses on “bread and