Women Talk Everyday Sexism With #BeingFemaleInNigeria Hashtag

Source: Kevin Russ / Getty

Women (and men) all over Twitter have been speaking out on gendered discrimination with the #BeingFemaleInNigeria hashtag. The conversation has long been at the forefront of conversations surrounding issues in Nigeria after the Boko Haram has continuously kidnapped and raped thousands of girls while terrorizing villages in the country’s northern regions. Nigeria also made international news recently when the government banned female genital mutilation—an issue that has impacted 41 percent of Nigerian women.

The Boko Haram, genital mutilation and abortion rights are just some of the major problems women face in the country but this hashtag has given women the license to speak truth to power on some of the biggest and smallest microaggressions impacting them day to day. The hashtag was conceived by the Warmate Book Club, a Nigerian group that had been discussing Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “We Should All Be Feminists” TedTalk. The hashtag went out on Tuesday morning and became one of the top trending conversations in Nigeria and the UK.

Women have been talking about a range of issues including being pressured to stay in abusive relationships to get married and have children as well as housing discrimination, slut-shaming, double standards for men and women and finally, the common notion that women are mentally and physically inferior to men.

In a Huffington Post interview with book club member Tinu Akinwande, she said: “What we are trying to do is open people’s minds to what some people in the society has termed as the norm. We are happy the hashtag has gone worldwide. We never expected all the buzz. This conversation is never ending. And until we speak and create awareness about it this attitude will not change.”

Check out some of the tweets in the conversation below:

My favorite pic from #BeingFemaleinNigeria. Black woman – carrying black man load since beginning of time pic.twitter.com/6yfFfcUnDi

— Lesley Agams (@MzAgams) July 1, 2015

Nigerian men are now trying to blame feminism for #BeingFemaleInNigeria? Rather than sexism and patriarchy? Okay o.

— Bassey (@Basseyworld) July 1, 2015

My grandmother had to sleep with her husband’s corpse for three days to prove she didn’t kill him #BeingFemaleInNigeria

— frida kahlo. (@LexiLoves__) June 30, 2015

A child’s failure is the mothers shame but a child’s success is the fathers pride #BeingFemaleInNigeria #BeingAFemaleInNigeria

— Adedamola (@damola_ososanya) June 30, 2015

#BeingFemaleInNigeria Nigerian parents don’t expect you to date but expect you to be married at 25.

— Chukwuebuka Akara (@ebuka_akara) June 30, 2015

#BeingFemaleInNigeria If you get pregnant before marriage, you’re in trouble. If you don’t get pregnant after marriage, you’re in trouble.

— Rhodwell Ikekwame (@Rhodymite_) June 30, 2015

#BeingFemaleInNigeria your brothers can go out anytime they like, but as a girl you have to give two weeks prior notice n be home by 4pm. 😩

— Sisi Zolanski (@Isab33lla) June 30, 2015

Having to remind people that the Bible makes man ‘head of the HOME’ Not office, not classroom and def not Lagos roads. #BeingFemaleInNigeria

— Somi Ekhasomhi (@SomiEkhasomhi) June 30, 2015

#BeingFemaleInNigeria means you cannot tell a guy you like & want to date him. Unless you want to be called ASHAWO. pic.twitter.com/AAPCs9JvjS

— J (@AntiJayne) June 30, 2015

Hardly ever do ppl think your hubby might be the reason you’ve no kids. It has to be you. #BeingFemaleInNigeria

— Mark Amaza (@amasonic) June 30, 2015

#BeingFemaleInNigeria basically means you have to do more to earn anything close to what a less committed male earns

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) June 30, 2015

You’re not allowed to have standards. Be grateful men are even toasting you. #BeingFemaleInNigeria

— Toni Stark (@Morenikeeee_) June 30, 2015

#beingfemaleinNigeria The vendors press fashion magazines at your window at the stop light. You can’t possibly be interested in Newspapers.

— AlphaLadyBug (@UNV_Eso) June 30, 2015

#BeingFemaleInNigeria your husband slapped you? Sorry. What did you say to make him angry? Go and beg.

— Strokahuntas (@sassylabelle) June 30, 2015

RELATED LINKS:

Nigeria Bans Female Genital Mutilation

Bye Bye Goodluck Jonathan: How Muhammadu Buhari Became Nigeria’s New President & What This Means For Boko Haram

Authorities Say Boko Haram Is Winning

Women Talk Everyday Sexism With #BeingFemaleInNigeria Hashtag  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com