patriarchy

For so long, I had grown up believing that social justice discourse, particularly through a gendered lens, was a completely separate sphere from Islamic discussions.

I thought about “domestic violence” going “on vacation” as I learned about the Petito case. I remembered trips I took with a patriarch whom I’ll refer to as F. The month before I escaped from F, we went on a road trip.

The idea of feminism in Nigeria itself has been identified as a threat to men. Patriarchal structures dictate that being submissive and loyal no matter the circumstances is what a good religious woman should be. This doesn’t speak for any one religion, but rather for all: Women who identify as feminist in Nigeria are criticized and mocked using all means to dissuade us from the very idea.

Most girls are hurt by ordinary men, mundane fuckers who often seem very 'nice' during their public-facing interactions.