As the renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Adichie will always say, Gender is not an easy conversation to have. When it comes to this issue, a lot of people try very to skip, or bottle it up. One may be thus tempted to ask why this topic generates a lot of heat, yet it is something the society cannot run away from discussing. Well, I think the society is striving hard in order for her to maintain the imbalance in her. But for those who are interested in the building of a wholesome society, where there are happier women and men who are true to themselves, the discourse on gender can never be overemphasized.
Our aim is to build a world where humans are not afraid to actualise their full potentials, a world where they will not be stifled—irrespective of gender.
In the quest for equal treatment and opportunities, we often forget that women are generally associated with abilities that men cannot generally claim they have, one of which is the characteristic of superior communication skills. This skill is crucial for peaceful co-existence in our world, today. So, technically, the gender that possess the superior communication skill is the superior gender.
At this point, it is likely that a lot of people will want to submit here, that the piece has already concluded on which of the genders is superior. It may not be out of place for you to feel this way, but I can state categorically, here, that the one more likely to lead is not the one who roars like a lion in the jungle. Neither is there any provision in any law that the one who is quiet or deemed fragile is the one to lead. Sometimes, we need to move away from setting standards for greatness or progress based on our own prejudice. We necessarily need to focus on what is MAJOR and pay less attention to what is minor.
Women can be as successful as men. In fact, women can hold key positions in the society, irrespective of the historical and cultural advantages on the side of their male counterparts. I think it is high time we begin to understand that these basic operations in life are not functions based on biological specifications. All that is needed is a determined conception and striving towards achieving that which has been conceived. We must therefore lay aside all sentiments that easily beset us, and strive to achieve a wholesome society.
Remember this, the superior gender is not the one with the physical endowment. The superior gender is the one with the ability to communicate, solve problems, and resolve conflicts. The superior gender is the one who sees a problem in the society and is keen on bringing about solution. The one who feels that the worth of his gender is measured by some lies and misconceptions that the society and a patriarchal culture has fed them is not the superior gender.
THE SUPERIOR GENDER is therefore the gender that is interested in the building of a world free for everyone to live in.
Happy International Women’s Day, 2021.
I am proud to be a woman, and a feminist, unapologetically.
Written by Faith Uchara