I will explain, as simple as possible, the difference between individualistic and systemic solution using myself as an example.
I’m a feminist, a rad one at that, but the extent of its protection of me is still limited so much that it didn’t protect me from being harassed, or cat-called on the streets or stealthed or ambushed in a lonely path by a cultist.
I’m a feminist is not a systemic solution to the systemic problem of patriarchy.
Just drag them to court and shout “ayam a chosen”, sorry “ayam a feminist” three times at the judge.
Case closed.
(In case you don’t know, this is sarcasm)
Over the weekend, I visited someone in Rouen. A Nigerian man.
We were chatting in the kitchen and I told him I’d have already left if I didn’t feel safe. I have the ability to quickly read someone and judge whether they’re dangerous to me or not.
This is a version of the individualistic solution of “women be careful” that’s drummed into our ears every now and then in Nigeria. Solutions that are never enough or even effective at the end of the day because how else can Nigerian women be “careful enough?” Should we cease existing altogether?
I told him what I’d done was risky, coming over to his place just like that even if we’d been chatting before I came to France, but that I knew there’s someone I could have reported him to. Heck, that’s not even a solution but I needed to put some level of “be careful” in his mind.
And également, at least, I could personally see he’s a good guy and he’s trying his best.
It was a man who had to remind me I had rights here, that I could call the police on him and that they would listen to ME.
It took me a minute before my brain could even begin to comprehend THAT.
You can’t even go to report anything in Nigeria without you regretting it but here, it was a man who had to tell me I had rights?
I didn’t need to be a feminist or anything, I had a systemic right in place.
I’m a sexually free woman but in Nigeria, my sexual freedom was limited. I couldn’t go around just meeting people anyhow. I would get unalived and people would still blame me for that. That I’m a feminist would even infuriate people the more.
But here? I could easily flirt with a woman, this very cute gay man whom I met à la gare could easily express himself, I could easily chat with a man and ask for threesomes…
Because there are systemic protections in place. Granted nothing is perfect as everything is currently too chaotic, but one solution is obviously relatively more encompassing than the other.
Now THAT is the difference between an individualistic and systemic solution; and the two have to go hand-in-hand to have encompassing and lasting solutions to all these human-made problems.
I rest my case.
Written by Sisí Afrika.
