In some parts of Western feminist and gender discourse, women’s roles have often been conceptualised in ways that position them as inferior to roles that are typically associated with men. Usually, this depiction not only presents women’s roles in contrast to men’s but also attaches a sense of superiority to the latter. This has not only contributed to the reinforcement of Euro-colonial patriarchal gender framework but has also invisibilised women in the process, resulting in a lack of positive discourse on African women. This challenge continues to influence much of the resistance and hostility towards feminism in the African context, as many are concerned that feminism undermines the virtues and principles that are contained in female-gendered roles. In an attempt to move away from male-centred theorisation of gender, I explore the roles that women play in traditional African societies, foregrounding, especially motherhood, the roles of aunts and women in spirituality, in order to reposition African women positively. My aim in this paper is twofold: first, to provide alternative perspectives on African women through an empowering lens that shows their agency in traditional settings, and second, to unpack the epistemologies embodied in some of the roles that African women play, especially in traditional settings.
Dimpho TAKANE (Tue,) studied this question.