This has to be said. I don't dislike Muslims, but I really, really dislike Islam

The reason I want to focus on today is the level of misogyny in the religion.

Now I'm not a feminist (the modern feminists really get on my nerves) but this has to be said, Islam is a religion that treats women like trash and I don't know why any woman would willingly remain a Muslim, or married to a Muslim.

Here's a short excerpt from a speech by our president here in Nigeria, who can barely speak coherent English with his thick Northern Nigerian accent. The Northern part of the country is plagued by illiteracy, Islam, Islamic terrorism, sharia law, a caste system, and so much more. He's one of the few that managed to make it up the ranks by enlisting in the military.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3aWWpG-ISU]
I think this is the mindset of any typical Muslim man. I can't believe the PRESIDENT would say this in the presence of Angela Merkel, who is a WOMAN, and also a leader of her country.

I also have to add that from personal experience, all the married Muslim men I've met (with the exception of one, but then they're a young couple) have serious marital problems. I don't expect any less from a religion where men are allowed to beat their wives if they 'misbehave'. I know of a father that forced his daughter to go to Arabic school instead of having a normal education- and that made his wife divorce him. Thank goodness it didn't happen in the North. She'd probably have been whipped by the Sharia police publicly and forced to go back to her husband.

I wish all those annoying feminists would go after Muslims, and focus less on causing trouble in developed societies where women's rights are actually recognised.

Sorry (but not sorry, really) if you're offended by this but its what I perceive to be true from first hand experience.

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Miram · 31-35, F

Not offending, I just think it's rather naive.

I grew up in Algeria, your neighbor, and if you know anything about it, you would know about the war in 90s.

I am an ex muslim, now outside of Africa.

I am also a feminist supporting feminists in Arab countries through both, political activism and financial support.

The false seperation between western feminsm and feminsm in Africa only exists in your head. We are trained and encouraged by westerners. It all started through workshops organized by foreign universities and female students who were educated abroad, some at the hands of more experienced women rights activists. There are also homes built in North Africa for women who need shelters from abuse and violence.

That aside, it's our responsibility, African women and men to lead the change not outsiders. They can only help. They should prioritize their own countries.

Why are some women still Muslims despite the misogyny? They see their religion differently, some because of fear. It doesn't matter when it's a choice.

rickfreeman15 · 22-25, M

@Miram I'm really focused on Islam and misogyny right now, we could talk about feminism later if you'd like. And although it seems you're making effort, I, who currently live in Nigeria, can see ZERO effort from western feminists.

Miram · 31-35, F

@rickfreeman15 I don't know about Nigeria. It's more remote. Even westerner men can't go there without being kidnapped any way.

How about you? What are you doing to help?

rickfreeman15 · 22-25, M

@Miram Now that's an assumption, after South Africa, Nigeria is the most developed country in sub-saharan Africa. If your assumption was correct, we wouldn't have hosted the U-17 FIFA world cup back in 2009. The only cases of abduction of foreigners that occur are with

-the terrorists up north (those guys are monsters that kidnap and kill anyone who isn't a muslim at the command of Allah)

- the youths in the Niger Delta who have grievances with big oil corporations like Mobil and Shell who extract oil, and destroy and pollute their communities. They resort to violence because the government isn't doing anything about it.

Like I said, we can talk about feminism later, the word 'feminism' itself doesn't promote equality which it claims to, because it assumes that only women need empowering, and that men aren't subjected to some form of oppression. Let's not derail from the topic at hand, which is ISLAM and WOMEN.

Miram · 31-35, F

@rickfreeman15 All embassies warn people of going to your country, it's not an assumption when it's the security assessment of most western countries.

[quote]The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to:

Borno State
Yobe State
Adamawa State
Gombe State
riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States
within 20km of the border with Niger in Zamfara State
The FCO advise against all but essential travel to:

Bauchi State
Zamfara State
Kano State
Kaduna State
Jigawa State
Katsina State
Kogi State
within 20km of the border with Niger in Sokoto and Kebbi States
Non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers State
Abia State
There are reports of criminal intent to target areas around international hotels in Abuja. It is likely that these potential attacks would be carried out by armed gangs. At this time of heightened threat, avoid loitering outside hotel security cordons and be extra vigilant when travelling in their vicinity.
[/quote]

You didn't answer the question.
The feminist movement was founded in times when men had more rights than women, hence the name. Do you think it would be rational for me to work on men's rights in an islamic society?

No, not really. The post is about feminists not doing enough. I don't see much about religion there. Just that it's misogynistic.

rickfreeman15 · 22-25, M

@Miram Now, with your post, you just confirmed everything I said. If you have the time (since you have the time to dig out such information) take a look at where those states are located. They're either in the North (where terrorism is rampant) or are oil producing states situated in the Niger Delta. Mark Zuckerberg was in Lagos last year, having fun. I wonder why nothing happened to him🤔

Yes, that's when it was founded, but in Western society, it has outlived its purpose. Women have rights. The appropriate approach to inequality between the sexes would be 'egalitarianism' (a word that stands for equality and cuts across all divides- race, sex, class, etc).

Which is why I emphasised that feminists should move to places where women are considerably disadvantaged instead of talking about 'patriarchal oppression' in places like, say, the United States.

And, I DID specifically say at the beginning of the post that I'd like to focus on the misogyny in Islam in this post. More to follow later.

Miram · 31-35, F

@rickfreeman15
[quote] Now, with your post, you just confirmed everything I said. If you have the time (since you have the time to dig out such information)[/quote]

That's just a part of the warning posted in all embassies' websites. It takes two clicks to check it out. 17 states , Four located in the south. The ones not mentioned, you'd need to call the embassy because the bad conditions fluctuate.

I wonder when you will answer my question.
[quote]The appropriate approach to inequality between the sexes would be 'egalitarianism' (a word that stands for equality and cuts across all divides- race, sex, class, etc)[/quote]

Are you trying that there and it's working?

rickfreeman15 · 22-25, M

@Miram and the four located in the South are where? The Niger Delta. I explained the reasons why to you, so let's not go back and forth on that. Calling Nigeria 'remote' is laughable, especially when you compare it to the rest of Sub Saharan Africa.

And yes, its working. Without specifically mentioning egalitarianism or feminism, Nigerian media (well, in the south) is successfully empowering both men and women to see that they don't exist to serve specific, laid out purposes for the other gender. More women have careers now. There are women in politics, and by next year we might see the first female governor of a state.

I still think feminism has outlived its purpose in Western society. I used to live in the US.

Miram · 31-35, F

@rickfreeman15 I called it remote because it's far from the north. Don't take it personally.
Do you expect western feminists to reach your country knowing they have only been around north Africa in a decade? It's not that easy. And yes, the conditions there don't help yet. Half of your country is unstable, the rest is questionable. And you have that president which you do seem to dislike. How are westerners supposed to establish influence there when you can't even run your own territory?
It's easy to blame other people and hold them responsible.

[quote]And yes, its working. Without specifically mentioning egalitarianism or feminism, Nigerian media (well, in the south) is successfully empowering both men and women to see that they don't exist to serve specific, laid out purposes for the other gender. More women have careers now. There are women in politics, and by next year we might see the first female governor of a state. [/quote]

I am reading into articles now and it seems there are feminist organizations, national. You attribute progress to your own preferences in presence of other factors. It's inconsistent to claim there are problems that need tending to, only to switch to claiming things are good and well.

I am still waiting for your answer 😕

rickfreeman15 · 22-25, M

@Miram Half is unstable, I agree. But apart from the oil producing states, there's nothing questionable about the rest. You ignorantly claimed that a foreigner can't come anywhere here without getting kidnapped, and after educating you could just admit you were wrong. Also, let me make it clear that I NEVER blamed anyone for any problems we might face here in Nigeria, I don't know where you got that from. I said feminists are NEEDED in backwards, Muslim communities, and not in the West. You cab reread the opening post if you misunderstood anything.

Also, because things are improving doesn't mean there are no problems. I don't see how hard it is to understand that. Progress is being made but the problems of some of the traditional gender roles haven't been resolved completely.

What am I doing? In places where I work, and on campus (I'm still an undergraduate) I challenge the outdated way of thinking. I discuss about these topics on Nigerian forums. You don't expect me to leave my job and wave banners on the street. I sign petitions like the ones created by the BBOG movement which is mounting pressure on the government to rescue the girls abducted by Boko Haram, and advocates for more emphasis on girl-child education in the North. I do the best I can by engaging in one on one discussions with people.

I'm not going to talk about this anymore, because this post was specifically about ISLAM and WOMEN. This discussion on feminism has dragged on too long.

Miram · 31-35, F

My claims would be based on ignorance if I wasn't following valid sources.

I never said westerners can't be there without being kidnapped, but the chances of that happening are extremely high hence the current security alerts.

Blame is in misplacing responsibility.

I think those are all great efforts. I know i have been bit harsh on you and I can see it irritates you.
I apologize for that.

I personally prefer focusing on women's rights in Islamic contexts. You can take it as you please but I don't care one bit about men's rights there (Algeria, Tunisia, Morroco, Saudi Arabia..) except for the obligatory military service. Why? Because they already have their rights and you can't focus on EVERYTHING alone.

I see organisations as complimentary, there are HO that focus on the other aspects.

Even free activists like you, they aren't moving towards different goals. It's the same, a better country and more freedoms for all.

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My shift starts now but I will comeback in my break to post about Islam and women instead of feminism. Don't block me yet 😏