...And Some Women Should Control their Narcissistic Tabias

It’s more often than not to hear a section of learned women calling for reservation of some jobs for them or fellow women. It’s also common for these women to issue wanton threats stretching from stripping naked in public to denying men their god-given conjugal rights if their so-called super rights are not extended to them.

The latest in Kenya is the demand by some women for absolute reservation of the post of the next Chief Justice in Kenya for a woman and a woman only.

Women deserve their rights just as men do, true. Women have in the past been denied a good chunk of their rights, correct. Women now make a lot of noise when they think their rights have been violated, right. But do they care a bit about the rights of men, doubtful. Especially for the young men-teenagers, students, nursery-school boys-who may not know a thing about the now conceived special treatment of women owing to their past mistreatment.  

It’s true some communities didn’t/don’t see women through the same lens as their men. Religion, entrenched cultural teachings, or simply taking advantage of the physical frailties of women, are in one way or another to blame for the recorded discrimination against the mothers, daughters, and aunties of this planet. In view of these it’s correct not to let the same thoughts seep into this enlightened generation. However, it’s incorrect to subject hard working men, sons and uncles of this modern world to this newest kind of discrimination which could be simply understood as settling scores for injustices meted upon women in the past. When a 21^st century man is told to give space for a woman just because women were not given that space in 1960s is  in itself discrimination of the highest order. Such aggravates a sin rather than cleansing society of it.

The point here is this unending calls for uplifting of women above men is time-barred, it is edging backwards and could as well be an old-time call now. It’s discriminatory in itself because young men, including those who are reading hard in primary school, secondary school and universities are subjected to an unfamiliar atmosphere which seems to specially handle women at the expense of them.

It’s an unfortunate practice and men are finding themselves between a still Kakamega rock and a hard place. They can’t say anything about this fast growing discrimination because if they do so they will be christened male chauvinists or women haters.  

What’s the solution then, you ask. First, it’s prudent and more so fair to see anyone as a well-created individual, a person who squarely belongs to planet Earth. Doing that opens a way for equality to reign without necessarily passing inequality to another gender in the name of equality for the other. Many African communities didn’t do that in the past and they ended elevating their men over their women because they thought men deserved so. That was in the past and now things are considerably different. Women study in similar schools, are admitted to the same universities, and are employed in the same companies. This is what’s happening now. Why then should we ever sing about women being treated above men? And should that innocent little boy be relegated to the backseat and his little sister elevated to the front seat? Is it correct? And would that solve gender inequality?  

PS: Tabias means behaviours.