Nigerian women embrace gender equality but dislike the social change that follows

Abstract

At a particular level of analysis, the focus of gender activism is to reverse and change the status quo in which men in the society are deemed to be superior to women in certain issues and have more opportunities to do certain things, than women. Gender activists, gender scholars and most women around the world want this situation reversed. However, as they are fully engrossed in this project of gender equity, activists, scholars and women are often unconscious of what could become of the society following the manifestation of their activism; regarding the effects on them as women, on some men as husbands , and on the rest of the society. This paper empirically explores the opinion and attitudes of Nigerian women towards this scenario through a survey conducted in the University of Lagos, Nigeria; among young girls and the freshly married ladies, majority of whom are quite passionate about the idea of gender equality. Major findings are that such social consequences hardly crossed their minds and they were not prepared to live with what the current gender activism may ultimately bring to the society. Will this change the attitudes of gender scholars, gender activists and many other women towards gender equality?

Keywords: Nigerian Women, Gender Equality , Social Change, Attitudes and Opinions