My Mind Speaks... She leads

Then the LORD answered me and said, "Record the vision and make it plain on tablets, that the one who reads it may run-Habakkuk 2:2

I must have spent the last 4 years of my life reminiscing about a world led by females, without the stereotypes, of course. Equally so, I’ve also spent the most recent years of my life making sure that the female is empowered to lead. This is the vision, it is plain, may she read it and run with it. In all honesty, gender shouldn’t be a factor in whether or not a person can be a great leader; a person’s leadership abilities should depend on their individual strengths and personality traits but like the saying goes “History is written by the winners” so for many years women were and are still told they cannot be effective leaders because we are too “emotional”, if it’s not that then we are indecisive, then when we are not emotional or indecisive; we are ruthless/heartless…ooh how can I forget a national fave “women are dramatic”? And so the narrative goes. And as such women aren’t encouraged to take on leadership roles as often as their male counterparts, contributing to an imbalance of who’s in power.

Interestingly, the more I read about African History the more I realise that precolonial times women occupied key positions in society. For example in the Venda Culture; Makhadzi is a critical member of the family and has different roles which are important to traditional leadership and that such women can be traced in other societies in Africa. It establishes that among others, the Makhadzi play critical roles in succession, resolution of disputes, regency, initiation of girls and spiritual guidance. Furthermore, women are also allowed to negotiate lobola and sit in the royal councils. It seems things began to shift post colonialism and our people would start adopting cultures and ways of the coloniser and as years went by people started claiming that this was an African thing. Not to mention the contribution that religion also had in shaping views regarding women in leadership. Most of us still need to go on a journey to unlearn and relearn what we have been taught. Women are just as qualified as men to lead and anyone that still tries to convince you other still needs mental emancipation.

My view has always been God made women too strong to just be cute. We are a force to be reckoned with. When I think of Hilary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Winnie Mandela and Jacinda Ardern I am convinced that we are led. I often wondered why Americans never liked Hilary Clinton, my personal view from studying her life is that her main problem is that she is too strong. Strong women are often vilified. I could make the same argument about Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Way too strong so we ridicule until her light shines a little less bright. And if there's is a woman who in 2020 still says she prefers working for men or prefers being friends with males, this is a call to check yourself (sorry). 

Dear Young girl, 

May you never dim your light for anyone. You are the light of the world so go ahead and light up cities, unapologetically so. You are a city built on a hill. You my girl are the salt of the earth, without you the earth losses its seasoning. Young girl, the world awaits you to let go of the fears and step up into your rightful place. Destiny awaits you Lioness.

Dear Universe

Stop saying to girls, "You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful otherwise, you will threaten the man" May we stop raising girls to see each other as competitors not for jobs or for accomplishments but for the attention of men. It stops with us. May we start raising girls who run the world, smart enough to make millions and strong enough to bear children and like Beyoncé says then get back to business.

My mind speaks