Patriarchy should be dismantled by all means
At the core of all-female problems, you will find men. And at the periphery, you will find a few women. A visit to the nearest police station will show you how vile and depraved men can be. You will find daughters of men with red eyes, from a punch or several incurred by the wrath of their estranged lover.
You will find women old and young, defiled by men. And with a few notes, justice will also be denied to them by men… And a few women. There are always women upholding the patriarchy as well. Always.
The reason women should never walk alone at night or go out to a club alone is that they are not men.
They cannot defend themselves from other men as men do. Besides, the night belongs to men prowling for women, a purely masculine endeavour. Any woman walking at night, and alone too is simply asking for what is coming to them, to be prowled upon by men, seemingly at her behest. What I am saying is that patriarchy is everywhere. And the only way to fight the patriarchy is to play it against itself.
So next time you are travelling abroad, and you know that your single status will attract inquisitive questions from white men who think you want to enter their country to get a man and never leave, wear an engagement ring and the far-off bedazed look of new love. Flaunt that ring, giggle a little, be well dressed, and talk of the love you left in Kenya and are looking forward to coming back to.
Do not argue that men would not have to fawn over a fake love to get into a country where they fulfil all the entry requirements. Bitterness does not fight the patriarchy. Trust me, immigration becomes a much smoother experience when you play the system with a smile. You win one, the patriarchy zero.
The next thing on this fight-the-patriarchy-list is to get yourself a violent man, a man who will beat up the world, but never you. Someone who will break his arm on another guy’s jaw when he disrespects you. Break a leg or an arm when a man slaps your @ss or walks too close to you at night.
This way, you never have to lift a finger, he will fight the patriarchy for you. And if he ever gets indisposed in the fight against patriarchy, instantly replace him with a newer and angrier model who can fight better. You five, patriarchy zero.
Until we find a way to conclusively dismantle the patriarchy, we will just have to play it against itself. And for now, those small wins will be enough. They have to be.
