Question

Why are we studying women's issues in African cultures?

How does the current debate on race relations/Black Lives Matter movement (after the killing of George Floyd) connect to race issues in Africa?

The answer is just one paragraph each, that's it. e.x

To my knowledge, Chimamanda Adiche said it best: "the problem with stereotypes is not that they are [always] untrue, but that they're incomplete." This and systemic oppression - double whammy for African women as Black and female-identifying - portray African women unfairly, homogenously, and altogether incorrectly, leading to false assumptions and generalizations of what it means to be an "African woman." It's important to study the history, culture, portrayal, empowerment, and multiplicity of African women so they are plurally represented in the media, our hearts, and our minds, just like white western culture, which is quite honestly only a fraction as rich, diverse, and enriching as POC diasporic cultures, including the African diaspora.

The common thread tying the BLM movement and the varied experiences of African women across the diaspora is resisting anti-Blackness. Anti-Blackness targets and marginalizes Back people particularly in the U.S. but also around the world in different ways across contexts but fundamentally results in discrimination against Black people that leaves them disadvantaged compared to white and even some non-Black POC in terms opportunities, health, security, finances, socialization, and pretty much every shared systemic aspect of life. I am hoping this course will inform the specific ways in which not only such movements but also people are connected, diverse, and perhaps most importantly united in generating long-term change to sustain equity.

Answer 1

Killing of George Floyd by a white police officer is really a sensitive issue to encourage people to the path of discrimination. Racism is a never-ending problem in the United States and in the racial conflict mainly the black African Americans are victim. Once, there was law to empower the police to shoot the African Americans if there is any threat of life to the white police officer. There are random examples of the misuse of the law. The killing of George Floyd again arouses such black and inhuman history of racial conflict and discrimination. The white police officer killed George Floyd by pressing him under his knee. It is really brutal and inhuman. From moral and ethical perspective such murder should be condemned. Immediately after the viral video of the murder the black people began to show protest and a great movement appeared. Most of the protesters were black and some white people also joined against such murder. The administration was forced to surrender to the movement and immediate steps were taken to ensure justice to the death of George Floyd.