The Master of Lies
How patriarchy tried to trick me into shutting up.
I called out patriarchy in Paris; it replied, “In Africa, it’s worse.”
I called out patriarchy in Abidjan; it replied, “In Niger, it’s worse.”
I called out patriarchy in Niamey, it replied, “In the village, it is worse.”
In the village, it told me, “Well, it was worse before.”
But my grandmother told me that her mother told her that before she had a voice.
Before, she had space, in front, in the very front even, if her courage and vision carried her there.
She told me about Sarraounia Mangou and the Priestess Chibo.
Their superhuman willpower, their mystical powers.
How they dissented, stood up, and fought for what was right.
How men and women followed them with pride and confidence.
I knew then that the patriarchy had lied to me in the village.
It had lied to me in Niamey.
It is lying to me in Abidjan and Paris.
The good and beautiful question is not: “Is it worse elsewhere?”
But rather: “What can we do, all of us together, to make things better, here, now and tomorrow?”
Another world is possible.
