Negative Effect of Female Socialization in an Essentially Male-Centric

Question: In this essay, it will be argued that freedoms and constraints exist over gender identities in a globalized world. The gendered effects of globalization in generating negative impacts on the lives of women and their families will be discussed. Then, the stereotypes and its impacts on women will be considered, as well as trying to determine what it means to be male or female in African culture. Lastly, the implication of gender role on Nigerian women will be investigated, by exploring a case study conducted by Omokhodion a sociologist at the University of Lagos. At this stage the constraints which exist over gender identity will be identified. Answer: The objective of the following essay is to argue that freedom and constraints both exist over gendered identities in a globalized world. Further, the essay also aims to discuss the negative effect of female socialization in an essentially male-centric world of Nigeria, and the vital role globalization plays in engendering negative impacts on the lives of these Nigerian women. Lastly, the implication of gender role on Nigerian women will be investigated, by exploring a case study conducted by Omokhodion a sociologist at the University of Lagos. At this stage the constraints which exist over gender identity will be identified. On the one hand, globalization has been beneficial for the Nigerian women, who because of its employment generating capacity, can now participate more freely in the workplace. But on the surface, though globalization seems to favor the development of the condition of Nigerian women, it has largely contributed towards creating a wider gap between the working men and women of Nigeria (Acker 2013). It is an undeniable fact that the gender bias exists and rather pre dominates the Nigerian workplace. Globalization might have offered job opportunity to the Nigerian women, bur the grim reality is that most of the Nigerian women are underpaid, or are engaged in unskilled work or are working in any unorganized sector, which does not promise any future benefit or social security to them (Heilman 2012). Nigeria which consists of as many as 350 ethnic groups, upholds and supports the ideology of patriarchy among all the people of various African communities (Omkhodian 2006). As a result, althoug h globalization is empowering the Nigerian women by making them self-reliant, it is at the same time causing much stress, fatigue and panic of losing job security among them( Jensen 1997). On the one hand, the Nigerian women are falling prey to underemployment and gender bias in their workplace; on the other hand, they are dejected over the gender discrimination they are daily encountering in their workplace (Holmes and Julain 2013). Mikkola (2009) claims that gender refers to an individuals knowledge of belonging to one sex or the other, and this gender consciousness is creating a terrible sense of pain and discontent among the Nigerian women, as they are facing gender discrimination daily in their workplace. Furthermore, the issue of gender inequality has been a problem in Nigeria, since a long time. According to Cohen and Kennedy (2013), traditional norms have ideologically established as well as promoted generalizations of the roles of each gender; and transgressing the same, has always been vehemently criticized. As a result, traditionally the Nigerian men were accustomed to be the independent, self-assertive and domineering authority of the household, while the Nigerian women have been traditionally taught to behave as if they were owned first by their father, then by their husband. Hence, women have always being marginalized in a male-centric Nigerian society, where only men have played the authoritative roles at home, and in community and the governmental bodies (Omokhodion 2006). Furthermore, it is quite interesting to note that the very way an individual perceives himself or herself, is largely determined by what he learns from his family (Wanna and Weller 2011). According to Bradley (1999), the family is the first unit of the society, which acquaints a child with the social and ideological values of the particular society. Hence Cohen and Kennedy (2013) states that a child learns about the traditional gender role from his family, and it is from here, that a child forms opinion about what his or her role should be, in future. Keeping this in consideration, a Nigerian family is essentially a family based on patriarchal values, which does not acknowledge any power or right of a woman. Omokhodian (2006), a sociologist in the University of Lagos, has claimed that in a Nigerian household, the Nigerian man has been the only bread-winner, who boasts of his strength, power, and intelligence. Having enjoyed the authoritative position in the household for a long time, a Nigerian man has always been believed to be way better than the Nigerian women, who are believed to lack the skill, competence and bravado of the former. Fagan (2006) has highlighted the fact that women who have mostly sacrificed their lives for the benefit and well-being of the male members of the family, have been socialized into believing that they are essentially gentle, self-sacrificing, meek and emotional creatures, whose happiness in life lies in serving the male members of the family. According to Omokhodion (2006), these gender stereotypes within the Nigerian society, has largely impeded the personal success and achievement of the Nigerian women, who have believed over the years, that they should never transgress or question the gender roles assigned to them, over the years. Much discussion has been done over the issue of female unemployment and consequent female poverty, but the question is, what the exact root cause behind the same is. It is not the lack of professional competence that makes the woman lag behind in a Nigerian society. Rather, there is a terrible lack of access to education and the basic resources of life, which makes the Nigerian women jobless (Jensen 1997). In a world of patriarchy which celebrates the dominance and unquestionable power of men, women are denied the fundamental right of education in Nigeria, says Omokhodion ( 2006, pp144). This process of constantly marginalizing women, as well as ignoring their basic rights and needs, has led to the creation of a wide socio-economic gap between the Nigerian men and the Nigerian women. Fagan (2006) has further argued that in absence of sufficient employment opportunities for the Nigerian women, many of the Nigerian women, are suffering from lack of economic security. Yet, even in the p resent era of globalization, reports suggest that in many families, a Nigerian daughter is compelled to work, at any earlier age, only to support the education of the male members of the family ( Omokhodion 2006). According to Otibhor ( 2013), even if some women are employed, due to lack of proper educational guidance, they are being mistreated and terribly exploited in their workplaces. Thus, gender discrimination in Nigeria, as a whole, has a disastrous impact on the well-being of the Nigerian women. Holmes and Julian (2013) claims that a citizen of any country should have rights in three dimensions- social, legal and civil dimensions. Even Homeless et al (2013), a citizen is defined by his right of having a right. However, the alarming condition of Nigerian women reveals a different story. According to Omokhodion (2006), although the Nigerian women have been enjoying social, legal as well as civil rights, since the year of 1994. However, he says that their right of leading a normal, healthy life is being totally denied because of the huge rate of domestic violence being perpetrated on them. Omokhodion (2006) also argues that the number of instances of domestic violence on women in Nigeria is remarkably high. A research conducted by the CLEEN foundation, discovered that out of every 3 respondents, at least 1 respondent in Nigeria have admitted of being physically and mentally abused by their spouses. Further, the traditional norms of Nigerian community also supports the right of a male member, hitting and punching a female one, for the sake of disciplining her. Further, Fagan (2006) has pointed out that the traditional way of living of the Nigerian men has led to the spread of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Even Uzukuvu (2002) has agreed to this opinion, by further stating that current studies show that a huge number of Nigerian people are being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. In fact, Uzukuvu maintains that this spread of HIV/AIDS disease is mainly the result of the violent attitude of the Nigerian men towards the women, whereby they prevent the Nigerian women, from having safe sexual relation with them. According to the Demographic and Health Survey of the year 2008, more than 30.5 % of the Nigerian women are sexually abused and have forced sexual relations. In the light of these circumstances, many Nigerian womens lives are adversely affected, and many of them are affected with sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS (Fagan 2006). Cohen and Kenned (2013) have defined the concept of globalization, as the process of the integration of the economic, commercial and social spheres of the different regions across the globe. Nigeria as a country has also not remained detached from the emerging concept of globalization. If the study of Omokhodion (2006) and that of Garba (1997) is to be believed, globalization has not at all favored the condition of Nigerian women. Rather, as Garba (1997) states that the whole process of globalization has further helped in expanding further the gender inequality in the country. With the emergence of globalization, there was an emergence of urbanization, whereby various new enterprises started getting established, hiring both men as well as women in Nigeria. However, although employed, the Nigerian women are immensely exploited, as they are hired at a much lower payscale, are offered much lesser or rather no job security at all. Further, in Nigeria the women have to pay higher taxes th an the men, resulting in a huge poverty existing among the women. It is equally an indisputable fact that in case of 80% of the Nigerian women, a major part of the income is spent in solving family issues. Acker (2004) claims that although women are being assigned with extremely responsible tasks in their workplaces, they have to be content with low pay scale and mediocre job rank. As a result of such glaring instances of gender inequality, Nigeria as a nation has terribly failed to achieve economic sustainability, as compared to other developing nations. In fact, it is important to note down, that no country can achieve economic sustainability, unless it provides equal opportunity to both the genders. However, globalization which literally unifies the different regions of the world also has had a very impressive effect on the Nigerian women. Moghadam (2005) maintains that one of the most important contributions of globalization, has been the emergence of the Feminist movement in Nigeria. This Feminist Movement, has inspired the Nigerian women, to achieve equality in each and every sphere of life, and has taught them to become self-dependent (Muller and OCallanghan 2013). Moghadam (2005) maintains that the globalization has taught many of the Nigerian women, the importance of self-sufficiency, as a result of which many of them are now established and at least some of them enjoying powerful position in their workplaces. This self-reliance of the Nigerian women, has allowed these women gain access to the economic resources, and other privileges of life, without asking for the consent from the male members of the family. Further, Omokhodion (2006) has pointed out that globalization le ads to the exchange of information among the countries, and also helps one country explore the culture of other countries. With a result the spread of globalization, the Nigerian women, have grown more aware of the female rights and the idea of women empowerment. Further, this has also helped in the enforcement of several anti-discrimination laws in Nigeria. Fagan (2006) maintains that the enforcement of such laws has largely helped in reducing the instances of sexual abuse or domestic violence in the families of Nigeria, and has also motivated the women to enjoy economic independence, by participating in the workforce. Although some critics and researchers have cited instances of exploitation resulting from globalization, Moghadam (2005) has pointed out that globalization has helped in employment generation in Nigeria. He maintains that getting low salary is at east better than remaining unemployed. For this reason, Moghadam has argued that since globalization has helped the Nigeri an women gain easier access to jobs, globalization does create a sense of freedom among the women of Nigeria. In conclusion, it can be said that globalization in Nigeria, has created both a sense of constraint as well as gender, as far as the issue of gender identity is concerned. On the one hand, if globalization has led to exploitation of the female workers, on the other hand, it has also helped to reduce the same, by creating greater awareness among the masses. Further, it has also helped the Nigerian women assume an active, participatory role in life, rather than being just a passive recipient of male abuse and humiliation. Reference List: Acker, J 2004 'Gender, Capitalism and Globalization', Critical Sociology, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 17-41. Bradley, H 1999, Gender and power in the workplace: analyzing the impact of economic change, Macmillan [u.a.], Basingstoke [u.a.]. 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