By Ezekiel Nabieu
Advocates of gender parity should explain, for the edification of the general public, God’s rationale in creating two genders of humans instead of one. An account of creation tells us that woman was first created out of man’s rib. This is evidenced amply by the fact that men are physically the stronger and women the weaker sex with few exceptions due to defects. There is hardly a male task that is purely physical that cannot be done by a woman.
One writer said: “civilization thy name is woman.” There is an implication here that without women men would have been engaged in barbarism. It is also known that there is a woman at the beginning of all great things. Real men would never treat women with anything but the profoundest respect. By degrading women, men would only be degrading themselves because as stated earlier they were formed out of our ribs. Indeed the test of civilization is the estimate of woman.
Meritocracy
Real merit of any kind cannot long be concealed. It will soon be discovered and nothing can reduce it but a person exhibiting it in him or herself. Sometimes there is even extraordinary merit in men or women who, even those envious of it, are constrained to acknowledge. In other instances the appearance of merit is mistaken for merit itself.
Equality
Like I wrote earlier, male and female were never designed by God to be equal in all respects. They have their complementary roles. The American proverb is apt here and obvious. It is that the five fingers are not all equal. Even if there were 50 fingers they would not have been made equal by divine wisdom. It is instructive but the 50-50ists are contemptuous of it. J. Penimore Cooper said: “Equality in a social sense may be divided into that of rights. Equality of condition is incompatible with civilization and is found only to exist in those communities that are but slightly removed from the savage state. In practice, it can only mean a common misery.” ‘Ipse dixit...’ The only real equality is in the cemetery.
What the Bible says
“For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. (For man was not made from woman but woman from man.) That is why a woman ought to have a veil on her head because of the angels.” (1 Cor.7-10) For this instruction there is general conformity.
Another edict of the Bible is: “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deut. 21:5). This one is widely disregarded especially in the wearing of trousers which some women even wear to go to church.
Yet another edict states: “As in all the churches of the saints the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church” (1 Cor. 14:33-35). These uses have been so widely ignored as to be irrelevant for inclusion in the Bible.
What some churches have been practicing is nothing other than SELECTIVE CONFORMITY. The edicts have been violated to the extent that women are not only loud-mouthed in churches but have been elected as bishops after Delilah – like enticements.
The 50 –50 bid
There is nothing wrong with women seeking to dampen chauvinism but there is something wrong in seeking to have 30 percent only because of narrowing the gender balance. In constituencies where suitable women would not be found voters may have no alternative but to elect near-do-wells to fulfill statutory requirements. That would not be democratic representation. It would amount to underrepresentation thereby negating democracy and promoting misrepresentation. Which is why such a backward step has not been embarked upon in first world countries? Is gender equality quranic?
It was said by Magaret Thatcher: “Once a woman is made man’s equal she becomes his superior.”
(C) Politico 17/05/16
