IS IT JUSTIFIABLE TO DENOUNCE LESBIANS?
Abdul - Kadir O. Etuazim
December 28, 2005
"If we would have new knowledge, we must get a whole world of new questions."
Susanne K. Langer
Man has perfected the obnoxious accolade of crying wolf whenever the outcome of policies do not jell with the real thrust of the initial objectives. The issue under scrutiny is lesbian bashing and/or abhorrence in western societies. For the avoidance of any insinuations, let it be on record that I am married with five children and I am conservative when it comes to what should constitute a family.
However, it is appropriate to look at some societal dictates that appear to, inadvertently, force some members of society to go against ?accepted norms.? Research for this piece revealed that the population of the United States as at 2003 was 290,810,000. The spread between males and females was 49.19 percent and 50.81 percent respectively. It is presumed for the purposes of this discourse that ages 18 ? 44 constitute a reasonable period of determining and forging relationships.
There are 113,143,000 Americans within the ages of 18 ? 44. Therefore, getting the spread of the population between male and female is the next logical step. Unfortunately, there is no official data for the age group. As such, it is assumed that the spread in the general population is applicable to the age bracket under consideration. The ratio notwithstanding, a difference of 1, is one too many.
Using the general population ratio, the breakdown in the 18 ? 44 age bracket is 57,487,958 and 55,655,042 females and males respectively. In other words, our premise leads to a difference of 1,832,916 in favor of females. Put differently, there are 1,832,916 more females than males in the 18 ? 44 age group in the United States of America as at 2003.
The prevalent social norms in the United States are founded on Christian values. Christianity does not tolerate polygyny and polygamy. Polygyny is the state or practice of having more than one wife or female mate at a time (Merriam-Webster?s Collegiate Dictionary). Polygamy is a marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time (supra). Polygamy is unknown to my culture, contrary to widespread ignorance on the subject. The issue at stake is not the correctness or otherwise of any cultural value by the way.
Stemming from the above is what fate awaits the number of females over and above the available males in the country? This scenario does not take into account the provision for some males that choose a different sexual orientation. When a society constructs rigid ethos, norms and values, is it inadvertently forcing unintended alternatives on some members? Will such a society be justified to condemn and castigate a so-called non-compliant?
A real life discussion on above questions came up in 2003. I was privileged to deliver a four-hour lecture at an IVY-League university in Mexico-City. The theme was ?The Socio-Political and Cultural Evolution of Nigeria from independence to 2002.? The lecture concentrated on political aspects since it was a political science audience.
The question and answer session dwelt more on culture with particular emphasis on polygamy. Based on the definitions given earlier, it was agreed that polygamy was out of the equation in all cultures in Nigeria. The bone of contention was why we tolerate polygyny. The perspective of population spread between males and females was introduced and debated.
At the end of the day, the questioner ? a female ? was given a hypothetical situation to ponder. ?How would you feel if at the end of the day, you are unable to find a partner because every male should have only one wife?? Her reaction was ?God forbid!? Then, another angle, ?Is it right to condemn any female that goes into an alternative relationship in view of the prevailing facts?? With the last question, the lecture came to an end.
Please e-mail your response, comments and thoughts to: oaksolid2005@yahoo.com
Susanne K. Langer
Man has perfected the obnoxious accolade of crying wolf whenever the outcome of policies do not jell with the real thrust of the initial objectives. The issue under scrutiny is lesbian bashing and/or abhorrence in western societies. For the avoidance of any insinuations, let it be on record that I am married with five children and I am conservative when it comes to what should constitute a family.
However, it is appropriate to look at some societal dictates that appear to, inadvertently, force some members of society to go against ?accepted norms.? Research for this piece revealed that the population of the United States as at 2003 was 290,810,000. The spread between males and females was 49.19 percent and 50.81 percent respectively. It is presumed for the purposes of this discourse that ages 18 ? 44 constitute a reasonable period of determining and forging relationships.
There are 113,143,000 Americans within the ages of 18 ? 44. Therefore, getting the spread of the population between male and female is the next logical step. Unfortunately, there is no official data for the age group. As such, it is assumed that the spread in the general population is applicable to the age bracket under consideration. The ratio notwithstanding, a difference of 1, is one too many.
Using the general population ratio, the breakdown in the 18 ? 44 age bracket is 57,487,958 and 55,655,042 females and males respectively. In other words, our premise leads to a difference of 1,832,916 in favor of females. Put differently, there are 1,832,916 more females than males in the 18 ? 44 age group in the United States of America as at 2003.
The prevalent social norms in the United States are founded on Christian values. Christianity does not tolerate polygyny and polygamy. Polygyny is the state or practice of having more than one wife or female mate at a time (Merriam-Webster?s Collegiate Dictionary). Polygamy is a marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time (supra). Polygamy is unknown to my culture, contrary to widespread ignorance on the subject. The issue at stake is not the correctness or otherwise of any cultural value by the way.
Stemming from the above is what fate awaits the number of females over and above the available males in the country? This scenario does not take into account the provision for some males that choose a different sexual orientation. When a society constructs rigid ethos, norms and values, is it inadvertently forcing unintended alternatives on some members? Will such a society be justified to condemn and castigate a so-called non-compliant?
A real life discussion on above questions came up in 2003. I was privileged to deliver a four-hour lecture at an IVY-League university in Mexico-City. The theme was ?The Socio-Political and Cultural Evolution of Nigeria from independence to 2002.? The lecture concentrated on political aspects since it was a political science audience.
The question and answer session dwelt more on culture with particular emphasis on polygamy. Based on the definitions given earlier, it was agreed that polygamy was out of the equation in all cultures in Nigeria. The bone of contention was why we tolerate polygyny. The perspective of population spread between males and females was introduced and debated.
At the end of the day, the questioner ? a female ? was given a hypothetical situation to ponder. ?How would you feel if at the end of the day, you are unable to find a partner because every male should have only one wife?? Her reaction was ?God forbid!? Then, another angle, ?Is it right to condemn any female that goes into an alternative relationship in view of the prevailing facts?? With the last question, the lecture came to an end.
Please e-mail your response, comments and thoughts to: oaksolid2005@yahoo.com
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