Gender Training Stories!


The only real meaning something has is the meaning you give it. (Evolving Relationships)
 

Ok, so I am responsible for Gender Training and promoting Gender Sensitivity within the Company, either to the staff or to the Farmer Groups that we engage. Just to set the scene I’m letting you know what I was brought here to do!

 
The training groups include men, as a fact of life, Gender training ought to incorporate everyone!

We were about to start, one of the men in the group asked for some tea. One of the young ladies said, “Help yourself” Well blow me down with a feather, what a hullabullo that statement caused!

The man was bitter! He started to sweat!

“young girl are you married?” 

“No”

“ and with this attitude you will never be” She was giving as good as she got

 

 “ Sebo, have you ever heard anyone die from not getting married?”

“ What?”

“You women are being corrupted by these Western ideas, a woman is supposed to listen to a man and respect him, not be rude, all of these women here are being corrupted”


All eyes on me now! I’m staying quiet to see how it plays out

 
He chimes “all women are the devil” 

I come in the conversation at this point. Sir do you have a daughter?

“Yes”

 “Is she a devil?”

She’s not a woman yet,

“So when she becomes a woman will she be a devil?

“Well madam no”

“So what are you saying then sir? “

He says” you know polygamy? You have that where you are from?  (where and how did that relate to this conversation, he alone knows!!)

“I know it yes”

“Now the women are getting upset about it, they are supposed to respect us, they are disrespecting us”

“Sir, will you allow your wife to have more than one husband?”

“No, that is disrespectful”

“And you doing it isn’t?”

“It is very ok for a man”

The young girl is now chanting “equality for women”

 

“Why is it disrespectful for your wife to do the same as you?”

 “Look at her, she is talking while I am talking, this must end”

“It is disrespectful because she’s a woman”

 
“Ok sir, let me ask you one question and then we can resume our real reason for being here”

“How would you feel if your daughter has a husband with many wives?”

“It’s just the way that it is Madam, it is just the way that it is”

 
I press on and do what I can while I am here!

Miss young girl was still chanting!!

Peace!!

 

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