For Whom Does the Speaking Woman Speak?

Abstract

Since the first ever International Women Conference, the plurality of female voices addressing the issue of women’s inequality, marginality and empowerment has flourished. The credibility and authenticity of these voices have been questioned. Rather than helping woman, these questions have deepened the chasm between the rural woman’s voice and the voice of the urban female advocate.It is the contention of this paper that the representation of the rural woman’s experience as subject fails the authenticity and fidelity criteria because the rural women is invisible in the articulation of her voice by the other. When the rural woman ever participates in action, it is upon trumpeted and highly advertised invitations. The structure of the relationship between her and them is downward sloping than horizontal. This has effect on the nature and success of activism. In effect, the rural woman is yet to speak for and on behalf of herself. This paper seeks to know whose voice is telling the rural woman’s story and argues that the mediation by the urban advocate appears more elitist than grassroots especially with programmes of action constructed like intellectual activism rather than participatory mass movements.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n26p22