Feminisim: In context to the 2015 woman.

Women lets do some real talk!

I am a proud mother of 3. I have 2 spirited (not naughty), highly boisterous, playful boys who can run around my couch all day long till they pass out! I also have a 6 month old daughter that now crawls with the speed of light and attempting to stand at any chance she gets.. You get the picture? In addition to my domestic lifestyle, like most women I also work. My routine involves making breakfast, packing school lunches, get the baby ready for creche all before packaging myself off to work. Usually late. I have the help of a live-in house-help (not a nanny, a Nigerian help does it all and doesn't have a specific job description) and a caring husband. But at the end of the day, he's still a man.

My point is, as a modern woman in her early 30's, Society imposes some expectation on us to have attained a certain level at this point of our lives. Accompanying such achievements I had better carried out 100 things by 9 am. For some moms, this includes dropping off and picking up kids at school after which they are expected to appear at work with a clean shirt, hair done, makeup on right, put together attitude and ready to face the day's official assignments. That is the life of a woman. This is the life of a modern woman in 2015. The wonder woman that does it all. We commonly like to look outwards to role models, other women who inspire us without looking inwards and realizing we too, yes, (you and me) can also be inspirations to ourselves and hopefully other women or men.
For this reason I coined myself a modern day feminist.
A feminist generally is anyone advocating for or supporting the rights and equality of women.
This includes the right to vote, to hold public office, to work, to equal pay as men, to own property, to educate and be educated, to have equal rights within marriage, to have maternity leave, and to have protection, integrity and rights against rape, sexual harassment and domestic violence. A woman should also have the right to be as vocal as she chooses, her right to her sexuality, to be as ambitious and successful as she chooses among many other things.  Basically, a woman must be able and allowed to do everything a man does. To do it all. Now to broaden this, as women we do not only have to do all what men do as most men do not dare bath kids, cook dinner and such, but in this context, our feminist has more to her plate. In order to be a successful modern African feminist in this era, you have to have the right to do it all whether or not you chose to do it all is a variable within your economic and personal or religious circumstance. But being able to do it all is a testimony of a GREAT woman. I cannot over emphasize the honor to be a feminist in today's world.
We will continue to concur greatness in our homes, our relationships, our careers with our red lipsticks and high heels on whether it breaks our backs we darn well will have it all.
I derive great pleasures knowing after a days work, I'm making a heart-felt meal for my family. Their faces say it all! In those moments I am appreciated and I'm 'mummy'. When i discuss my day at work with my hubby and offer insight to topics, or other things (wink wink) I am appreciated and loved and I'm 'wifey'. By the way, he is a feminist.
Exhausted as I sometimes may be, I would have it no other way. I am privileged to do it all. I pray my daughter grows up knowing that with hard work she can do it all and have it all! However she chooses to have it. And to my sons, that may respectfully acknowledge women and girls as their equals.
The ability to do it all is a testament to our strength as the more endearing of the sexes.. I truly wonder why we are called the weaker sex..

I leave you with a  few quotes from an inspirational woman, Nigerian Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

1. "I’m trying to unlearn many of the lessons of gender that I internalized when I was growing up. But I sometimes still feel very vulnerable in the face of gender expectations"
2. "I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be." 
3. "The best feminist I know is my brother. He is also a kind, good-looking, lovely man, and he is very masculine" 
4.  "Culture does not make people. People make culture"
5.  "We should all be feminists"