This is a summary of the, at times heated, debate on Twitter this morning regarding the non-payment of the Ghanaian women national team and the issue of sexism. Is it an issue for feminists or rather just a mishap?
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After winning gold at the All Africa tournament in the Congo, the Black Queens returned to Ghana last Sunday and on Monday (8 days later) they explained to the press that the Minitry of Sports still owed them their payment.
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First, some of understood the issue from a feminist point of view…
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Sexism maths: #BlackQueens:even when u win, u lose. Win gold. Lose payment. #BlackStars: Lose every game. Win plane carrying cash. #CitiCBS -
Apparently its simple economics. Women do unimportant work for free. https://twitter.com/kajsaha/status/648767195120599040 … -
Those who think men and women are treated equally can compare #BlackQueens & #blackstars – no payment vs flying in the cash. #feminism101 -
Suggestions 4 a donation drive 4 #BlackQueens r well-meaning, but misplaced. Pay women what they have earned. Respect their work. #CitiCBS
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But not everyone agreed
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@kajsaha the Black Queens issue is just the irresponsibility of government. It has nothing to do with feminism in my opinion. -
@kajsaha because men’s football all over the world has a wider audience. This isn’t peculiar to Ghana.
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I saw my chance to do some feminist education
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Why do #blackstars have a wider audience than #BlackQueens? #feminism101 is getting started 🙂 https://twitter.com/mr_addo/status/648769374912933888 …
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And why is that? #feminism101 continues https://twitter.com/mr_addo/status/648768565097705472 …
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Why do #blackstars have a wider audience than #BlackQueens? #feminism101 is getting started 🙂 https://twitter.com/mr_addo/status/648769374912933888 …
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The dynamics are different tbh. Black Stars rake in more revenue than their female counterparts https://twitter.com/kajsaha/status/648767195120599040 …
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And why did they have that leverage? #feminism101 https://twitter.com/kantfit/status/648777529659105280 …
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True, we’ve many issues in Ghana. Still that does not explain the #BlackQueens nonpayment, in my view. #feminism101 https://twitter.com/kantfit/status/648777918680858624 …
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Enter Mansplaining and Menmoaning
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@kajsaha attack the government and put pressure on them to release monies for these ladies.
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If you thought the world was complicated. It’s been made simple for you here…… How did we all miss this? https://twitter.com/kajsaha/status/648767195120599040 … -
There’s an argument there. In both. This is slightly… Inaccurate. https://twitter.com/kajsaha/status/648767195120599040 … -
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…making it a male vs female thing won’t get much fixed. I think. https://twitter.com/kajsaha/status/648768582885748736 … -
Thanks for the advise. Talking about #patriarchy is a bit uncomfortable, but the facts here are too glaring. https://twitter.com/ofoli_kwei/status/648769979869958144 …
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@kajsaha I think I’ll keep my opinion although Rousseau would have been disappointed -
@kajsaha he said he’d defend anyone’s right to say what they have to say. That’s profound free speech. Something that is missing today.
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The worst part was when I was accused of somehow being against free speech.
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I believe I am talking about free speech. But anyway, lawyer away https://twitter.com/kajsaha/status/648771357900193792 …
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Something long discredited. Are we going to discredit free speech now https://twitter.com/kajsaha/status/648771357900193792 …
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I simply meant Rousseau said several things. Please talk about free speech, I can’t read your mind! https://twitter.com/osarpong/status/648772194525401088 …
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Why would I be against free speech?
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Why would I? This is an insult to a lecturer at a liberal arts institution and the cofounder to @BloggingGhana 🙁 https://twitter.com/osarpong/status/648772898778423296 …
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Alas,
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@kajsaha apologies if you feel it was an insult. That was not intended in that caveat
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@kajsaha I wasn’t questioning that. You felt I was which is why the feeling of insult came in
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Not much of the feminist argument was accepted, however the term “mansplaining” was adopted by Ttaaggooee
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If I run, how will I learn about the well-researched “mansplaining” thesis revealed here today? https://twitter.com/attigs/status/648789964013064192 …
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@osarpong and Android keeps autocorrecting the word ‘mansplaining’. Why would they correct someone’s yrs of research ?@ofoli_kwei @kajsaha
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Stop mansplaining. It is because they are women. Period. https://twitter.com/pkamoh/status/648791901072695296 …
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Thanks for the mansplaining of the impact of lifting sexism on Twitter. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansplaining … #feminism101 https://twitter.com/ttaaggooee/status/648776979009900544 …
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A few hours later I was back!
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I’m my view,@ttaaggooee @paakoti, #BlackQueens is a national symbol. Hence more of a governance issue than sports.
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And as you want to discuss my qualifications (sexist?) to discuss governance issues @ttaaggooee, I do have a MA in Pol Sci and
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… abt to complete my PhD in African Studies. I also teach leadership at a Ghanaian Uni and @ttaaggooee @paakoti
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…discuss feminism, governance and Gh issues in the media and on my blog since 2007 @ttaaggooee @paakoti
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. @kajsaha gone back and read through a lot more of your tweets and I agree with what some of the people have pointed out… -
And here #feminism101 continues. https://twitter.com/paakoti/status/648785486316630016 …
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That it’s the whole Ghana payment system that’s fucked up, not just a women only thing. Essentially equal-oppirtunity disrespect @kajsaha
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Also @paakoti why should #BlackQueens not be compared with #blackstars, but with workers? That’s sexism right there. #feminism101
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Enter the supporters
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*takes a look at @kajsaha TL. Sits back, takes a sip of iced tea and follows the lesson * -
Thanks for noting my educative mission this morning *types while breastfeeding* #feminism101 https://twitter.com/mropoku/status/648777450470670336 …
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@kajsaha hahaha, an incredible multi-tasker. You win?? -
Thank you, ma! https://twitter.com/kajsaha/status/648826655763484672 … -
@kajsaha its ridiculous that you have to lay out all the ways in which you are qualified before your opinion can be valued. Smh -
It all fits perfectly into #feminism101 @bxshola. So there is a small upside 🙂
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If nothing at all, @kajsaha has won at #StartingConversations101 cos all the different twitter segments are talking about this. #Medaase
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In conclusion, two feminism classes came out of this exchange!
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Hope my Webster Uni Ghana Campus class is listening to this story. Class discussion 4 gender today: Black Stars vs Black Queens #CitiCBS
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I’ve done some lesson prep for you under the hashtag #feminism101Have a productive class! 🙂 https://twitter.com/estherarmah/status/648771053955731456 …
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Good discussion under the hashtag #feminism101 today. If nothing else, do take away the term “mansplaining”. So common on #ghtwitter!
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I’m encouraged by that Twitter is a feminist place where feminists support one-another. Thank you! #feminism101 https://twitter.com/bxshola/status/648829263441956864 …
