Living under patriarchical rule
How to Say Babylon is author Safiya Sinclair's memoir. Sinclair was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, to Rastafarian parents. Her father was a strict adherent to her religion; she called him a "militant Rasta man." One of the key tenets of Rastafarianism is that women should submit to the whims of men and that men should take on a more dominant role after they were "emasculated" by slavery and diaspora. Sinclair's father took those beliefs to heart. He controlled every aspect of his daughter's life, like what she wore, who she associated with, and the kinds of things she did on a daily basis. She was not allowed to explore her interests and do the things that she wanted to do; her father controlled all of that because of the patriarchal, iron-fisted grip he had on his family growing up. Safiya's turbulent childhood naturally caused her to rebel. That rebellious spirit caused her to gravitate towards poetry, which is a naturally rebellious art form. In other words, in Sinclair's case, the patriarchal oppression of her father caused her to be freer.
Western culture
One of the many things that Safiya Sinclair's father prevented her from doing was being exposed to Western culture. Safiya was only allowed to interact with Rasta people and non-Western culture. At first, this cripples Safiya and prevents her from fully experiencing the world. However, over time, she grows more curious and closer to western culture, and she starts to learn more about it. Western culture, in fact, becomes a source of enlightenment and curiosity for her. Her horizons are expanded, she moves away from her family's religion, and she becomes a poet. Her father considered Western culture demonic; she considered it a liberation for her burgeoning artistic spirit.
