In Male Daughters, Female Husbands: Gender and Sex in an African Society, Ifi Amadiume tries to outline and explain the disadvantage East-African women have to their male counterparts since the 1900, and the reasons for why they are that condition. Amadiune was doing fieldwork in Nnobi, interviewing women and finding out about the historical and social problems in the area. Her study became divided into three parts: pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial.
The answers she got from her questions showed the importance religion had in the build of the society and stereotypes and norms of gender roles. The goddess Idemili, who was an important figure in pre-colonial Nnobi, encouraged industriousness through women. Women could even marry other women, and the term “husband” was not connected to the male sex, but instead the person with power in a relationship; which often was the female.
In the colonial period, all activities with the goddess were banned, and following the western traditions, females took more passive roles in the society. The self-esteem and power women had in the pre-colonial times were gone.
Today, indigenous gender roles are condemned as pagan, and are believed to be against Christian morality. Parallels could also be drawn between Islam and the consequences the religion has had to the gender roles in the society.
