Female Sexualities under a Patriarchal Microscope: An Interrogation of Buchi Emecheta’s Double Yoke

Abstract

This qualitative study amplifies the endemic policing of female bodies by patriarchal ideology whereby the sexual lives of African women are often suppressed whereas men receive little to no scrutiny. The paper thematically analyses Emecheta’s purposively sampled novel Double Yoke (1983) to interrogate the aforementioned problem which is still relevant to the present collective African milieu. Stiwanism is employed as a theoretical lens particularly because of its advocacy for bodily autonomy and selfhood as part of the important freedoms that African women should be afforded in the realisation of social transformation. The main finding was that throughout African history, this prejudiced supervision has existed and consequences included psychological harm as well as ostracisation. Therefore, this study recommends that sexual rights bills be supplemented by sociopolitical will and that African societies be conscientised. To ensure the overall wellbeing of all members in society, biased beliefs about sexuality should be abolished.