Twerking for male power … as Wicknell rewards gyrating woman

This is the brave 21st century and the world over, women have come to be recognised as equal partners and not bridesmaids in a male dominated world.

From politics to sport; from the manufacturing and transport sectors to many other previously male-dominated vocations, women have stepped up to the plate and shown that they are capable equal partners who can occupy any position at any level in any sector.

But Zanu PF and its moneybag Wicknell Chivayo’s decision early this week to reward with a car a woman who gyrated and flaunted her backside at ED’s function ought to disturb all right thinking Zimbabweans as it objectified women and reinforced the notion and stereotype of our womenfolk as mere entertainers and not equal partners in the male dominated world of politics and power.

Some may feel there’s nothing wrong with women dancing or expressing their sexuality, at public gatherings and getting rewarded for it.

DJ MASOMERE please enda na Amai ava pana Madzibaba Chipaga vapihwe AQUA yavo ne 2000 USD today…Drivers license kana vasina she can start lessons today and collect her car in two weeks. Zvinhu zve ZANU PF mufaro wega wega , pakangonzi Mr Aquaman vari pano pakatambwa zvinoshamisa pic.twitter.com/W5PZmogKTC

— sir_wicknell. (@wicknellchivayo) March 28, 2024

But I strongly feel that Mai Welly’s trending gyrating backside for which she got a car reduces the value and contribution of women at political gatherings to nothing more than entertainment through sexually suggestive dance moves.

It projects women as a good distraction and as providers of properly timed entertainment optics while men engage in the serious business of transacting power between and among themselves.

I feel the whole issue projects women as an entertaining sideshow to the main political show transacted and presided over exclusively by men.

The emblazoned image of a woman’s backside gyrating at the President’s function and the subsequent “payment for the services” ought to have riled everyone,, particularly the women themselves and all civic groups that purport to represent women and the girl child, including the Gender Commission.

After the car was presented, a bystander is even heard shouting ” mazunze ” (shake them) to which Mai Welly touches the car bonnet and gyrates to the crowd, spawning disturbing optics that objectify women and sends the equally disturbing message that women are nothing more than the sum of their anatomy, particularly those feminine parts that define their sexuality.

For some of us, the portrayal of women as mere entertainment toys and even rewarding them for twerking their backsides for the President and other drooling menfolk left a sour taste in our mouths.

It reinforces the stereotype of women as prostitutes who are paid for “their services” after a session, regardless of whether that session is a rally or a sexual tryst.

The fetish portrayal of a woman as being nothing more than her anatomy and the belittling of the women’s role to such despicably lowly levels cannot be expected to be advanced by a civilised ruling party in this brave 21st century.

For me, the repugnant portrayal of our womenfolk as simple entertainment objects in what is primitively still being perceived to be an exclusively male sport of power is a disturbing development.

Or is this what they meant when they spoke of leaving no one and no place behind ?

Well we didn’t know they were talking about women’s behinds, for which they are now materially rewarding them handsomely.