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Identity and Sexual Rights - Coggle Diagram
Identity and Sexual Rights
The Mati Work
Mati are women who have sexual relationships with men and women. They are from Suriname
Many labels that define sexuality are Western norms and ideals
Many mati women are the head of the household and have realtionships and families with women- they are undoing gender norms in this way
The mati women have a proverb that says, "I am a gold coin" meaning that they are dignified and proud of themselves outside of how many relationships they have had
Mati women have different expectations with money when they have relationships with men or women
women often speak about sex with other women and they do not feel the pressure to "come out" in their society
What about Identity?
In Westernized culture, femininity is conceptualized as weak, passive, and subordinate to masculinity
In the Mati, Creole universe, a person can have elements of both men and women
The West is not always right when it comes to the discussion of sexual behaviors or sexual identity
Constructions of the Body and Ngwa
In African culture, the body holds a lot spiritual and cultural significance and there is more focus on the whole than the individual
Some African communities, like Ngwa, view the body as being owned by the community, making sexual assault a prolem of a communtiy or lineage
For physical assault, women come together to defend the woman assaulted and attack the man, which gives the law less value
When somebody dies by suicide in the community, the whole community grieves and feels as though they have died, too
Ubang Body Notions
Women's bodies are given in marriage to the in-laws ( meaning her reproductive autonomy)
When a husband is very sick, the "daughters of the community" take care of him and the wife stays away- his body belongs to them
Discussion of Bodily Autonomy and Community
for populations where community is a large focus, it is difficult to establish individual sexual rights
Westernization and colonialism has effected African communities, but they still practice a lot of cultural traditions
The Western world view on sexual rights are privileged because they fail to recognize community-oriented cultures
Individuals in Africa may want to seek rights within the communal sector instead of by themselves; they feel the most empowered within their own community and people