Johnny raised pertinent issues but ended up asking Osewe to: “take it easy with the Ambassador as she is just a woman trying to do her things”. What if the Ambassador was a man and the phrase reads like: “take it easy with the Ambassador as he is just a man trying to do his things.” Would it have raised eyebrows? What if we put the same phrase in Swahili to read: “Achana na Balozi. Yeye ni mama anayefanya kazi yake/vitu vyake” or “Nenda pole pole na Balozi. Yeye ni mwanamke anayefanya kazi yake”.
What many reads might not have noticed too was Johnny’s reference to the person holding the immigration docket at the embassy: “I think it’s some woman who came here recently.” He clearly has a gender slant towards women because he sees her more like “some woman” other than an officer assigned duties.
I think that Johnny is an old-fashioned African male who still belives that women are lower in gender ranking. He might not have consciously meant to demean the gender status of Ambassador Purity Muhindi within this context, because he even exonerates her from the disputed attempted deportation of a Kenyan in Stockholm. However, I think the “just a woman” phrase sounds yesteryears in today’s world of “feminism”.
I leave you with Led Zeppelin’s 1969 lyrics from “She’s Just a Woman” so that you figure out what it means.
Led Zeppelin: Living Loving Maid (She’s Just A Woman)
With a purple umbrella and a fifty cent hat,
Livin’, lovin’, she’s just a woman.
Missus cool rides out in her aged Cadillac.
Livin’, lovin’, she’s just a woman.
*Come on, babe on the round about, ride on the merry-go-round,
We all know what your name is, so you better lay your money down.
Alimony, alimony payin’ your bills,
Livin’, lovin’, she’s just a woman.
When your conscience hits, you knock it back with pills.
Livin’, lovin’, she’s just a woman.
* Chorus
Tellin’ tall tales of how it used to be.
Livin’, lovin’, she’s just a woman.
With the butler and the maid and the servants three.
Livin’, lovin’, she’s just a woman.
Nobody hears a single word you say.
Livin’, lovin’, she’s just a woman.
But you keep on talkin’ till your dyin’ day.
Livin’, lovin’, she’s just a woman.
* Chorus
Livin’, Lovin’, She’s just a woman.
http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=7744
Roffe
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