Since the Alvarez-Galloso News Hour has found a home in Word Press, Alvarez-Galloso has been looking at different blogs. One of the blogs was Steph and the concept of Womanism.

Many people can disagree with an individual peacefully and Alvarez-Galloso decided that Steph’s Blog and Opinions deserve to be known on the basis of their merit and logic. For this reason, Steph was invited and she accepted to be interviewed by the Alvarez-Galloso News Hour to bring the concept of womanism out into the open.

Alvarez: I would like to thank you for coming to the Alvarez-Galloso News Hour. While I agree with you about feminism, I would like to know how did you arrive at the conclusions of feminism being another form of colonialism?

Steph: The simple answer is to say look at the feminist movement today: it’s the cheerleaders for American imperialism.

Steph: Individual feminists might not have supported the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq but feminism as a political movement did. Feminists of all political stripes in Britain and America supported the invasion and occupation of foreign countries, genocide, ethnic-cleansing, exploitation. In Afghanistan Donna Hughes was wheeled out to say how America’s bombing of innocent Afghans was justified because America was liberating women from the burqa and the Taliban. She forgot to ask them if they wanted to be «liberated» from the burqa, the Taliban, their husbands, their children or their lives.

Even feminists that opposed the wars have been happy to support the use of violence to oppress the indigenous populations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and impose feminist ideals on them. When feminists oppose the Shariah and the hijab in Muslims countries against the will of the people, they’re not liberating them, they’re oppressing them.

Alvarez: What is the difference between feminism and womanism?

Steph: Womanism is sometimes called black feminism, it rejects the colonialism and fascist tendencies of feminism. It’s an indigenous woman’s right movements. So Womanism is rejection of feminist ideology but a belief that supports the rights of women from within the culture that they live. Womanism tends to be egalitarian, whereas feminism isn’t.

Alvarez: If there is ever a World Wide Caliphate and you were ordered to wear a burqa, would you wear a burqa?

Steph: I don’t think there would be a global Caliphate in my lifetime. I don’t like hypothetical questions. I respect Islam so I wouldn’t have a problem wearing the hijab when visiting Muslim countries but I’m a European Christian, I enjoy not having to cover my hair. I don’t mind covering my head with a black shawl when I go to Church, that’s my tradition, but if I was an Iraqi Muslim I sure I’d feel differently.

Alvarez: In what way is womanism compatible with Islamic Theology?

Steph: Because womanism is indigenous, womanism isn’t an ideology like feminism is. Iran has a strong indigenous Islamic women’s movement, which is womanist in my opinion.

Alvarez:What has been the worst criticism that you received for your ideas?

Steph: How graphic do you want me? Most of the criticism are constructive, the insults and threats aren’t really criticisms. Threatening to rape and bugger me and suggesting that I’ve been sexually abused are pretty offensive but they’re not really criticisms.

Alvarez:What advice would you give the women of the world?

Steph: Don’t be ashamed or proud of being a woman – just be one. Be confident in who you are and live your life, your way

regards

Steph X

Alvarez: Steph, I would like to thank you for this interview and for taking the time to answer my questions. Without much, best wishes to you and your blog.