The feminist storytelling playbook through AWESOME
By Sally Akinyi
Storytelling is what we need to push narratives
Women’s voices are a force to reckon with. But how are these voices claiming their space and right to tell their authentic stories without being silenced?
Storytelling is the ultimate source of truth and power in the feminist and women’s rights movement. It is a tool that many muzzled voices in a typical patriarchal society can use to build agency, claim power and advocate for their rights.
Transforming structural inequality is not a walk in the park and that is why storytelling plays an essential role in shaping narratives giving diverse voices in the feminist and women’s rights movement the power to engage. From the Global South to Global North, we’ve seen how women are leveraging on various types of storytelling to invoke dialogue and debate while also influencing narratives around gender equality.
Hopeless storytelling should be retired
In Womankind Worldwide, our communications strategy is built on a content-first approach that seeks to amplify the voices of feminists from a decolonization lens where power belongs to rightsholders and their ability to create a gender equal world. We strive to demystify the negative myths associated with feminism and fueled by racism, inequalities, misogyny and abuse.
Our storytelling is based on joy, dignity and choice and not brokenness, dependency or rightsholders lacking self-agency and autonomy
From Africa to Asia, we’re keen on putting rightsholders on the driver’s seat to tell their own authentic stories with the simple premise: ‘’Nothing About us Without us’’.
AWESOME is building a grounded feminist ecosystem
And one stark example of how we’re living these storytelling values is through the Advancing Women’s Engagement: Strengthening Opportunities to Mobilise for Equality (AWESOME) programme. AWESOME has embedded storytelling as a core approach in strengthening the women’s movement through participation of diverse groups such as women with disabilities amongst other women’s rights organisations.
Collective action is a significant component of the programme with up to 7 partners building a solid narrative around challenging the harmful narratives that prevent women in all their diversities in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia- from fully participating in society socially, economically and politically.
As a storyteller in the social impact space, it’s been such a privilege to document powerful stories that not only accord dignity to rightsholders but gives them the leeway to shape how they want their stories to be spotlighted. This is quite an experience in a sector where communications professionals struggle to tell ethical and authentic stories that go against the tidal wave of privilege, dominance, inequality and white saviorism.
Decolonizing in feminist storytelling is essential in reimagining how stories are told and radically changing approaches that continue to spotlight rightsholders as victims of their circumstances and not from the standpoint of their power in pushing for change.
Feminists telling their own stories in their own way
On 5 October 2023, we delivered AWESOME’s avid dream of ‘’Feminists Unlimited’’ through a filmmaking venture. It was quite exciting to be in a room filled with filmmakers who are not only passionate about social impact but see themselves as allies in the feminist space. But far and beyond, it was an honor to listen in to the experiences of 6 feminists who are shaking the foundations of patriarchy and disrupting the women’s rights movement. Simply put, they were armed with truth to share their personal stories spotlighting how their ‘disruption’ is redefining feminism and all the stereotypes associated with it.
And this is how they are accelerating impact by shaping narratives through radical African feminism- as FIDA Kenya, Women Challenged to Challenge, Womankind Worldwide, Siiqqee Women’s Development Association (SWDA), Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) and Ethiopian Women with Disabilities National Association (EWDNA).
First, feminism has been linked to hyper independence- which is quite untrue in many ways. Hyper independence is quite misogynistic in nature, isolative and goes against the feminist principles of collective action and building a sense of community. Built on the notion ‘women can do it all alone’ it perpetuates self-reliance and self-sufficiency making it impossible to realise gender equality.
Secondly, vulnerability and being self-aware are essential in feminist leadership. Self-awareness is a base for keeping ego in place while also having an open mind towards accepting own vulnerabilities and recognizing strengths and weaknesses.
Lastly, healing and getting justice are grounded on feminist activism. These are radical approaches necessary in feminist organising particularly if building solidarity is to become a reality within the space. Healing and justice are key in addressing injustice experienced from patriarchy, colonialism and intergenerational trauma which have been a bottleneck in budding inclusive and safe feminist spaces.
As we look to launch the AWESOME film, we hope to stir a debate, share untold stories and celebrate iconic feminists changing the world in their own right!
The author also spoke in this podcast episode about ethical storytelling in the development sector. You can listen in on Spotify
