Published In
The Conversation
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-6-2025
Subjects
Colonialism, Marriage, Women -- West Africa -- Social conditions, Igbo (African people) Social life and customs
Abstract
In lieu of an abstract, here is an excerpt: Marriage in west Africa has played a central role in shaping aspects of society, and has evolved over time. While traditional heterosexual unions dominate discussions, a lesser-known but significant practice – woman-to-woman marriage – has existed for centuries. In my research, I examined this institution, which allows a woman to assume the role of a husband by marrying another woman. There’s evidence of woman-to-woman marriage in more than 40 societies across west Africa, including the Igbo of Nigeria, the Frafra of Ghana and the Dahomeans of present-day Benin.
Rights
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/.
Read the original article.
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43963
Citation Details
Alozie, Bright, "Woman-to-woman Marriage in West Africa: a Vanishing Tradition of Power and Agency" (2025). Black Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations. 120.
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43963
Included in
African Languages and Societies Commons, Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons, Social Justice Commons