Gender Stereotypes in Popular Linguistic Resources: Examples from Sudan and Malawi

The indigenous literary tradition, such as proverbs, expresses in the everyday phrases contributes to gender stereotypes. Popular linguistic resources are dominated by negative stereotypes of women that work to perpetuate women's inferior status in the social hierarchy in Sudan and Malawi, as well in many worldwide societies. In Malawi and Sudan women have continued to struggle against stereotypes and the patriarchal mentalities of their communities. The influence of popular proverbs on people thought is still so strong and these popular proverbs serve as a mirror which reflects the culture and the beliefs of a society. So far systematic study on how proverbs contribute to gender stereotypes employing a sound methodology is lacking. This study argues that women are victims of the culturally accepted traditions such as popular proverbs which affect mechanisms that perpetuate women’s undervaluing in managing and controlling power levers. The study demonstrates that popular proverbs sustain the traditional role of the women and the persistence of socially prescribed gender roles and stereotypes are deep-rooted in Sudanese and Malawian culture. Most abuses of women’s rights and violence against women have been the result of culture rather than deliberate. People are still using proverbs as excuses to discriminate against women. Thus, womens’ status is not determined or governed by the contribution they make to their family or society, but by culturally accepted traditions and strongly held beliefs such as popular proverbs, which have several myths attached with them. Yet women themselves play significant role as custodians of culture.