ABSTRACT
Stereotypes of African women and men have become so entrenched around the world that they are often no longer recognised as being such. The chapter contends that caricatures drawn from historic stereotypes serve to dilute the surprise and shock that the community feels when acts of violence or abuse are committed against African women, and this can, in turn, serve to reduce the impact of movements like #MeToo on the continent. Traditionally reinforced African stereotypes of victim and predator produced by a powerful and globally influential Western discourse serve to perpetuate them even within Africa itself. The chapter highlights the lack of African representation within the feminist movement on the world stage, examining its impact on the ground, its implications for society in general, and as a potential solution that can be tangibly deployed globally to serve not just African women and Africa as a whole, but women globally and the world at large.
