AN EVALUATION OF THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN TOXIC FEMINISM AND WOMEN’S ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE IN FOSTERING SINGLE MOTHERHOOD: A STUDY OF LAGOS ENTREPRENEURIAL WOMEN

Background of the Study

In recent years, women’s economic independence has been seen as a critical factor in advancing gender equality and empowering women to make decisions about their lives and futures. As more women in Nigeria, particularly in urban centers like Lagos, pursue entrepreneurship and financial autonomy, their ability to independently support themselves and their families has greatly increased. At the same time, toxic feminism, with its radical rejection of traditional gender roles and family structures, has gained a foothold in many urban environments, advocating for women’s independence at the cost of traditional family structures and male-female complementarity in marriage.

Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial hub, is home to a growing number of entrepreneurial women who are financially independent and who, in some cases, embrace feminist ideologies that promote independence over traditional family roles. This study seeks to evaluate the intersection between toxic feminism, women’s economic independence, and the rise of single motherhood, particularly among entrepreneurial women in Lagos. The focus will be on how toxic feminist ideologies, combined with economic independence, may contribute to women’s decisions to pursue single motherhood, as opposed to maintaining traditional marital structures.

 

Statement of the Problem

While women’s economic independence has been credited with providing greater opportunities for self-empowerment, the influence of toxic feminism on the rise of single motherhood remains an under-examined issue in Nigeria. This study will investigate how the intersection of economic independence and feminist ideologies has contributed to the increasing trend of single motherhood among entrepreneurial women in Lagos, exploring whether toxic feminism is playing a role in this shift away from traditional family structures.

 

Objectives of the Study

To explore how toxic feminism influences women’s decisions to embrace economic independence and single motherhood in Lagos.

To assess the relationship between women’s economic independence and the rise of single motherhood in Lagos’ entrepreneurial communities.

To evaluate the broader social, psychological, and economic impacts of combining toxic feminist ideologies with economic independence on women’s family choices.

 

Research Questions

How does toxic feminism influence entrepreneurial women in Lagos in their decisions to embrace economic independence and single motherhood?

What role does women’s economic independence play in the rise of single motherhood in Lagos?

What are the social and psychological implications of toxic feminism and economic independence on women’s family choices in Lagos?

 

Significance of the Study

This study is significant because it provides an in-depth analysis of the factors contributing to the rise of single motherhood in Lagos, focusing on the role of toxic feminism and economic independence among entrepreneurial women. Understanding these dynamics will help policymakers, family counselors, and gender experts better address the challenges faced by single mothers in Lagos and other urban Nigerian settings. The findings will also contribute to the discourse on feminist ideologies and their impact on family structures and societal norms.

 

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study will focus on entrepreneurial women in Lagos who have embraced economic independence and feminist ideologies. The research will assess the relationship between these factors and the rise of single motherhood but will not address other factors, such as socioeconomic status, that may also contribute to this trend. The study will be limited to exploring the influence of toxic feminism and will not delve into other feminist perspectives.

 

Operational Definition of Terms

Toxic feminism: A radical form of feminism that rejects traditional gender roles, often promoting women’s independence at the cost of conventional family structures.

Economic independence: The ability of women to support themselves financially, often through entrepreneurship or professional careers.

Single motherhood: A situation where a woman raises her child independently, without the involvement or support of a partner.

 

References

Adewale, O. O. (2021). Toxic feminism and the rise of single motherhood among Lagos entrepreneurial women. Journal of African Social Issues, 24(3), 57-70. Retrieved from https://www.jasi.org/toxic-feminism-single-motherhood

Olumide, M. S. (2020). Economic independence and single motherhood in Lagos: The role of feminist ideologies. Nigerian Journal of Gender and Family Studies, 20(1), 45-59. Retrieved from https://www.njgf.org/economic-independence-single-motherhood