Chronicle Editor
Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
Comedian, Ankela Zex has penned a letter directed at women as Women’s Month comes to a close.
Below is the letter:
Happy international women’s day. However, I have this to say to you. Many times I greet you and you shun me. Not only me, but I have seen many women ridicule a man who just greeted you.
Do you know why we greet you? Ethics of a gentleman. A man becomes a gentleman when he learns to be gentle with women.
Those who studied communication will confirm that a gentleman must, or is expected to greet all women, and comment on their hairstyle if it is nice or their smartness if they are, and even on their beauty. If one does not do that, then one is just a man and not a gentleman.
A gentleman is supposed to be kind to women, not necessarily in his sphere of influence, but to women in general. A gentleman is expected to protect women and make them feel comfortable in any given situation. A gentleman does not hit a woman. He would actually allow her to clap him in her anger and would not retaliate.
A gentleman is expected to make a woman laugh and feel wonderful. Of course, I know that at times we greet you to flirt with you. You know that we will always flirt and want to propose a date, love, lust, a crush and yeah, at times a bump and grind, but don’t pre-assume that everyone who talks to you is about that. It is uncivilised and rude.
Talk to me and in a few statements, you will be able to tell my intentions. A gentleman will greet you and go, many times. He may continue talking to you if the situation demands, like say if he thinks you need help or to keep you company while you are both waiting for a service or you are sharing a trip or something. Again, you will tell what type of a man he is.
Suppose he wants to propose? Who said we must not propose? Who said proposing is a crime? Look, look here, my dear beloved ladies. Proposing is normal and must be expected. You want to be married and you all want relationships. That will not come if you discourage us not to propose. Weddings come from that. Family comes from that. By right, I think we must be able to even propose in the presence of the public. If I have feelings for you, is it a crime for me to let you know?
The same crowd that you are afraid of is the same crowd that you will invite for your wedding. So why do you want to make our advances monstrous?
Come on women . . . Relax, cool down, we want to date you, we want to relate to you and we want to marry you and we want to be kind and caring to you.
Father God made you complete beings. You are not only sexual people but also social people with equal human abilities with men as human beings. Never be too quick to suppose that every time we talk to you, we want to be sexual. No.
Suppose we want to be. Is it wrong? If you don’t like me, tell me nicely than ridicule me like I have done a grave crime. Even if you are not married, communicate nicely without being rough. Remember I am looking to spend my life with a woman and that woman is your sister. If you discourage me because you are married, I may become afraid and stop proposing, and in that case, who will marry your other unmarried woman counterparts?
Take it easy women, we love you and indeed, we need you as much as you need us.
So next time, when a man says hi, greet them back. They are just being gentlemen.
Happy women’s month daughters of Eve
Yours truly
Uncle Zex Mdawini Sibanda Tshuma
Online Reporter