Beautiful Monster

I am created beautiful, I can be created out of gold, silver, or any other durable metallic object and even beads. Sometimes, I am a combination of both metal and beads. When I am created out of beads, it brings out the African in me. There is no way you would say I am not beautiful when you see me. I am a twin…Yes I have a twin sister, but we are used similarly but differently on the body of a woman especially the African woman.

I have a beautiful name just like my twin sister, I know you’re eager to know me. My name is “ANKLET” Yes! You heard me right, I am an Anklet and my twin sister is “BRACELET”!!! I have other names like ankle chain, ankle bracelet or ankle string. I am an ornament worn around the ankle especially by ladies. In the early 20th century, I was worn by Egyptian women and other women in Africa along with a traditional dress and there was nothing wrong with me being used by them, but today, anklets are not commonly worn by the same women  in public due to increased in religious conservatism that has spread in the world where wearing me (Anklet) in public is generally perceived as being immodest.

Today, I decided to take a walk on the streets of Ghana,to ask people both men and women about my self. Yes I needed to know what people think of me and those who use me. In  Ghana, I found out that the Queen mothers of the Akan tribe and other southern tribes wore me as part of their traditional dressing. And I also found out that in the Ghanaian setting when a baby is born, the mother puts a white beaded anklet on both legs of the child,be it a boy or a girl. For whatever reason, I may not tell but I see it as a norm and so anklets its part of you ( Ghanaian) from birth. So what makes it different, when that child grows up to say she  wants to wear one? Are we rather lost or found? Aahh well Opinions are like noses…

Society can not always be right, in my research I realized most of the people condemned me (Anklet) without a vivid explanation as to what makes me bad but it’s just because its known to them that anybody who uses me is a prostitute hence, they won’t allow their relatives or partners to wear me. I don’t have a problem if you don’t wear me, in fact I’m not campaigning for you to wear me but I’m against the

stigma you put on people who wear me. If you don’t wear me, then don’t judge those who wear me. A lot of African men would love to see their partners wear me but they cannot withstand the societal stigmatization that comes with wearing me(Anklet). I asked another question; is it in your Holy Books that, I’m an object of sin and hence wearing me makes one a sinner?Another rhetorical question. Please leave my users alone, if one is a prostitute, she will be not because she has used me…Prostitution has got nothing to do with me and I’ve got nothing to do with her.

There is a lady I encountered, who lamented that her friends would never want to hear the mention of my name but if you probe them further, they are never able to give any reasons why they think I should not be worn.
Now I turned and asked my self, could that be naivety, ignorance or they are just blindly following what society says without thinking deep?

ANKLET USERS ARE NOT LESBIANS!!!