Abstract

The southeastern Nigerian woman, during the precolonial era, was forbidden to wear a bifurcated loincloth, as such style had been customarily reserved for the men. The rule was extended to modern clothing such as pants, shorts and trousers introduced to some parts of the region since the late 19th Century. During British colonial rule (1900–1960), the tabooed dress had found its way to some women’s wardrobes amidst harsh criticism. An investigation on the history of female cross-dressing, this article explores how and why the ancient dress code that prohibited cross-dressing was broken and how the resulting trend has been resisted or tolerated in various local contexts. Relying largely on in-depth interviews conducted in several communities in southeastern Nigeria, the article examines the dynamics behind the practice and how the sartorial change fits into certain social theories and feminist perspectives. The article reveals that the phenomenon which disrupted the order of representation caused some remarkable cultural anxiety. It also argues that the practice is indicative of the increasing gender equality in sub-Saharan Africa.

摘要

在前殖民时代，尼日利亚东南部的女性被禁止穿分叉的缠腰布，因为这种风格通常是为男性保留的。自 19 世纪后期以来，该规则扩展到该地区某些地区的现代服装，例如裤子、短裤和长裤。在英国殖民统治期间（1900-1960 年），这种禁忌连衣裙在严厉批评中进入了一些女性的衣橱。对女性变装历史的调查，本文探讨了禁止变装的古代着装规范是如何以及为何被打破，以及由此产生的趋势如何在不同的地方环境中受到抵制或容忍。主要依靠在尼日利亚东南部几个社区进行的深入访谈，这篇文章探讨了这种做法背后的动力，以及服装变化如何适应某些社会理论和女权主义观点。文章揭示，这种扰乱表象秩序的现象引起了一些显着的文化焦虑。它还认为，这种做法表明撒哈拉以南非洲的性别平等正在增加。