Togo women push sex strike to unseat president

Apparently, a woman named Isabelle Ameganvi, who is the head of a Togolese civil rights group, is urging women to withhold sex from their husbands, in order to pressure them into taking action against the president of their country, according to this story.  In other words, she is borrowing a strategy from Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, of course (though she says it was a similar strategy employed by Liberian women in 2003 that influenced her).  (Very easy for her; she’s not even married, according to the story…)

One woman commented favourably on this new strategy:

“It’s a good thing for us women to observe this sex strike as long as our children are in jail now. I believe that by observing this, we will get them released,” Abla Tamekloe said. “For me, it’s like fasting, and unless you fast, you will not get what you want from God.”

Oh, so it’s a holy sex strike, is it?  I don’t remember that in the Bible; I only know of Paul permitting spouses to temporarily suspend sexual relations with each other so that they may spend some time in prayer, but not too long, and then are to resume normal relations with each other, according to Paul’s encouragement; nothing in Scripture about women using blackmail to force political change…

Ms. Tamekloe continues:

When asked if her husband would agree, Tamekloe said: “It is easy for me to observe it. I am used to it, but I am not sure my husband will accept, but I have to explain to him.”

I wonder what she meant by “I am used to it” – used to not having sex regularly with her husband?  Used to using withholding it to manipulate him?  I hope he tells her it’s unacceptable…

Another Togolese woman said she supports the sex strike, but she does not know if she can carry it out for a full week.

“I do agree that we women have to observe this sex strike but I know my husband will not let me complete it. He may agree at first, but as far as I know him, he will change overnight,” Judith Agbetoglo said. “So I don’t believe I can do the one-week sex strike. Otherwise, I will have serious issues with him. He likes that too much.”

Good on Mr. Agbetoglo.  And good on Judith for knowing and respecting her husband, at least to some degree…

Even the opposition isn’t keen on it, especially Jean-Pierre Fabre, who is the leader of the National Alliance for Change opposition party; as a man, obviously he’s not that keen on it:

Though the call for a sex strike seemed to please many women, some men, including heads of opposition parties and human rights groups in the anti-Gnassingbe coalition, did not believe it would be a success.

“One week sex strike is too much,” said Fabre of the National Alliance for Change, who suggested a shorter period, amid laughter from the crowd at the demonstration. “Let’s go for only two days”.

Others were skeptical of Isabelle Ameganvi’s call.

“It is easy for her to say because she is not married herself. She does not live with a man at home,” said Ekoue Blame, a Togolese journalist. “Does she think women who live with their husband will be able to observe that? By the way, who controls what couples do behind closed doors?”

Indeed.  Sounds like this has as much chance of working, as did the same strategy in the fictional Lysistrata.  IOW, none.  (No word on how it worked in 2003 in Liberia…)