‘What is gender to you?’: An Africana Womanist take on perceptions of gender reality on women’s agency among a rural Malawian Community

ABSTRACT Historically, knowledge about African gender reality has predominantly been through a Western canon of feminism. However, overtime, there have been alternative theorisations influenced by African feminisms and African gender scholars. This article draws from a study that aims to illustrate alternative and decolonial knowledge about Malawian gender reality with a specific focus on participants’ expressions of agency. Africana Womanism is utilised in making sense of participant data as it is rooted in an emphasis of the unique socio-cultural and historical context of African women and men such as those participating in the study. The article extends knowledge on ‘resisting dominant discourses’ within gender education and research.