Boy meets girl and, for whatever reason, boy and girl get physical. Girl misses period, takes a pregnancy test and the test turns out positive: the marriage deal is sealed! This scenario sounds funny but it definitely is not uncommon. This is the story of many; especially those who cheat on their spouses, remain in dysfunctional relationships or, worst still, transfer aggression to their offspring. I am a researcher so I decided to hold an opinion poll. The research question: “Should a positive pregnancy test automatically translate into a marriage proposal?” Geoffrey and Brenda met in 2009, Brenda got pregnant and Geoffrey introduced Brenda to his family as his wife to be. Geoffrey’s dad refused to endorse the marriage because of Brenda’s tribal origins. Uganda is blessed with diverse tribes and cultures so stereotyping is inevitable. Members of Brenda’s tribe are usually labeled as “cheats”. Geoffrey’s dad told his son that a woman from that tribe will sleep with another man who is not her husband in her matrimonial bed. Geoffrey was at a cross roads for awhile, but eventually Brenda’s pregnancy ushered them into holy matrimony. Today I meet Geoffrey, the divorcee. The one thing he keeps repeating during [...]
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