The concept for my thesis came from my frustration with the social power imbalance between men and women in the world, which became more prevalent in the wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic. For many years prior to COVID-19 we’d seen a social bias towards male power in the family and workplace, and a social acceptance of inequalities facing women.
The village of Umoja — “unity” in Swahili, is a community of women in Kenya who came together to form a community where no men were allowed. This community was built as a response to sexual assault the women had survived at the hands of British soldiers in 1990. It continues to be a supportive oasis for women who want autonomy in their own lives.
For women who are trying to heal from the trauma of abuse, surrounding themselves with people who have experiences that are similar to their can be extremely therapeutic. Thus came the idea for my thesis: What if, due to the circumstances of the recent pandemic, women who were fed up with being mistreated decided they were not going to put up with the unfair systems of society on earth? What if they began instead to explore new planets where women could live together, supporting, loving and caring for one another?
