Happy Women's Day!

"Teach her that the idea of 'gender roles' is absolute nonsense. Do not ever tell her that she should or should not do something because she is a girl. 'Because you are a girl' is never a reason for anything. Ever." - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

Today (9 August) in South Africa it is Women's Day. On this day on 1956, 20 000 women (of all races) marched together to the Union Building in Pretoria to petition against South Africa's pass laws. The women stood silently for 30 minutes and then they sang the following protest song: Wathint' Abafazi Whatint' imbokodo! which translates to Now you have touched the women, you have struck a rock!

As a women myself, I feel like it is obvious why this day is so important to me. In the past women were seen as objects, someone who belongs in the kitchen, someone who is submissive to men, someone whose only job is to be a mother and she shouldn't try to have a career or be anything else, someone who cannot be smarter than men, someone who should be silent because the men are talking, someone who is weak just because she is a woman. And now not much has changed. Yes, women can vote now, women can have jobs outside the kitchen which varies from engineers to artists. But the inequality is still very real and if you cannot see it, then you are either a man or you are blinded by society. 

So this day is important and we should celebrate it. But how can we celebrate Women's Day here in South Africa where there is a woman murdered every three hours (which is five times higher than the global average. In South Africa, femicide increased with 117% between 2015 and 2016/2017 and the number of women who reported sexual offences doubled between 2015 and 2016/2017 from 31 665 to 70 813.  Our president, Cyril Ramaphosa even stated that we are currently faced with 2 epidemics: the Covid-19 virus and gender-based violence. So how can we live in a country where Women's Day is celebrated and every second advertisement is talking about Women's Month when this is happening in our country?  How can I as a woman read these statistics and not fear for my life?

On 24 August 2019, a student from the University of Cape Town was raped, tortured and murdered while she was in a post office. When this happened the #AmINext? movement broke out, several protests erupted over the country and this was seen all over Instagram. And most women (especially students) wondered if they indeed were next. And all I could think of was how ironic it was that something like that happened in Women's Month. And now during lockdown gender-based violence has surged once again. A few days ago I talked to one of my friends (someone not from South Africa) who wasn't aware that any of this happened and still is happening in South Africa. So this is my attempt to create awareness of what is happening in South Africa. A woman should never be targeted simply for being a woman. Women, it's time to stand together as one because we are so much stronger together. Speak your minds instead of sitting silently in a corner; it is time for you to fight for your life. 

While thinking about writing this blog post, this quote from The Great Gatsby came to  my mind: "I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool". When I first read the book, I was shocked by this quote. I couldn't understand why a woman would say this, but now I understand. So I conclude with one final thought: do not be the person who wishes her future child will not be a girl; be the person that makes the world a better place for her daughter.