Today is the 9th of August 2020, a day we commemorate the march by approximately 20 000 women from all works of life in South Africa who marched to the Union Buildings to hand in their petition to the Prime Minister, JG Strijdom. Bear in mind that the Prime Minister was not even available to receive the petition, to just saw how unvalued women were!
All races were represented in the march, looking back at the struggles of the women in the 1950’s, what has really changed? In 2020 we still faced with more of the same struggles, we faced with femicide, women are scared in their own homes, women are objectified by men, women are subjected to how they should dress, women are undervalued in corporate.
We are told South Africa is not ready for a woman president, women have to sleep their way up in corporate and their social choices always scrutinized. Women are undermined in executive positions, women are said to be bitter when they are independent and feisty. We are always debating how feminism is just a bitter woman’s voice, how a woman should be submissive.
In Sepedi there’s a saying: lebitla la Mosidi ke bogadi- loosely translated as a woman should die still married… you ask yourself if we have such sayings for men, the answer is no. Women are told to bekezela, meaning women should stand for all hardships because she is a woman. So many women die in silence because we have failed to disregard patriarchal standards in our communities.
The girl child is told she has to do house chores while the boy child is not raised to think of himself as an equal to the girl child. A have observed a trend where boy children are discouraged to play with dolls and girl children told toy cars are for boys – why is this the case? Why don’t parents buy their girl children toy cars? Why are video games like PlayStation labeled mens game gadgets? Why can’t we let children choose if they love dolls or toy cars?
When a woman drives a German beast in a certain way, she is told she drives like a man, when she drifts her car she is into man sports. We have a few women in racing because racing has always been perceived a man’s sport. When a woman is independent, she is asked “who is going to marry you?…” can’t women be independent? In 2020 we still expected to be submissive to men and think of marriage as an achievement rather than making your own money and being independent.
I love the lyrics of independent women by Destiny’s Child – do listen to the song when you can. Can we unlearn patriarchy? And learn feminism? And relearn equality? Can men start seeing women as their equal? Can we advocate for transformation in corporate, politics, professional bodies? I am yet to see a high profiled individual opting to be represented by an only women defense team in court. I can’t wait to have an all women top six in political parties.
I’d like to also salute all the women who have been game chargers, gate keepers, abuse survivors, mothers, sisters, aunts, friends, care givers, leaders and voice of the voiceless, you are all heroes whether sung or not I am inspired by you.
To women of Africa, we are because of Manthatisi, Nzinga, Amina the Queen of Zaria, Makeda, Nefertiti, Yaa Asantewa , Queen Moremi , Miriam Makeba , Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the women working up at 3am to catch the first train to get to work so she can provide for her family, the street vendor , the list is endless. May we be encouraged and courageous as women, especially black women.
The time is NOW, even when you shaking or voiceless you are a hero to someone. Women builds nations and nurture relationships. It is in our nature to build but we cannot build if we are not united. As women we need to create oneness in our surroundings. If you have a voice, be the voice of those women crying for help. Help nations in raising better men.
Let’s all be the change we want to see,
Love Molemole ❤️
MolemoleSeima 