I was introduced to the movement by some amazing women I follow on twitter, who just like me, are trying to find their place in what is predominately a “men’s world”.
These women were tweeting daily, about different issues that South African women face from rape, sexual harassment on the streets and the representation of women in the workplace from a feminism viewpoint.
I then started Googling feminism and found a whole new world, one that I instantly feel in love with.
It felt like a safe world, one that would assist me and many others on being activists for gender equality.
My activism bug got a sudden boost while I was watching the news on a Saturday evening and I was left shocked and disgusted.
A young girl from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, was walking through the campus when a group of students decided to ridicule her by taking pictures of her, why? Cause she was wearing shorts.
In which world is that considered normal and not degrading? What type of society do we live in where people aren’t given a choice to choose what they would like to wear, without fear of being judged and shamed?
I then realised that the road to gender equality and acceptance, is long and tiresome, one that we all have to work together on achieving.
We need to start questioning and teaching ourselves about the often overlooked aspects of misogyny and patriarchy and how it disadvantages both women and men.
When a young girl who has just been raped, and is questioned about what she was wearing, and when a young boy is taught that hitting a girl is normal as it proves that he is a man.
That’s when we have to start thinking carefully about the culture and systems we are building, and how we’re instantly changing relations between men and women.
So how do we solve this problem which has been instilled for generations?
We can start by changing how we act towards each other and allowing an element of freedom and choice.
We need to start thinking as feminists, we need to be pro-choice and equality between men and women and we need to start seeing the wrongs that have often seemed right.
So when that young girl wants to wear a mini-skirt, she should not be ridiculed and judged, because someone will rape her, instead we should be asking ourselves; Why do men rape?
Then maybe, we will be a step closer to removing the sexist ills and patriarchal layers within our society. ZM.
