by Meghan Leonard
As we near the end of our journey in South Africa, I have been concentrating on inner-reflection on all of the cultural trends I have noticed. Through our class work, guest speakers and outside experiences, it is abundantly clear that the two groups facing the most obvious oppression are black South Africans and South African women.
While the black cloud of apartheid government is in the past, prejudice still heavily looms over South Africa and it is clear the struggle is not over for racial equality in this country. As we saw in the different townships that we visited, most poverty in the South African population is felt by the African American population, while an unequal amount of wealth and power lies in the hands of white Sourh Africans.
Additionally, through my group’s research process, we were stricken with the disturbing reality that women are still not seen as equals in this country. Perhaps what struck me the most was what the tour guide said when we visited Lesedi. As we moved through the different reenactments of the different African tribes, every single tribe has some form of sexism. The tour guide continuously stressed that women soley belonged in the kitchen and their duty was to serve men. Throughout the tour I was getting increasingly upset by the joking tone of the tour guide and all of the demeaning comments he was making about women needing saving and protection. I also found it extremely ironic that in their homes, the tribes focus was keeping the women in the kitchen and keeping them safe however, in battle, a mans strongest form of defense is a woman standing over him.
A few days later we heard from a newspaper editor, and we asked him about many different facets of the newspaper industry in South Africa, specifically concerning African Americans and women. I was especially curious about how African Americans were treated by the media and if their narratives were heard in mainstream sources. The editor said that during apartheid, mainstream newspapers wouldn’t report on any stories in the black townships of South Africa and it was almost like the hugely oppressed group didn’t exist. Furthermore, when we asked how women were portrayed in the media he said that in the past, women mainly have been portrayed as helpless victims. After listening to him speak, I couldn’t help but to wonder which situation is more favorable. Is it better to be an African American and not be seen at all or to be a woman that is continuously portrayed as the victim?
According to rapecrisis.org.za, there are several myths and distortions in public discussion of rape, particularly in the media in South Africa. Firstly, the rapist is often taken out of the equation and the media portrays rape as an act of fate upon the victim as a “burden of womanhood.” Additionally, women are continuously exhorted to avoid certain kinds of behavior to avoid being the victim of a horrible fate (in which, interestingly, no other party is ever mentioned). Women are advised against travelling after dark, walking in deserted spots, or wearing revealing clothes. The underlying message is that as women, we are somehow responsible for the bad things that happen to our bodies.
On the other hand, media sources were discouraged completely from reporting on certain issues during apartheid and reporters would have to risk their lives to help share non-white narratives during apartheid. According to the article, “The Role of the Print Media During the Apartheid Era,” the government’s aim was to starve the public of news and ideas which undermined and threatened the apartheid system. This censoring of information, as well as the many other abuses of human rights had a direct influence on the functioning of the media and demanded that these infringements be challenged. Truthful reporting was left to the courageous and sometimes suicidal efforts of the alternative press. This included, The New Nation, Weekly Mail, Vrye Weekblad and others whose editions were often banned, but they still managed to provide information which other media could not.
After finding research to support my original question, I do not think there is a suitable answer. South Africa is an amazing country, that I hope to return to someday. It offered an unforgettable experience and learning platform for the students of this class. However, the effects of apartheid government are not lost on the residents of this beautiful country and although strides have been made, women are still largely seen as inferior to men. I can only hope that by the next time I’m able to return to South Africa, racial and gender inequalities are finally a part of the distant past.
Sources:
http://rapecrisis.org.za/rape-in-south-africa/rape-in-the-media/
http://www.mediamonitoringafrica.org/images/uploads/trc.pdf
