SUNSHINE THOUGHTS

JAYLEE GERTSE Editor-in-Chief

Challenge Accepted

HA P P Y A U G U S T EVERYONE. It’s lovely to think that we’re inching closer to Spring (but let me not get ahead of myself here).

In the month of August, we generally celebrate and honour women for their excellence and efforts throughout history to impact society. We can agree that we certainly have no lack in female role models. History has various accounts of women who challenged and changed the status quo whilst balancing a baby on the hip and getting supper on the table. Some of these are popular names such as Rosa Parks (American civil r i g h t s a c t i v i s t ) , Ro s a l i n d Franklin (Chemist and cofounder of DNA double helix structure), Margaret Thatcher (Prime minister of the UK known as the Iron Lady), Florence Nightingale (Nurse and social reformer), Jacinda Ardern (New Zeeland Prime minister and activist), Toni-Ann Singh (Miss World 2019) and Megan Markle (Duchess of Sussex and philanthropist). On South African soil we have a host of female pioneers like Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (Anti-Apartheid activist and former member of parliament), Albertina Sisulu (anti-apartheid activist), Amy Kleinhans (First non-white Miss South-Africa), Zozibini Tunzi (Miss South Africa 2019/Miss Universe 2019), Lieutenant Gillian M a l o u w ( fi r s t f e m a l e submarine officer in SouthAfrica) and many more.

The list of virtuous and captivating female voices across the globe is extensive. My list in no way does justice to the significant women in all spheres of life. We can each make a list of women in the Bible, female teachers and lecturers, famous women and women in our own families and communities who made every effort over the years to pave the way for the women that will come after them.

These are women we look up to and who greatly influences our own character and values. I’m privileged to have witnessed how women in history but also in recent times have led activist campaigns whilst weathering extreme oppression and critique. They added their voices to alter societal rules that oppressed and harmed those on the margins and through their action they managed to initiate a process of liberation. That same process is led and facilitated by their daughters years later, inspired by the same fire and zeal of women hundreds of years ago. A shift in society has taken place with women realising the wealth connected to empowering themselves and each other, women are returning to their authentic identities whilst mentoring and inspiring others to do the same.

The women around us inspire us to share our gifts, wisdom and voices to nurture, create, empower, challenge and establish healthier ways of living not just for women but for society at large. Whilst speaking out against injustices women aim to create equal and harmonious spaces where every human being (across gender, age, racial, socio-economic boundaries) can be acknowledged as worthy and dignified. Recently a new trend arose with women across the globe challenging each other to share a black and white photo of themselves with the caption ‘ C h a l l e n g e A c c e p t e d ’ a n d #womenempoweringwomen.

The aim of this challenge is for women to not only celebrate and empower each other but also for every woman to celebrate her own worth. Various women still make use of this opportunity to campaign for liberty for oppressed women and activism against femicide and gender-based violence. As we will be celebrating women during the month of August let’s all consider her virtue, value and celebrate how extremely excellent God created a woman to be.

A fruitful women’s month to all the ladies. Take care and stay safe.

- Jaylee

STRENGTH OF A WOMAN / SHAGGY