2015: Edition 10

xI Se ss ue

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

15 September 2015

VOLUME 74: EDITION10

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#PatriarchyMustFall

Parusha Naidoo with research by Aisha Abdool Karim & Robyn Ausmeier On Thursday, September 10th the UCT #PatriarchyMustFall movement was formed. The movement’s formation was sparked on Tuesday, September 8th during house committee interrogations at Leo Marquad when UCT student, Khanya Funde, criticised the current house committee for preserving a patriarchal culture within the residence, and posed a question to a candidate regarding how he intended to address the issue.

Funde’s microphone was switched off and she was told that the issue was not related to the interrogations.

Following this, another student posed a similar question to a candidate and was also dismissed. Speaking to VARSITY, Gomezgani Chiumya, the 2015 Head Student of Leo Marquad Hall, stated that a request was made for the student to “restrict herself to the time allocated which she ignored and instead continued with the protest statement”.

Chiumya said that “members of the house got irritated and felt undermined and one of them switched her microphone off so they could continue with the business of house committee interrogations.”

These actions resulted in a picket taking place at Leo Marquad on Wednesday, September 9th. Upon arrival, an attempt was made to block students from entering the residence’s pub area.

Students were taunted and water was thrown at some of the students who had gathered. The picket was originally organised to demand an apology from Leo Marquad for what had transpired the previous night. However, the dialogue progressed to look at structures and cultures within residences.

interrogating sexism within discussions of transformation Female students raised the issue of safety, stating that they did not feel secure when walking from campus to their residence and within the vicinity of their residence. Other grievances included house songs that glorified rape culture (making particular reference to a song from Kopano) and the discrimination lodged at LGBTIAQ+ students within the residence system.

Criticism was placed on the lack of recognition and awareness given to addressing patriarchy and interrogating sexism within discussions of transformation. During the meeting, it was agreed that Leo Marquad would be given until 12pm on Thursday, September 10th to submit a memorandum that stipulated a plan of action around combating the house’s perpetuation of rape culture and sexist attitudes.

After the meeting’s conclusion, an egg was thrown from a room in Leo Marquard as a group of students were

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leaving the building. Annabel Fenton, a student attending the picket, shared her account of the incident saying, “A group of us went back into the residence in an attempt to find the culprit - we waited for a solid 20 minutes for the sub-warden to help us in finding out who did it.” The student guilty of the act was not held accountable at the time.

Recognising that the problem was not unique to one male residence, the next evening saw a mass meeting at Kopano, which was followed by the creation of the #PatriarchyMustFall Facebook page.

However, talks broke down after a male student was asked not to speak, resulting in a substantial portion of the Kopano residents walking out of the meeting.

Despite this, events’ organiser and Facebook page manager of #PatriarchyMustFall, Wandile Dlamini, noted that in contrast to Leo Marqaud, the attitude of Kopano’s house committee has been more receptive in acknowledging that the issues raised exist.

On Friday, September 11th a dialogue was held by UCT for Women - a movement that aims to address gender equality through dialogues on campus and other initiatives. Organisers of the UCT for Women Open Space decided to shift focus from the original topic to instead discuss patriarchal institutions within UCT. The aim of this discussion was to look beyond residences and facilitate a discussion on Upper Campus.

A student who wished to remain anonymous spoke of an experience where a male peer told her that studies had been done proving women were unable to understand theoretical subjects, like maths, due to their mental capacity.

“Women and people of colour in science face constant microagressions, with other students implying they are stupid or their brains are not made for maths.”

Additionally, the lack of consistency in rules and codes of conduct enforced at male and female residences were questioned. Sané Erasmus commented “The double standards are frightening.

Female reses reinforce the idea that we cannot take care of ourselves, that we cannot make good decisions, and that we need other people to look after us.”

the problem was not unique to one male residence Regulations within residences are subject to enforcement through the warden, subwardens and house committee. Houses deal with cases of misconduct through the Rules on Disciplinary Jurisdiction and Procedures.

While rules regarding alcohol and overnight visitors are similar across residences, the implementation of these rules in female residences has been more strongly enforced.

Examples of discrepancies in the implementation includes the permitting of alcohol, as long as there are no glass bottles, in Kopano while Graca students are not allowed to have alcohol on them and if found in possession of alcohol, face a disciplinary hearing and a fine.

In addition, most male residences have house pubs while female residences do not. In terms of overnight visitors, a Kopano student stated that there is a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ that guests can come in after midnight as long as they are out before reception opens the next day. Students in Graca are expected to have visitors signed out by 11.45pm or face receiving a R150 fine or community service. Rules are strictly enforced with students being called via the intercom if they do not comply. These

double standards are extended to other UCT residences.

Highlighting the need for the movement, Emma Gates Pottinger said “Sexism, heteronormitivity and patriarchy has infiltrated nearly all aspects of UCT life and has not been adequately addressed. This has manifested itself in the residence structure.”

Regarding the objectives of the movement, Dlamini explained that given the infancy of the movement as well as its diverse constituency, different outlooks must be collated in drawing up the objectives. “I think right now I can say that one objective is most certainly to actively dismantle the culture of cisheteronormativity, patriarchy and misogyny in male residences and moreover, to also consider the internalised misogyny of female residences. The movement calls for a radical rethinking and reworking of res culture at UCT.” UCT management was asked for comment. Media Liaison and Communications Manager, Patricia Lucas, responded by affirming the institution’s stance against any form of discrimination and prejudice.

Furthermore, Lucas stated “We have structures in place, such as the residence governance system, the Student Representative Council, the Discrimination and Harassment Office and the Ombud, to address complaints related to charges of discrimination and sexism on campus.”

On Tuesday September 15th, the #PatriarchyMustFall movement will be hosting a conceptualisation gathering at Baxter Residence at 20.30pm to address questions around wider issues, as well as, discuss the perspectives and politics of the movement. Please note that this event is explicitly exclusive to cis women, trans women, gender non-conforming people, intersex people and non binary trans people only .

Luister Asseblief!

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Love Gloves

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Hook-Up Culture

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Gender 101

CENTRE

Women Speak Out

PAGE 11

#PlayLikeAGirl

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VARSITY, the official student newspaper since 1942, is committed to the principles of equality and democracy.

2

v74 e10 – 15 September

News

2015

News Bites Clare Garrard ANC Youth League (ANCYL) under new leadership

JOHANNESBURG – The ANCYL announced its new National Executive Committee on Sunday, September 6th, at its National Congress. It has not had national leadership since 2013, when the ANC disbanded its leadership structures. “Economic freedom belongs to the youth league and nobody else,” said Collen Maine, the first president of the ANCYL since Julius Malema.

–NEWS 24

New blood test predicts aging speed

LONDON – A blood test has been developed that can determine the health of certain genes, which are believed to be an accurate indicator of “biological age”.

Scientists believe that this test can be used to assess Alzheimer’s risk, as well as the probability of a donated organ’s success or failure following a transplant.

–THE INDEPENDENT

Germany frees up funding for migrants

GERMANY – Merkel’s coalition government announced on Sunday, September 6th, that they would spend €6 billion to support migrants.

Specific measures included a building programme to house asylum seekers, replacing cash allowances with benefits in kind, as well as integration and language courses. Syrians make up the majority of migrants, followed

by Afghans and Eritreans.

–BBC NEWS

Slaughter of hundreds of animals in driven hunt

LIMPOPO – A week-long driven hunt started on Monday, September 7th, where animals were corralled into a 2km stretch of land and shot at by hunters on purpose-built platforms.

The National Council of SPCAs appealed for the hunt to be stopped: “Driven hunting is not illegal, but it most certainly is unethical and inhumane as a clean shot and certain death cannot be guaranteed.”

–THE TELEGRAPH

Chinese stocks continue to fall

BEIJING – The Chinese stock market suffered further losses as trading resumed after celebrations marking 70 years since WW2, although it was not as bad as analysts feared following the 8% drop on Black Monday, August 24th. Signs of economic slowdown in China have led to fears of global recession, although China’s central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan argues that the “correction in the stock market is almost done.”

–THE GUARDIAN

Financial Aid at UCT

Tasneem Amra

O

n Friday, August 14th, the Engineering and Built Environment (EBE) Student Council launched a fundraising campaign to raise money for a Student in Distress Fund, which will be administered by the EBE Faculty Office. During meridian, the student council members approached students and asked them to give up a luxury for the day and donate to the fund. Within an hour, R600 had been raised.

The fundraiser will continue every Friday for the rest of the year, and the campaign will be handed over to the incoming 2016 EBE Student Council to continue.

“Through the fund, we hope to relieve the students of some of their financial burdens and help them to complete their degrees and graduate,” said Sister Kashala, the EBE Student Council Member driving the fundraising campaign.

there is also an Expected Family Contribution With the current economic climate and changes in the government’s National Student Financial Aid

Scheme (NSFAS) funding criteria, students have found themselves struggling to pay for their fees, textbooks, accommodation and, sometimes, basic necessities. This year, 3 553 UCT students are receiving financial support.

According to UCT’s Annual Report for 2014, the bulk of the university’s income comes from state appropriations (subsidies and grants) and tuition and other fee incomes. The state subsidy per student in real terms – taking inflation into account – has declined in recent years.

The annual report also showed that in 2014 undergraduates received a total of R 538 million in financial support – an increase from R 505 million in 2013. The financial support came from various sources: corporate and other external bursaries supported students to the value of R 259 million; the NSFAS provided loans amounting to R 105 million; UCT contributed R 117 million from Council controlled funds, and income from endowments and other funds available to the university contributed R 57 million.

There are several factors, such as citizenship status, that affect a student’s eligibility for financial aid. Permanent residents or citizens of South Africa are eligible to apply for UCT financial aid, whereas only South African citizens are eligible to apply to the NSFAS. All tertiary institutions also use a government-determined means test to assess a student’s financial situation. The means test considers

several factors including family size, how many people in the family are studying and where the student lives.

To be eligible for UCT financial aid, the student’s annual family income needs to be roughly R 230 000 or less, and to be eligible for NSFAS funding, R 126 000 or less.

“we hope to relieve the students of... their financial burdens” For UCT financial aid recipients, there is also an Expected Family Contribution towards students’ fees.

The most financially needy students could pay as little as R 1 050 or less towards their cost of study each year.

Students with a gross family income of less than R 550 000 are eligible for GAP funding; here, the purpose is to assist students who cannot afford the full cost of fees.

UCT Vice Chancellor Max Price launched the GAP Funding Programme in December 2008, which started with a budget of R 4 million for 2009. Since then, the budget has grown to between R 25 million and R 30million for this year.

This year the NSFAS offered a maximum loan of R 67 200, with UCT providing financial aid to meet the difference if a student’s costs (including tuition fees, residence fees, textbooks and food) are higher than

this amount. Furthermore, depending on the student’s end of year results, up to 40% of a UCT or NSFAS loan can be converted to a bursary that doesn’t need repayment.

There are also academic requirements attached to financial aid eligibility. For students entering first year, an academic offer to study at UCT is necessary; students beyond their first year must have passed at least half of their courses in the previous year, and this must be the student’s first undergraduate qualification. The student also cannot be under an administrative order, for example, a court order to appoint an administrator to manage the payments of someone on debt.

Tasneem Salasa, UCT’s Student Financial Aid Manager, spoke to GroundUp and said, “All people who apply for admission and for financial aid, and get an academic offer, will be assisted [financially] if they meet the eligibility criteria.” “[UCT] never excludes you during the middle of the year. You can stay here the whole year, and have the whole year’s debt, write all your exams, but then you cannot register in the next year,” she added. Students also don’t graduate or get academic transcripts until all fees are paid.

This article is based on information in an article previously published on GroundUp, available here: http:// groundup.org.za/article/uct-andtransformation-part-five-fees-andfinances_2937

Luister Asseblief!

Tanya Magaisa On August 20th, Luister, a documentary about the exclusion of black students and lecturers at the University of Stellenbosch, was released by the media group Contraband Cape Town.

The documentary, created by Dan Corder, Declan Manca, Erik Mulder and Markus Hegewisch, features the racial prejudice experienced by 32 students and a lecturer from University of Stellenbosch.

Following the release of the documentary, a mass meeting and march were held on September 1st

by Open Stellenbosch. In attendance were members of the Rhodes Must Fall movement as well as UCT students.

The release of this documentary prompted Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training, to request a report from the Stellenbosch University Council chairperson, George Steyn, detailing how Stellenbosch intends to address the matter of institutional racism, which had been highlighted in the documentary.

The chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Yvonne Nkwenkwezi Phosa, then requested that the University’s management appear before the Committee.

On September 1st, University of Stellenbosch Vice-Chancellor Professor Wim de Villiers appeared before the Higher Education and Training Committee to assure

Image: Screenshot from YouTube.com/Contraband Cape Town

the Minister that the University was committed to achieving transformation through implementing further progressive transformation policies at the University.

features the racial prejudice experienced by 32 students At the time of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee meeting, 500 university students from around the Western Cape Province, including students from University of Cape Town, participated in a march through the town, organised by Open Stellenbosch.

The march called for the University to revise its language policy and called for general transformation within the University.

Professor de Villiers stated that although he was saddened by the incidences of racial injustices that

black students have experienced at the University, he believed that Open Stellenbosch had misrepresented management’s commitment to transformation, and that it has called on members of the Open Stellenbosch movement to engage with management on these matters.

The Vice-Chancellor also admitted that transformation at the University is lagging but noted that the University has implemented policies intended to speed up the process, such as the establishment of a transformation office and the implementation of a language policy, making English and Afrikaans equal at the multilingual university.

Open Stellenbosch claims that although the University purports to be committed to transformation, this could not be further from the truth.

One of the most urgent changes sought by the movement is the availability of all classes in English, thereby forcing no student to learn

or communicate in Afrikaans. They also believe that there needs to be a rapid and radical change in the University’s institutional culture, such that the diversity in South African culture is reflected, as opposed to a predominantly White Afrikaans culture.

Open Stellenbosch further stated, in its demands for change, that the University should publicly acknowledge and “actively remember the central role that Stellenbosch and its faculty played in the conceptualisation, implementation and maintenance of apartheid.”

Minister Nzimande has stated that transformation at universities needs to be “radicalised”, especially at Stellenbosch where just over 62% of the student body is white.

He further went on to say, "You cannot have a university that has a majority white students ... you would expect universities in the Western Cape to have majority coloured students."

News

v74 e10 - 15 September 2015

3

Mistreatment of C3 Workers Nico Nomyayi with research

by Tanya Magaisa

F

ollowing the change in the residence catering company from Fedics to C3 this year, and the developments that have accompanied this, the catering staff were promised improved working conditions and better treatment.

However, when speaking to VARSITY, C3 catering staff stated that the company has failed to deliver on its promises and that there has been no progress in regard to their problems.

The catering company, in its initiative to provide quality food to its customers, has brought different staff members from different units into

service. Along with this deployment, staff members say they were promised a salary increase of R60, but have yet to receive this.

“I do not know why they are not paying us.”

“We were promised increases from day one since we got here but it has been seven months now and we still have not gotten what we have been promised. The company has money, I do not know why they are not paying us,” said one staff member who wished to remain unnamed.

The catering staff also raised concerns about their working

conditions, which they say have worsened since the new company came into service. Staff members mentioned that they have to work long hours over weekends and there is often not enough staff to help with shifts, causing their workload to be doubled.

Another staff member, who asked to remain anonymous, mentioned an incident where only three staff members were on duty for a weekend night shift and they were not compensated for the extra work.

“We don’t mind working weekends, we just want more money,” said the staff member.

The staff also claim that the catering company fails to use casual staff workers when there is a shortage, and that casual workers have also complained about the pay being too

low for the time worked.

Staff further commented that they are made to work on public holidays and that if they do not work or refuse to work, a percentage from their salaries gets deducted. “We leave our kids at home to service this company, but we are not happy,” said a staff member.

they have to work long hours...and there is not enough staff The staff said that they have no problem with the students; it is the company that they feel has wronged them.

Catering staff from different

residences were interviewed for this article. VARSITY is currently investigating further into this matter, and will post a follow-up piece when more information is made available.

In response to VARSITY’s inquiries about the payment of workers, UCT Management confirmed that C3 Food Services signed a wage agreement with the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) on August 3rd this year.

According to Patricia Lucas, UCT’s Media Liaison and Communications Manager, allegations about a R60 increase for workers are inaccurate.

“The minimum wage increase, as set out by the UCT Code of Conduct for 2015, is R378.69, and this was bettered by C3 for 2015 in the twoyear agreement with Nehawu,” commented Lucas.

Gender Representation at UCT Lorena Lesna-Maranetto Gender representation varies between faculties at the University of Cape Town, showing clear trends of enrolment in different courses.

According to data supplied by the Institutional Planning Department, faculties such as Engineering and the Built Environment (EBE) and the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) were found to be primarily male dominated. The Health Sciences, Humanities and Law faculties were female dominated, and Commerce and Science were seen to be more balanced with regards to gender.

53% to 47% female to male ratio respectively

In 2014, the headcount of student enrolment at the University recorded a 53% to 47% female to male ratio respectively, including both undergraduate and postgraduate students. At a postgraduate level, in 2010 there was a 48% to 52% split of female to male, while in 2014 this changed to an even divide of 50%.

Information on gender representation at UCT is provided by the University’s Institutional Planning Department (IPD). The key functions of the IPD are to supply research and data to help with planning and policymaking at the University, to encourage continual improvement of the system and to address the challenges to development in South Africa.

Jane Hendry, Chief Information Officer of Institutional Information, notes that gender is not considered when assessing applications, although the IPD does set gender targets during their annual enrolment planning exercise.

Looking at data from the IPD, the EBE faculty and the GSB

remain male dominated at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with a 62% male representation for GSB and 72% for EBE at an undergraduate level in 2014. Similar trends prevail in postgraduate studies with EBE displaying 70% male enrolment from 2010 to 2014.

The faculties of Commerce and Science display a more equal representation of gender in their courses. The Commerce faculty is the second largest faculty at UCT with 4679 student enrolments at undergraduate level and a 47% to 53% female to male ratio.

Science, with 1529 students enrolled in the faculty, has a 51% to 49% female to male ratio at an undergraduate level.

While there is a similar pattern in postgraduate for Commerce, in the Science faculty the representation shifts to a 57% male dominance.

Despite a more balanced representation within large courses such as Macro Economics, there are still questions around whose voices are being heard in class. Siphosethu, an Actuarial Science student, notes that “a lot of the times you are judged for the kind of question you ask, or the way you ask it, in terms of if you have a higher pitched voice”.

male-dominated courses...can be “intimidating” Additionally, maledominated courses such as EBE can be “intimidating” for females according to a previous EBE student, Azraa Behardien.

The Health Sciences, Humanities, and Law faculties are all primarily female dominated, with a 71% female enrolment for Health Science, 69% for Humanities, and 65% for Law in undergraduate studies.

This trend has continued from 2010 until 2014.

In her analysis of the ‘Status

Image: Khanysia Pinini

of Women in the South African Economy’ report, Christelle Du Toit, Production Editor at SABC, noted that “Many girls and women are choosing not to enter fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics”.

Du Toit commented that as a result, 21 years into democracy, both women and men are still gravitating towards genderdefined fields and therefore certain norms and expectations are perpetuated.

The ‘Status of Women’ report, compiled by the Ministry in the Presidency Responsible for Women, was released on August 9th this year. This report was the first of its kind and is intended to act as a “baseline document for the work to promote the socio-economic empowerment of women and gender equality”.

Among other issues, the report addressed the status of women in tertiary education,

specifically looking at the underrepresentation of women in the STEM sector. According to Susan Shabangu, Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Women, although positive advances have been made with regard to women and education, the report shows that there is still much work to be done in giving women access to education as well as in promoting female advancement at the higher level of Masters and Doctorate studies.

men and women are still gravitating towards gender-defined fields Currently, all students have been classified as either male or female. However, there are calls for the classification system

to become more inclusive, recognising those who do not identify within a gender binary.

UCT recently added transgender as an option when indicating sex on their online forms; however, The UCT Trans Collective has problematised this addition, stating that it “perpetuates the idea that trans people are masqueraders of ‘real’ genders”. The Trans Collective noted that it is important to recognise trans women as real women and trans men as real men, and that anything to the contrary is transphobic.

They advised that intersex be added to the category of ‘Sex’ and that ‘Gender’ should remain an open field, although if necessary it should include man, woman, androgynous, agender/neutrois, and genderqueer/genderfluid in its dropdown options.

4

Editorial

v74 e10- 15 September

2015 Collective editor-in-chief Parusha Naidoo

editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Policing Women 101

deputy Editor Jena Ascough

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managing Editor Gape Masole

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Copy Editor Courtney Hope

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Online editor Shannon Krausey

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Videographers Amy-Leigh Braff, Sarah Summers & Amy Rinquest video@varsitynewspaper.co.za

news Aisha Abdool Karim & Robyn Ausmeier

Recognition around the marginalisation of women and the LGBTQIA community at UCT and twitter campaigns like #YesAllWomen have given a voice to conversations that we usually would only have with our friends. Yet these issues are not confined to UCT, they speak to the broader structures that we accept and perpetuate through our daily experiences.

We are governed by rules and

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Jena Ascough

Deputy Editor

To most, consent is fairly selfexplanatory – ‘yes’ means all systems go and ‘no’ means go no further. It’s simple. Black and white. Yay or nay.

‘No’ is straightforward – it clearly means the person is not interested.

But does ‘yes’ always mean ‘yes’?

Absolutely not. According to recent statistics, 27 rapes occur every day in the Western Cape alone. Here are some rules of thumb to dissect a ‘yes’.

Rule 1: An intoxicated ‘yes’ is a ‘no’. I hope that to most this is blatantly obvious, but a person who is inebriated is not in a state to make these kinds of decisions.

Rule 2: Minimal attire is not an automatic ‘yes’. Again, I really hope this one goes without saying.

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official relationships. A person in a relationship is still allowed to say ‘no’.

Respect that decision.

Rule 7: A ‘yes’ can change to a ‘no’. If consent is given, you are still allowed to change your mind if the situation no longer becomes appealing for whatever reason. This decision should be respected.

Rule 8: A bribed ‘yes’ is a ‘no’.

You cannot barter or bribe for a ‘yes’. Consent is not something to be exchanged for favours.

Rule 9: If you’re unsure, it’s a ‘no’.

If the person is keen, they will let you know and make it happen.

For more information on the subtleties of consent visit: http:// www.upworthy.com/how-7-thingsthat-have-nothing-to-do-with-rapeperfectly-illustrate-the-concept-ofconsent .

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Finance manager Lauren Van Haght

Someone’s clothing choices and their consent are totally unrelated.

Rule 3: A pressurised ‘yes’ is a ‘no’.

Some people may not feel that they are in a position to say ‘no’ – maybe they’re scared or feel unsafe to do so.

Rule 4: A ‘yes’ that has been turned from a ‘no’ is still a ‘no’. You cannot just turn a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’.

Rule 5: A previous ‘yes’ is not a current ‘yes’. Just because someone said ‘yes’ before does not automatically mean they are game this time around.

Rule 6: An official relationship does not mean ‘yes’ forever and always. According to http://www. thisisnotaninv itationtorapeme. co.uk/ up to 45% of rapes occur in

“When I’m standing at the bus stop, will it be okay to wear this?”

Hoots, stares and catcalling from men as they drive or walk past me are the general order of the day. But who am I to complain? I should be grateful that I get attention, because when women get unwanted attention from men we are told it’s a compliment. I should also laugh off that a man once decided to start masturbating in public, calling out for me to look at him, or that another man decided to slap my butt, because if I complained I was just making a fuss of nothing.

We operate in a world of implicit and explicit privileges and standards.

A woman’s body and mind are sites of cultural, racial and gender contestations. Women are objects of simultaneous shame and sexualisation, subject to praise and desire or ridicule and distaste but never existing anywhere in between these extremes.

At this point you may want to interject with the words “Men have body shame just as bad…” or “Not all men are…” but put simply, you don’t get a medal for not being misogynistic, sexist or chauvinistic.

Applications for VARSITY’S 2016 Collective have

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were playing video games. Confused and worried by the experience I chose not to tell anyone because I thought I had done something wrong. A few years later I told someone, to which their reply was “He was just a hormonal teenager, boys are like that” followed by laughter. While the encounter cannot be likened to rape or molestation, countless girls and boys are subject to extensive sexual abuse by relatives and family friends.

The biggest injustice is that these experiences are dismissed or seen as simply a funny family story - we do not facilitate environments for children to speak out. We teach children, specifically girls that their existence is centred on their “chastity” and “purity”. When faced with the question of speaking out, this option seems unacceptable because the risk involves shattering trivial illusions of what it means to be a “good girl”.

Street harassment is a compliment What are some of the thoughts that cross your mind during your morning routine as you put your clothes? Besides the normal “I need coffee” there is always one resounding thought for me:

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But They Said ‘Yes’

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regulations but how often do we question the intersection of gender in these rules? How often do we recognise that these codes of operation are targeted at women specifically? Here are a few ways that we have normalised the abuse of women.

That’s too short and too tight Bodies are political. Women are taught from a young age how to police our own bodies. We are reprimanded at school for wearing dresses and skirts that are “too short” or pants that are “too tight” because this somehow impacts on the ability of our male peers to be taught.

At a certain age we are told that our bodies are dangerous and must be covered up or else we risk receiving lustful stares. We realise our bodies are no longer ours, instead they belong to potential sexual offenders and our job is to make sure we don’t provoke them.

It somehow becomes our fault that our bodies are transforming and from that point we have to avoid tempting men who have no control over their sexual desires.

He’s just being a boy When I was 6 years old, an older relative decided to show me his penis while we

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Opinions

v74 e10–15 September

#PatriarchyMustFall: Articulate Tears, Complexities and Realisations Annabel Fenton

On behalf of the UCT for Women

Opinions Editor

The oppression of women is normalised in our current society However, my experiences are those of a white, heterosexual female.

I may be oppressed based on my gender, but I recognise the privilege that I hold because of my race, my sexuality and by being a cisgendered being. I cannot speak on behalf of all women, and I cannot understand the pain that people of colour, those within the LGBTQIA+ community, and non-binary individuals face.

My conscientisation is another reason why the #PatriarchyMustFall movement and other discussions is so powerful: for the first time, intersectionality is not just a buzzword, but a way of understanding. Gender equality is really complex, as we are all individuals experiencing different manifestations of the patriarchy, and so hearing about these different experiences is helping everyone passionate about the cause understand some of these complex nuances. This is why inclusivity within this discourse is so important.

By hearing the stories of women with different identities, I was given

I Image: flickr.com/christopherdombres insight into the complexity which has helped me position myself within our society.

While, as a movement, we have shown a great sense of camaraderie – specifically when we all went back into Leo Marquard to find the person who threw eggs at us - the complexity of gender equality means that we don't necessarily agree on everything.

This is why, when a male got up to speak at the mass meeting with Kopano Residence, and a female expressed her disapproval and he subsequently stormed out with other males, a difference of opinion arose.

Some believed that we should not have silenced him, while others felt like he was intruding on the space that we had created for ourselves.

As I sat in the front row watching this transpire, I understood where she was coming from. As the man got up to speak, he appeared arrogant, entitled, and condescending. The need for her to express her contempt was valid, and should not have been questioned.

Discussions about patriarchy are often hard to navigate This has called into question many beliefs about the involvement of men in the process of dismantling patriarchy. Depending on how the space is defined, and the intention of the gathering, it is important to gauge what sensitivities are at play.

While some believe that they should not have the right to comment at all, in any circumstance (as they will never understand what we go through) I think that they are

important allies within this process and they can perform such a role if they are more aware of the sensitivity of this process.

There is a lot of listening that needs to be done - there is so much that men donot understand about our experiences as women, just as there is so much that I do not understand about the experiences of black women.

By listening to understand, and not necessarily to respond, constructive learning can take place. Furthermore, if men are able to check their privilege before they speak, and not necessarily assume they understand how we feel, it might help them to navigate the sensitivities of this issue.

Discussions about patriarchy are often hard to navigate because of the multiple intersections with other issues such as race, class, and ability.

This is why many people find it hard to engage in these topics.

These discussions are necessary to shift the status quo, because they are actively changing the entrenched mind-sets which are the very beliefs that have institutionalised sexism within the University of Cape Town. Unequal residence rules, an underrepresentation of women in leadership - specifically women of colour - and systems which are ineffective in stopping rape and sexual abuse are all sexist devices.

As more people join in with the #PatriarchyMustFall protests, and the UCT for Women dialogues and other programmes, the dismantling of these mindsets and institutions starts to take place. With this, hopefully more individuals will experience the eye-opening, tearinducing realisation that I had , so that we can start turning tears into plans, and plans into change.

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5

Yogi Shoba

Patriarchal Boxes

executive body.

The oppression of women is normalised in our current society.

We talk about rape on a day-to-day basis without flinching – we forget the emotion behind individual experiences. This all changed for me on Wednesday night at Leo Marquard Residence, as I stood and listened to women share their stories of being molested as a child, of being publicly shamed by males for being ‘ugly’, or of being cat-called. For the first time I felt like women were able to voice their pain. Tears rolled down my cheeks.

It was a process of realising that so much of what I have experienced – catcalls, guys who make lists of girls according to attractiveness, low self-esteem – is actually symptomatic of a bigger experience of patriarchy in our society. The process of unleashing these stories and emotions has affected me deeply over the past few days.

Flashes of bad memories of being used and objectified have filled my consciousness.

2015

loathe stereotypes. Nothing good comes from placing people in a box, or things for that matter. It makes everything seem deceptively ordered and neat, and something in you wants to keep it that way.

Stereotypes are a scapegoat which allows one to keep things hidden. The idea of unpacking boxes, dealing with issues and making a mess is too much work - we’d rather keep things the way they are. Stereotypes are the reason movements like #ILookLikeAnEngineer needed to be commissioned. They are the reason that campus has been abuzz with the recent formation of #PatriarchyMustFall.

This converstion is long overdue.

I was unfortunate enough not to attend the Leo Marquard interrogations and witness the disaster that took place there, but the subsequent protest action and the explosion on social media was enough to get me quickly up to speed.

For those who aren’t quite familiar with the discourse of this movement, patriarchy is a social system which places the dominant power in the hands of males. It can be subtle or extremely obvious, and most times both males and females are unaware of certain manifestations of patriarchy.

For example, most soft drink bottles are shaped like a woman’s body. The next time you purchase a bottle of Fanta, look carefully at the curvaceous shape of the bottle you hold in your hand. It’s like a subtle reminder of our purpose in this society: we’re meant to look good, be sweet, get used up and when we’re no longer needed or necessary we’re discarded.

That, I believe is how the women at UCT feel at this moment.

We fall under this stereotype of subordinance, not because we’ve placed ourselves there but because the social system has placed us in a box. This week, that box has been unpacked and there’s a huge and diverse mess. Some of the issues in this pile include the appalling discrepancy between the freedoms that males enjoy in their residences compared to those thst females enjoy. Despite these being official or unofficial rules, males have an easier time bringing visitors in at all times of the night whereas ladies, for example those in Graca Machel, are publicly shamed at

the dining hall the next day for doing the same.

Raids at 2am in the morning for drugs and alcohol have been reported in female residences yet male residences have bars. This overtly encourages male drinking and shames females for doing the same.

I’m all for the idea of the beauty and delicacy of a woman, because women can have a softer side, but we are not weak and we are not objects to be policed. Having female attributes does not render people incapable of firstly, making their own decisions and secondly, being ridiculed for the body that you possess.

It’s like a subtle reminder of our purpose in this society The most annoying part about writing a column about patriarchy as a black woman is that I probably already sound angrier than I am.

Black women are called sassy and angry for being outspoken, which I don’t quite understand. I have noticed a trend that despite being the majority, we tend to be the first to stand up and speak out when injustices take place, because, of all the people in this country, we are probably the most sensitive to it.

However, the fight against injustice doesn’t fall into a box either.

The female experience is the female experience despite racial, economic or class discrepancies. We are all vulnerable to abuse, rape, the glass ceiling, and being placed in a box of invisibility. Whether a man has to fork out ten cows because our culture thinks it can put a price on our worth or whether you’re forced to marry a man you’ve never met, pain is still pain and you can’t put it on a scale.

I don’t experience it in Cape Town, but walking down the streets of Pietermaritzburg is a nightmare for a black girl. If it isn’t sleazy men cat-calling me or following me, they’re grabbing me and touching me inappropriately. The fact that Tugwell ladies are afraid to walk past Marquard on Friday nights because drunken males are harassing them is ridiculous.

as a black woman... I probably already sound angrier than I am.

The notion that we are merely commodities in society is indeed an injustice. I acknowledge that the male-body has a strong presence but the reason behind that was not to exert a harmful force over women but to protect. But men have neglected this role and we’ve evolved into stronger beings that can do pretty much anything. #PatriarchyMustFall is merely a symbol of a box that should have been unpacked a long time ago. This conversation is long overdue.

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Opinions

v74 e10–15 September 2015

Let’s Talk About Consent Kamohelo Mabogwane

T

hese days it seems the only way the government tries to clean up a mess is by shovelling on more dirt.

According to the amended Criminal Law Act, children aged 12 to 15 can now have consensual sex.

Criminalising adolescent consensual sex was a bad idea, but decriminalising it is even worse. Let’s consider all aspects of this argument. Fewer than three years ago, the government made it illegal for children aged 12 to 15 to have consensual sex. This is because children of that age were contracting STIs, falling pregnant at 14, and having abortions, all of which are emotionally and psychologically scarring.

In all fairness to the government, it was trying to do some good by mitigating teenage pregnancy and, to an extent, rape, but this was a very narrow-minded approach.

Do 12-year-olds even have any conception of sex?

According to sections 15 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act, sexual intercourse is not the only criminal component: so is holding hands, touching and kissing. This means

that many teenagers were at risk of being put into juvenile detention.

After the government saw the repercussions that the Act could have, it tried to undo the damage by passing a new bill that decriminalises consensual sex between adolescents.

So now we’re telling children it’s not wrong to have sex at their age.

These are the same kids who giggle at kissing scenes, and sleep with

children aged 12 to 15 can now have consensual sex the lights on for three weeks after watching horror movies.

Do 12-year-olds even have any conception of sex? Compare what you now know about sex to what you thought you knew when you were in primary school. At 12 years old, your body isn’t fully sexually developed yet. Even at 16 (which is the ‘accepted’ age for consensual sex), did you ever think about what sex might mean beyond the physical act?

The deeper question here is about the arbitrariness of terms. The act criminalises sex. When you generally think of sex, I think we’ll all agree that you think of sexual intercourse.

But the government made up its own definition.

Sex, according to the law, includes anything resembling even the beginnings of romance or sexual

activity. How is holding hands sex? How many times would you, personally, have been arrested under this act? Then of course we have to think about what counts as consent for a 12 - 15-year old. Even to people with an adult capability to think, consent is subjective. You need only think of the girls-in-mini-skirts mentality to agree with me.

What about coercive transactional sex? “Do you want to do it?” “I don’t know hey. I’ve never done it before.”

“Come on, it’ll be fun, I promise.”

“Okay, just a little bit though.” And just like that, you’ve had sex at 12, and might even have syphilis. But this dialogue is true for all kinds of scenarios - smoking, drinking, shoplifting, and anything else we do as a result of peer pressure.

In a song called “V for Virgin”, American rapper Watsky questions why virgins are bullied and seeks to “reclaim the high school virgin as sexy”. Inspired by his motion, I would like to extend this mission to UCT. Before I burn myself at the stake of new hegemony, allow me to add my disclaimer. While I am a virgin, and intend to stay that way until marriage, I am not criminalizing anyone who isn’t. On the contrary, I do not judge anyone, as long as it was your choice and not something that you felt forced into. My agreement with Watsky is due to my own experiences as a female. Media representation teaches women that you have to be both sexually experienced and pure to make men interested in you. This is problematic on various levels.

our conception of virginity has to broaden.

Firstly, how is it possible to be both of these things? Many women choose to have sex out of fear that their partner will leave them. The decision to have sex, virgin or not, should always be an individual choice, not one by force or out of fear.

These media representations perpetuate heteronormative values. For example, women are prevailingly depicted as part of a heterosexual couple instead of as a

strong, independent individual. The notion that a womanshould aspire towards being one half of a couple is problematic. This marginalizes the lived experiences of the LGBT+ community, not to mention gender or sexually fluid people who do not subscribe to a set label.

you have to be both sexually experienced and pure This also means that our definition of virginity has to broaden. ‘Losing your virginity’ does not always involve penetration. Each person has their own idea of what virginity means. This is something that needs to be addressed not only in the media, but on campus too.

Unless you were really attentive in orientation week, you probably do not remember much about the sexual education or diversity workshops that were held. Therefore, I think that a new forum is needed for these types of discussions. This requires a space where people

Image: commons.wikimedia.com/ Corode

Decriminalising adolescent sex... is indirect encouragement.

Our mental faculties of judgement are only fully developed at 25, and we expect 12-year-olds to make informed decisions about sex?

Yes, the point of decriminalising adolescent sex was not to endorse an upbringing of sexual promiscuity, but it is indirect encouragement. If we really believe that it is important to raise a generation of wise and conscious individuals, we need to rethink the arbitrary laws that govern them.

Dear Prudence Claudia Harrison

Where is the Love Glove?

are engaging in discourse and actively learning.

However, the self-consciousness that comes from being a virgin in university stems from the campus community, not the classroom itself.

The social groups we are in make being a virgin seem like an outdated and uncool idea. Until we are all understanding of the choices of others, true confidence in this regard will not emerge.

To return to the inspiration for this article, I find it ironic that it came from a rap song. The genre itself has connotations of misogyny and sexism. The song gives me hope that this may change in years to come.

I do recognize that it requires the transformation of a genre’s mindset, but hopefully Watsky’s ideas will spread to other rappers.

I do not judge others for how they choose to live their lives, but I would appreciate it if people could do the same for me and for others who have made the same choices as I have. Respect is a two-way street.

When we can achieve this, then we have summited the mountain that separates us from the ideal society we would like to live in.

Image: Julius Stopforth

Grant O’Beirne California, the pornography capital of the world, has in recent years been increasing pressure on the local porn industry by implementing more strident regulations.

This gradual increase of legislation reached a climax with a law being approved that makes it mandatory for all male porn actors to wear a condom during filming. This came after two porn stars contracted HIV last year (the first incident of this kind since 2004) and dealt a massive blow to a thriving industry.

two porn stars contracted HIV last year

This law is specifically aimed at reducing the risk of spreading Aids and is a very important step in the right direction. The USA has an estimated 1.2 million people living with HIV/Aids in a population of 319 million (as of 2014) which is shocking enough. So why has South Africa not taken similar action? Do we even have a porn industry that needs more governmental control?

South Africa has a steady foothold in pornography

One would assume that such regulations have been neglected because there is no locally produced pornographic content, and therefore nothing that needs to be addressed?.

Unfortunately, the opposite is true.

South Africa has a steady foothold in pornography and is the largest player in the industry in the whole of Africa. Much of Africa has laws that prohibit the making and distributing of porn, which has enabled South Africa to become a dominant force in the market. Currently, 18,5% of the adult population of South Africa is living with HIV/Aids, which is a higher infection rate than any other country in the world, yet we have

no legislation in place to protect local porn stars. South Africa has no specific legislation relating to the filming of pornographic movies other than ensuring that the participants are older than 18 and have given consent. South African Law is far more concerned with controlling the distribution of pornographic content than with ensuring it is made safely.

Having both the largest porn industry on the continent and the highest HIV/Aids infection rate in the world is surely a recipe for disaster, and the government has seemingly stayed silent on this issue.

In addition, much of the South African pornographic output is put out without even going through a production company. So even if the government were to take a firmer stance regarding the industry, all the amateur content would be almost impossible to moderate.

With any industry rules need to be applied

With an industry that is so unregulated, questions need also be raised about the exploitation of the performers and the legality of the projects undertaken. The South African government needs to become more involved in regulating the adult industry, as it cannot prosper without safety nets in place.

As with any industry, rules need to be applied to ensure the safety of all involved. Production companies in South Africa are seemingly well self-regulated with mandatory STD testing on a frequent basis, but in a country with such a high HIV/Aids infection rate I think more is needed.

Porn is a growing and popular industry and at this juncture, we as a country face a choice: we could either go the route India has chosen, and ban adult content completely (which may not be the best long term solution), or the government could take a more proactive role and introduce legislation to make the porn industry a safe and profitable endeavour.

Opinions

MASTERS OF SEX

Lorena Lesna-Maranetto

S

o here you are reading this, probably thinking, “What an obscure title.” Perhaps you will learn how to be a master at sex? Maybe she’s going to tell us? Unfortunately not, but keep reading, and I’m sure the content will still pique your interest.

why can we not speak more candidly

The fact that you are even reading this article probably has everything to do with that saucy three-letter word: “sex”. This naturally points to something that we all know, yet don’t consciously acknowledge.

That whilst being the sophisticated, civilised and ‘rational’ beings that the philosopher Adam Smith claims us to be, we are still animals at our core, and are governed by our impulses. This article is in itself an embodiment of the constant conflict and duality of our human nature: reason and intellect in reading, yet the drive to continue reading is the pursuit of sexual knowledge.

But can something such as sex – so primal and intimate to

us – be incorporated more into an academic setting?

Prior to the 1960s, many people in the US and presumably the rest of the West had the same view. That is, until the Sexual Revolution and pioneers like William Masters and Virginia Johnson (the inspiration for the TV series Masters of Sex) sought to uncover the physiology, psychology and technicalities of sex.

One can imagine the controversy at the time not only of the research into sex but the means by which it was conducted - real couples were observed having sex.

v74 e10 - 15 September

2015

7

Image: flickr.com/jonathanrolande

We need to unpack contradictions and apprehesions In the same vein as Masters and Johnson, why can we not speak more candidly about problems that our society faces that are in fact brought about by the constant tension of sex? The questionable link between morality and sex, which underpins many cultural and religious value systems influencing the gender dynamics in society, is also a point of debate. Why are we, as 21st century academics, still prudish about letting the conversation of sex mix in with the conversation of

academia? Is it Western hegemonic culture that still subliminally paints sex with connotations of illicitness?

A sense of guilt and shame that is supposed to accompany a ‘dirty’ thought? Or is it the issue of the conflict of interest?

Psychology is a field of study so close to our intimate selves and yet it is not off-limits. Boundaries are set in place to prevent the conflict of interest of our emotions over our research, so keeping the ‘inner

animal’ at bay should not be a problem. So, the problem lies in the former issue raised: it’s the way we view sex that is the problem.

We need to unpack contradictions and apprehensions of the discussions around sex, and turn our focus to a discourse that is positive, rather than off-limits.

Economics, philosophy, psychology, sociology and anthropology are just some of the key areas in which we need to address and encourage

discourse around sex and how it is influenced by our outdated, stifling attitudes towards it.

At an undergraduate level, these questions should be asked, while at postgraduate level they should be explored. At a university, no knowledge should be off-limits and out of bounds. This applies particularly to sex since it is so integral to our society as well as our personal lives.

ago would’ve spoken about how they had a charming walk down the river where they stole a kiss from their partner, you’ll speak about how you locked lips with your lover beside the UCT dam. The conversation you have with your friends during class the following day forms part of a social fabric, one that in recent years acknowledged and accepted the LGBT+ community. It’s a cluster of discussion, actions and behaviours that has allowed interracial couples to flourish in a society that was divided upon racial lines. That one kiss you had at the bar at Assembly forms part of the bigger puzzle, just like every

protestor forms a part of a crowd.

The obvious question is: where are we going with this progression?

Honestly, I believe we should move to a society that is inclusive. By allowing safe relationships to figure themselves out – in whatever form or fashion – we’re allowing our generation to develop a healthy sexual and romantic identity, while having a good time. So next time you’re in the club, just remember to have fun, stay safe and respect the views of others.

Do this and I guarantee the R50 cover charge for Tiger will be more than worth it, even if the music is sometimes questionable.

The Swimming Pool of Life: A Look into Hook-Up Culture Adam Kleinschmidt

Imagine a scene: it’s nearly midnight, a remix of Avicii’s ‘Levels’ is blaring from the Tiger Tiger speakers as you and your partner are locked in a tight embrace. You have no idea what their name is and what they do, but all you care about is how good they look and how well they kiss.

Fast forward a couple hours: it’s ten in the morning. You’re in your mathematics class, there’s a minor pain in your head and chest as you fight your way through Friday morning. In between classes, you and your friends swap stories about your adventures in Claremont last night. It was a good night. Your one friend got some rebound hook-up action and another managed to make out with their campus crush.

the culture of rape perpetuated by some is extremely harmful Every day of the week, hookups happen. It’s part of the natural progression of life isn’t it? Birth, growth, a slobbery kiss from someone, taxes and then death? If only it was that simple, yet, hook-up culture informs us about society in ways we can’t imagine.

Take a little step back in time to the era when our parents were courting. Yes, I used that word for the simple reason that this is the painting they present when they talk

about “that time in ’85 when we met”.

The culture of casual relationships – if you can call it that – stemmed from before their time, but this did not prevent it from receiving major social stigmatisation.

Image: Pixabay.com/kaicho20

by losing inhibitions some people have ease with flirting Thankfully we are somewhat more transformed from a society that considers single-parent families a social abomination, but newer, far more dangerous issues circle around the culture our generation perpetuates every time ‘Drunk In Love’ comes through the speakers.

It’s with this song in mind that I shift to the first harm, one we’re all warned about but still perpetuate: sexual consent. I’ve heard the stories and seen enough people harmed in the process of people “getting some loving” to know that the culture of rape perpetuated by some is extremely harmful. Just like university develops your outlook on academics, it also develops your perspectives on sex and romantic relationships.

where are we going with this progression?

This does not mean I’m saying

people shouldn’t hook up when they’ve had a bit to drink. For some, it’s a confidence booster and by losing inhibitions some people have ease with flirting and the like. What I am saying on this point specifically is that people our age need to be aware of how our actions play in social dialogue.

This brings me smoothly into my next point: how the hook-up talks.

Aside from the hickies on your neck and the walk of shame – or stride of pride for the optimist in you – your action from last night plays into how people talk about intimate relations. Just as someone fifty years

(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Ally) Gender and sexuality is a sensitive topic for many. Societies have become much more liberal, allowing for more self-expression. As a result, there are many ideas, opinions, values and preferences that we are exposed to every day. Most of them have their own specific term, but this can get confusing. We’ve attempted to define some of today’s more popular terms.

The Transgender symbol

The transgender symbol is a combination of both the traditional male and female symbols. The arrow on the upper right side represents male-identified people. The plus on the bottom represents female identified people. The combination of both on the upper left represents gender-variant people.

Ally:

Cisgender:

Gender:

Intersex:

Questioning:

This typically refers to a non LGBT+ person who supports the rights of the LGBT+ community.

This refers to a person whose experience of their gender and the gender they identify with matches the sex they were assigned at birth.

This term refers to people whose sexual anatomy or chromosomes do not match the traditional “male” and “female” markers. For example, people with both male and female anatomy, or XXY chromosomes.

This usually refers to the process of exploring and determining one’s own sexual orientation and gender identity.

Asexual:

Flexisexual:

The attitudes, characteristics and behaviours that differentiate between masculine and feminine. These are cultural expectations, assigned by the given culture.

Compatible behaviour is referred to as gendernormative, non-compatible behaviour is seen as gender non-conformity.

This term refers to a person who generally does not feel sexual attraction or desire for any group of people. This is not the same as celibacy.

Somebody who is attracted to and flirts with both sexes, but usually chooses to maintain relationships with just one sex.

They don’t identify as bisexual.

Bi-curious: Refers to a heterosexual person who is interested in having a sexual experience with a person of the same sex. This is done out of curiosity.

Bisexual: (Often shortened to Bi) A person who is attracted to people of both their own sex and another sex.

Fluid: The changes that can occur in a person’s sexual orientation.

Someone who is fluid may experience changes in their sexual orientation over weeks, months or years. This does not mean that the person is confused.

Gay: The term used to refer to a person who is predominantly attracted to members of the same sex. Although it can be used for any sex, it is typically used to refer to men.

Sex:

Gender identity:

Lesbian:

This refers to the sense of ‘being’ male/female/ etc. It refers to how you experience, express and identify with your gender. For most people, their gender identity matches their physical identity.

A woman who is primarily attracted to other women.

Heterosexual: A person who is attracted predominantly to members of the opposite sex (often referred to as straight).

Homosexual: The term used to refer to people of attracted to members of the same sex. Some people find this term offensive as it has been given a negative connotation.

As a biological term, it refers to a person’s biological status. People are typically categorised as male, female or intersex at birth, according to their biological markers.

Transgender: Pansexual: A person who experiences various types of attraction (physical, emotional, spiritual, romantic) for members of all gender types/expressions.

This is an umbrella term frequently used to refer to those who do not identify with their assigned gender or the binary gender system.

Transsexual: Polysexual: An attraction to multiple genders or sexes. Bisexuality and pansexuality are both forms of polysexuality.

Somebody whose gender identity is different to that of their biological sex. They may undergo medical treatments to change their biological sex and match it to their gender identity, or live their lives as another sex.

Compiled by Michaela Findeis

10

Features

v74 e10– 15 September 2015

DI Why?Because anybody can.

Safiyya Karim

L

ooking for a quick way to peel a bunch of apples or potatoes?

Or perhaps how to win someone’s heart – and hopefully the rest of their body? Almost all of us have seen this hilariously helpful DIY channel. Until recently, SuzelleDIY has been quietly growing in popularity, but if you haven’t seen her on YouTube then you may have seen her in the Checkers’ adverts.

I was fortunate enough to interview the famous Suzelle through her assistant, and when asked what she thinks has made her channel successful, this was what she said: “I think our success comes down to a few things. Our content is both funny and useful – so we teach our audience something in a very entertaining way.”

Their videos are also short, “so people will watch, re-watch and share.”

We can agree that these are reasons we can attribute to the success of her channel. Suzelle’s personality also captures the essence of Afrikaans culture and her tutorials are relatable and funny.

I was fortunate enough to interview the famous Suzelle Making videos is obviously no easy task, but when you love what you do, nothing is difficult. According

Image: Screenshot from YouTube.com/SuzelleDIY

to Suzelle, the best part of what she does is the “creative side: the making, the performing and seeing the final product come together in the end.”

Laughing has become very much one of the perks of her job. Suzelle is still humble despite her growing fame and success. She admits to having some big aspirations for the channel and the project, but says she doesn’t “really

want to move away from the natural progression of the character.”

For her, the growth of her popularity took her by surprise and that it was “unexpected and interestingly organic.”

She told me that she and her team are taking each day as it comes and going with the flow by taking it slowly. They want to steadily build their audience and ensure that they can continue to

produce consistently good content.

In terms of some of their bigger plans for the channel, Suzelle said that they are talking about the possibility of new characters, webisodes and maybe a movie.

Finally, I asked her if she had any words of advice for some of our budding South African YouTubers and she encourages them to go for it. “Keep

it authentic, keep it short and keep going!” She says that if you're consistent and you push yourself creatively you will get better and better at what you do, all the while gradually growing your audience.

“There's a huge demand for a dynamic online YouTube presence in South Africa – now is the time!” After all, anyone can.

Wait, before you die!

All you need to know about “The Bucket List” Nicole Arends Yes, it is indeed the final term of the year. It never fails to surprise me how quickly time flies. Before you know it all promises of “new year, new me” are left as a distant memory and you’re still the same you you were in 2001 [albeit at least a little taller].

But alas, we all have a soft spot for having something great to strive towards. And so springs forth “The Bucket List”.

“The bucket list” refers to a list of things that one wishes to complete before you die and owes much of its popularity to the 2007 movie of the same name starring the legendary Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman who escape hospital to complete a list of adventures.

The idea of however, is thought to come from the popular English idiom “to kick the bucket” which is derived from the Middle Ages, where a common form of death was being hanged or committing suicide. The person would kick the bucket they were standing on and inevitably die.

I know it’s a rather dour idea, but before you succumb to utter morbidity perhaps the story of Poh might cheer you up. No, not the chubby red little Teletubby (let’s admit it, those things were verging on creepy).

Poh is a 15 year old Labrador and the star of the popular Instagram

account @pohthedogsbigadventure whose story is one of the most poignant Bucket List tales.

When his owners found out he was nearing the end of his life, they adventured for 12000 miles (more than 19 000 km!) with their pup, visiting 35 cities and snapping pictures of Poh in front of some of the world’s greatest monuments such as the renowned Hollywood sign.

This story is highlighted on buckelist.org which features some of the craziest bucket list experiences in the world. It’s essentially a massive global bucket list, which allows people to add items of their bucket list as well as indicating how many of our global neighbours have completed a particular activity.

According to the site, some of the most popular bucket list items include “become a millionaire”, “travel the world” and “see the Northern Lights”.

Cape Town itself is home to some top class bucket list items which include climbing to the top of Table Mountain, visiting Robben Island, shark cage diving, watching a sunset from Signal Hill and wine-tasting at some amazing wine farms.

So why not go ahead and create a Bucket List for yourself? However, don’t just leave it as a list that you’ll stare at nostalgically in the future. Go out there and live. Don’t do it for the vine. Don’t do it for the Instagram.

Do it for the moment.

Image: CollageCandy

UCT Upstarts Varsity News Ad Sept FApaths.indd 1

2015/09/11 8:00 AM

Features

Women Speak Out

v74 e10 - 15 September 2015

“changed” by them.

This makes one wonder why, firstly, women need to be changed by their so called equals and secondly, what gives the men the power to think they can change a woman. There’s a difference between wanting to change someone and wanting to impose your dominance on them.

when the word rape comes up, I think of how Shakespeare described it

and rape culture. The common thread that ties these episodes together is the flawed traditional ideal that power lies with the man and him alone.

In episode one Dr Khosi Jiyane deals with the issue of virginity.

She explains that, “Virginity in a man is frowned upon whereas for a woman it is imposed. It is expected.” Focussing on the power men think they have when it comes to virginity, Tshegofatso Senne explains that men want a woman, “who is a blank piece of canvas” that is going to be

So instead of changing women who are seen as plain pieces of canvas, men are demonstrating their power. What may not be so apparent to men is that their power, surprisingly, is not powerful enough to change the biology of a woman.

After a woman gives birth, her body is able to morph itself back to the way it was before, with a few modifications at times. Biology has the power to constantly change a woman, not men wanting to demonstrate their so-called power.

Episode three of the series deals with Rape Culture. This episode delves deeper into the issue of men, power and rape. When the word rape comes up, I think of how Shakespeare described it in Henry V: “hot and forcing violation.” This eloquently describes an abusive act against women that has become

the doctor will perform a blood test and possibly ask for a urine sample.

It may be worth going to the Student Wellness Service for these tests as they provide STI medication free of charge. Remember, you can have an STI without having any symptoms so it’s always better to get checked if you’re unsure.

You can also take comfort in the fact that all healthcare professionals are obliged to keep all interactions confidential, so you don’t need to worry about anyone finding out about your sexual antics. And you can pay a reduced fee upfront at the Student Wellness Centre (they are very affordable) so you don’t need

Image: flickr.com/looking4poetry

Tebogo Bore

T

he brainchild of Mmabatho Montsho, Women on Sex, is a South African web series which explores black women’s thoughts and flawed generational myths about sex.

Launched during August, the series features local women from all walks of life who share their experiences and raise critical thinking points that empower women to embrace their sexuality.

It’s a series produced by women

for women that reinforces the fact that although we still live in a patriarchal society, women should have complete control over their sexuality.

virginity, emancipating the vagina and rape culture Topics which have been covered in the series thus far include virginity, emancipating the vagina

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common in society.

It’s turned into a culture that leaves women crippled with fear when they are dressed a certain way that is not encouraged for public display by men. “There was a time when young girls were told what to do after they were raped,” begins Itumeleng Modise in explaining how “hot and forcing violation” has become normalised in society.

Girls need to know what actions they need to take in the event that they suffer from acts of sexual violence. However; it should not be lectured to them as if it’s an everyday survival tip one needs in society, like how to change a tyre or what steps to follow if your laptop gets stolen.

the focus should be ... making men critically evaluate what power is Instead of focusing on the consequences of rape, the focus should be directed at making men critically evaluate what power is and to erase the idea that a man is power and power is man from their mindsets.

‘Women on Sex’ has revived the conversation around sex.

It’s informative, refreshing and entertaining. If anyone happens to have a few minutes in between their busy schedules, listen and learn as women speak out.

Sex Tests: The Ins and Outs Jena Ascough

All tests are scary, but medical tests seem to slot into a whole level of their own – especially if something is suspected to be wrong. To make matters worse, when it comes to medical tests relating to sexual activity, the shame and the fear could cripple people enough to skip the check-up altogether. But worry not – I’m going to give you some information that will take the sting out of these tests Today, kids, we’ll be covering pregnancy tests, HIV/ AIDS tests and sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests. Right, let’s begin.

Pregnancy Tests: Finding time to sleep as a student is difficult enough. Add an infant into the mix and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a lifetime’s worth of sleep deprivation. So obviously, after a latex malfunction or just your average impulsive night of debauchery, a pregnancy test may be on the cards… but where do you go? Here’s a sneaky secret: pregnancy tests are sold at the Sports Centre! However, if you’re a regular sportsperson there and wouldn’t be caught dead with a pregnancy test, I’d recommend a Clicks or a Dischem – you can be part of the faceless mass of people there so there’s no need to feel awkward.

However, if you’ve already peed on the stick and it’s popped out a little plus sign, it may be time to go to the gynae. There, your doctor will take a vial of blood to test for

the hCG hormone, a hormone that is only released when pregnant. The only downside to this is it takes a few days for the tests results to come back from the labs, but it is the most accurate way of predicting pregnancy.

This can be done at the UCT Wellness Service.

HIV/AIDS Tests: Living in South Africa, the country with the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the world, it is important that everyone get HIV tested regularly, even if you feel that you are not at risk. It is a great way to support the cause and reduce the stigma around getting tested. This test is free and readily available at the Sports Centre, Student Wellness Service, most pharmacies and sometimes awareness campaigns both in shopping centres and UCT. It is comprised of a pin prick and less than five minutes of waiting.

It is important to note that there is a three month window period if you have been exposed to the virus where the test will come out as negative. Therefore, if you feel that you have been put at risk it is important to consult your doctor as soon as possible.

STI Tests: Sometimes you can do everything right, but mistakes still happen.

If you feel that you may have put yourself at risk of contracting an STI, you can go to your doctor or the Student Wellness Service. There,

to worry about your appointment showing up on your parents’ invoice.

But obviously prevention is better than cure. So take advantage of the free condoms around campus and stay safe. Trying to make it out of varsity alive is hard enough without having to worry about our sexual health.

Image: medscape.com/editor

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Features

V74 E10 – 15 SEPTEMBER2015

Image: Mari Mombers

A Lively Bunch: UCT’s Greek Society Anthea van den Bergh

I

t’s well known that UCT has a number of interesting and unique societies. My question is whether you’ve ever heard of UCT’s Greek society?

Officially known as the Hellenic Students’ Association (HSA), the society was started in 1960 as a way to promote Greek cultural heritage among the Hellenic youth in South Africa. It is currently headed up by UCT student Angeliki Vayanos, and has less than 100 members. However, HSA is part of the National Greek Students’ Association (NAHYSOSA) which has over 4 000 members. So, the society is basically UCT’s mini Greek bastion.

Membership is predominantly

Greek/Cypriot, but contrary to what one might expect, HSA is not made up of only Greek people. I myself am half-Afrikaans, half-Cypriot.

Good food, an Ouzo shot and plenty of loud conversation Also, in first semester, on one of our first outings (a pub crawl to Cape Town’s Slug and Lettuce bars), I soon discovered that HSA is also a small hub for a number of very non-Greek friends-ofGreeks who come along for the party. You see, Greeks love being around other Greeks, but we are not so insular so as to stick solely to ourselves.

The society also attracts a number of members with Mediterranean heritage, such as Italians, and few would blink if a Greek member roped in their Xhosa or Irish friend. Furthermore, it’s not necessary to know too much of the Greek language while in the society, though it’s fairly normal for the Greek-speaking members to throw out a couple of phrases here and there.

we were calling for some Greek dancing music

You will not leave an evening with HSA without becoming familiar with the passionate, often half-drunken version of the Greek

national anthem.

As to what being in HSA involves, well, it’s a combination of Greek socials, weekends away and charity efforts. About a month ago, we had a Greek social at Spiro’s in Hout Bay. The evening began at Tugwell, where the entire group waited for 30 minutes for one particular member to arrive (Greeks are famous for Greek time – a.k.a. lateness). After saidmember arrived, we drove off to Spiro’s where we were met by a laidback Greek tavern and plates of mezedes, (Greek tapas). After some good food, an Ouzo shot and plenty of loud conversation, it was time to dance.

We’re normal students, so the typical club songs came on, but soon we were calling for some Greek dancing music. Greek dancing is generally of a group

nature, so that night it turned into a fun activity which anyone with feet and a bit of coordination could join in on.

a small little hub for a number of very nonGreek friends-of-Greeks We ended the evening with the quintessential Greek dance, the Zebekiko, in which everyone kneels in a circle while one or two dancers, traditionally men, dance in the middle. We even broke plates, which is indeed a thing real Greeks do.

A bit of chaos and noise are things HSA clearly doesn’t shy away from. We’re a pretty lively bunch, us Greeks.

The Best Ghetto-Fabulous Musical Drama You’re Not Watching

Image: WikimediaCommons.com/ 20th Century Fox Television

Nkhensani Manabe Say ‘musical’ and what comes to mind is jazz hands and cheesy two-hour chorus line performances. Sometimes cheerleaders are involved, and possibly some seriously bad lipsynching. Thankfully, Empire is none of these things.

Danny Strong, co-creator and executive producer of the show, describes it as a “really fun, delicious soap[ie] that’s grounded in social issues [and] intense family drama”. The festering family feud that the Lyon family is caught up in is definitely “intense”.

Terrence Howard plays Lucious Lyon, a powerful entertainment

business mogul at the top of his game. As the plot unfolds, we see Lucious fighting to keep his business afloat, while his family and his health are slipping out of his grasp.

The show’s aesthetic is what I like to call ‘highgloss ratchet glam’ Empire is driven by secrets, greed and ambition – all the key ingredients of a juicy drama. The show’s aesthetic is what I like to call ‘high-gloss ratchet glam’: it’s fur, gold chains, gaudy artwork and furniture everywhere you look. It’s interesting to see what

it looks like when money meets power and questionable taste.

Empire deals with gangsterism, mental illness, homophobia and the darker side of the entertainment business all at once.

The show is glamorous at the same time as it is dangerous – much like the music business in real life.

Empire also has a great soundtrack, thanks to Timbaland and his team of producers. Watching Empire is like taking an all-access tour of the seedy underbelly of the

an all-access tour of the seedy underbelly of the entertainment industry.

entertainment industry.

The question the story answers is: what really happens when you mix business with family? The characters are multi-faceted, and are played to perfection by the cast.

If you need an extra incentive: watching each episode and counting how many top musicians make cameo appearances can also be quite fun. Taraji P. Henson’s stellar performance as Cookie Lyon has made her a firm favourite with TV critics and Tumblr meme fiends alike. What she does with a raised eyebrow and a quick oneliner is magical. Other characters to pay attention to are Jamal Lyon (played by Jussie Smollett) and Anika Calhoun (played by Grace Gealy).

Individual actors each get their chance to shine, but Empire’s strength lies in the way the characters fit seamlessly into the ensemble. Each of them is worth investing in, and you will find yourself rooting for your favourite.

a larger-than-life, high stakes drama

In Empire, family, business and music come together to create a larger-than-life, high stakes drama that is not to be missed.

You should add this pop culture phenomenon to your ‘to watch’ list immediately.

Features

V74 E10- 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

13

#UCTZooWalk

Dean Horwitz

On Sunday August 23rd IgersUCT in association with VARSITY Newspaper held the 2nd annual #UCTZooWalk at the abandoned Zoo on the South Side of campus.

The walk was attended by a mixture of Igers from both UCT and the greater Cape Town community who spent the day exploring the Zoo and the surrounding area.

IgersUCT is an Instagram community which forms part of the greater Cape Town, South Africa and worldwide Igers community. Each community is based around a passionate group of photographers who get together regularly to take photos, share tips and tricks and ultimately improve their photography. These photos are then shared on Instagram using a unique hashtag which in the case of this walk was #UCTZooWalk.

Below you can find a selection of images from the walk complete with the person’s name and their Instagram username. Go and check out their galleries for more incredible images that they take on a daily basis. If you would like to see more images from the walk search #UCTZooWalk on Instagram and don’t forget to follow @IgersUCT for more great images of UCT and for details on when our next walk will be.

Image: Carl Jacobs Image: Jason Pryce-Lewis

Image: Jemma Richmond Image: Carl Jacobs

Image: Pitso Mmakola

Image: Refiloe Mokgele

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Sport

V74 E10 – 15 SEPTEMBER 2015

Fitness Fanatics: 30 Day Fitness Challenge Catherine Fulton

Sports Bites

Dean Horwitz and Catherine Fulton UCT Gymnastics competes in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Western Cape trials

On Saturday, September 5th, and Sunday, September 6th, UCT gymnastics competed in the Western Cape trials. In the level 4 section, Ashlyn Wrigley placed 1st overall. In the level 5 section Madelein Karsten placed 2nd overall and in the level 6 section Camilla Koker and Paula Barrow tied for 2nd place overall.

Madelein, Camilla, Paula and Kahla Hackner all received their Western Cape colours and will be representing UCT Gymnastics at the National Gym Games which will be held in Johannesburg in October.

UCT Ballroom is off to the European Tournament for Dancing Students

UCT will be sending the first South African ballroom dancing team ever to compete in an international competition, giving UCT ballroom dancers the unique opportunity to showcase their South African style.

The UCT Ballroom Society is the best in South Africa, winning 18 out of the last 24 Annual South African Student Dancing Competitions. This prestigious adventure will mark the first time African students will be competing internationally. Three dancers, Xabiso Mpu, Nadia Mabika, and Clare Phillips will leave Cape Town on October 8th for three days of competing hosted in the Brno City Hall in the Czech Republic.

Western Province Table Tennis Super League

The UCT Table Tennis team competed in two matches over the past week in the Western Province Super League. In their game against Bishop Lavis, they drew 5-5 while they beat Stephanians 8-2.

UCT Racketlon Tournament

From the Bench Feel it – it’s here. To quote another sporting tournament, can you believe that the Rugby World Cup is already on our doorstep?

This Friday, the first game will be played and the eyes of the world will turn to the UK to watch this massive sporting spectacle.

All the drama of injuries, the controversy of selections and the academic debates will be put aside and the hopes of our entire nation will be on the backs of the Boks. I, for one, am super excited and have no doubt that our boys will bring home the silverware at the end of the showpiece.

Closer to home, our own Ikey Tigers are competing in the World University Championship starting today at Oxford University.

In this week’s edition, catch up with Catherine as she takes us through a 30-Day Challenge. Yogi tackles some of the issues facing women in sport.

On a final note, this week we have dedicated an entire page to the Student Sports Union who do incredible work and have been absolutely fantastic in their commitment to UCT sport this year. Well done to Gordon and his team _ you have certainly raised the bar for your successors. That is all from me, good luck to the Ikey Tigers and the Boks. I have no doubt you will all return as champions!

Over and out Dean

F

or those of you who haven’t heard of one-month challenges before, here is a nice new ‘something’ to trythe next time someone urges you to “try something new”. In terms of fitness, a 30-day challenge is normally a set, 30-day-long exercise routine. The challenges vary from allround body toning to strengthening specific muscle groups, and are ideal as they allow you to learn new techniques, while staying fresh with something different and exciting each month. The guides are simple and effective in that they are easy to follow, and generally don’t require gym equipment or a lot of space, so they are an ideal alternative for those who live in residences (with limited space and access), who would like to exercise in their own space and time.

The webisite 30daychallenges. com offers an extensive range of challenges compiled and approved by professional gym instructors.

They appeal to both men and women, beginners and advanced.

The site is a great place to start, as each guide comes with a printable routine, ‘how- to’ videos and a range of other interesting ‘tidbits’ like meal recipes, fitness stories and even an app!

For this edition, I chose a fullbody workout challenge, called the “30 Day Beach-Body Challenge”.

This is an ideal one, as it targets the whole body. At first glance the chart may seem rather hectic, but don’t be put off by the number of exercises on the chart- after all, though it is meant to be challenging, anyone can do it!

For those who are familiar with fitness, you can incorporate it into your regular gym routine,

100 froggies Day 30: 200 squat jumps 100 V ups Image: Mari Mombers

or combine it with the site’s other challenges for maximum effect. A helpful tip that I found is that these kind of routines work well with a friend, as you can help motivate each other while having fun together.

This challenge has several different exercises, and the time spent doing each exercise slowly increases each day in order to help

you gradually build up your muscle strength. This ensures that you are able to complete the final day of the challenge easily. If you are still unconvinced, I encourage you to not to look at it as something intimidating, but rather to think of it as something motivating, and to say “challenge accepted!”

My First Time Watching Roller Derby Image: George Rabe

The annual UCT Racketlon tournament took place on Sunday, August 23rd in the UCT Sports Centre and involved 11 men and seven women battling for the title. The UCT squash players once again dominated, winning both the men’s and women’s title for the third year running. In the men’s final Luke Stevens (UCT Squash) beat Mark Staples (UCT Tennis), while in the women’s final Nicky Butters beat Michaela Workman (both from UCT Squash).

UCT Waterpolo Results

On Thursday, August 20th, the ladies’ 1st team beat SACS 10-2, while the men’s 1st team lost 6-3 and beat RWC 7-2. The men’s 2nd A team lost 7-4 to SACS while the 2nd B team drew 7-7.

The men’s 3rd team beat RWC 4A 101. On Thursday, August 27th, the ladies 1st team beat SACS 1A 13-2 and Silvertree 9-1, while the men’s 1st team beat the 2nd A team 16-2 and the 3rd team beat Silvertree 2nd 12-1. On Thursday, September 3rd, the ladies 1st team beat Silvertree 7-1, while the men’s 2nd B team drew 4-4 with RWC 3A and drew 3-3 with RWC 2B. On Thursday, September 10th the men’s 1st team drew 4-4 with SACS’ 1st team and beat the RWC 1st team 6-3. The 2nd A team lost 7-2 to the SACS 1st team and beat the RWC 1st team 7-3, while the 2nd B team lost 8-5 to VOB and the 3rd team lost to Silvertree 2B.

Day 1: 50 Crunches Day 16: 50 Lunges 2 X 60 second plank 50 Donkey kicks Day 2: 100 bicycle crunches Day 17: 35 push ups 2 X 30 second plank 100 mountain climbers Day 3: 50 Burpee’s Day 18: 100 tricep dips 50 Kick down crunches 50 squat jumps Day 4: 200 Crunches Day 19: 200 high knees 100 Skater Slides 100 superman’s Day 6: 50 Superman’s Day 20: 75 burpees 50 Squats 4 X 60 second planks Day 7: 3 X 60 second plank Day 21: 200 bicycle crunches 200 jumping jacks 200 punches Day 8: 50 Donkey kicks Day 22: 35 burpees 100 Bicycle crunches 200 standing side Day 9: 25 Squats crunches 100 Skater slides Day 23: 50 lunges Day 10: 50 Squat jumps 100 skater slides 200 crunches Day 24: 50 wood chops Day 11: 25 push ups 200 mountain climbers 75 tricep dips Day 25: 100 superman’s Day 12: 200 punches 200 Plank jacks 200 buttkicks Day 26: 200 bicycle crunches Day 13: 50 Plank walks 200 butt kicks 50 Lunges Day 27: 100 Russian twists Day 14: 50 wood chops 4 X 60 second planks 50 squat jumps Day 28: 25 push ups Day 15: 4 X 60 second plank 200 seal jacks 100 Russian twists Day 29: 50 Lunges

Dean Horwitz Cape Town Rollergirls is a fullcontact roller derby sports league, offering women’s full contact roller derby and recreational roller skating, wherein women learn to use their bodies and skating style to their advantage.

Full-contact roller derby sports league

The league currently has more than 60 members of different ages

and occupations, all of whom are regularly assessed and placed in different training groups. At the moment, the league is hosting their home tournament “Mother City Mayhem”, where their three home teams are competing for a trophy.

I was invited to attend the bout between The Rev’ettes and the Scrim Reapers at the Sunningdale Sports Complex. The winner of this bout would be moving on to face the Storm Riders in the final on Friday, September 25th.

I had heard quite a bit about Roller Derby, and was excited to experience the sport firsthand. On arrival, I was quite taken aback by the setup and the number of spectators, as well as by the

professional nature of the bout. I was also interested to see that the ring (wherein the bout was to take place) was in fact flat, and not raised as I had expected it to be.

We took our seats in what is known as ‘the danger zone’, and prepared ourselves for some fierce action. At first we had no clue what was going on, and it took a while to familiarise ourselves with all the rules, different plays and tactics of each team.

In its entirety, the bout consists of two 30-minute halves. These are broken up into smaller passages of play called ‘jams’. Each jam lasts a maximum of two minutes.

The professional nature of the bout The bout starts off with the introduction of the teams. Each team emerges to their theme music and skates around the track in a synchronised manner, while the announcer introduces each player.

There are 14 players on each team, but only five of them play during each jam.

Before each jam, one member of each team is designated as the jammer. This player is the

team’s point-scorer, and scores points by lapping members of the opposing team.

The jam starts with each team’s jammer behind the other players (whose job it is to hinder the opposing jammer while assisting their jammer). The other players take on the role of both offence and defence simultaneously. The jammer that breaks through the opposing team’s defence first is designated as the lead jammer, allowing them to call a stop to the jam at any time before the two minutes are up.

As the bout goes on, you begin to appreciate how tactical roller derby truly is. Each team uses a range of strategies, different plays and all sorts of tricks to prevent the opposing jammer from lapping them, while aiding their own jammer. In addition to the players, there is a variety of referees who each have an individual focus to ensure that the bout is played within the rules at all times.

After the bout it took me a while to get my head around what I had just watched, as the technical and strategic nature of roller derby is something that takes a while to get used to. However, once you become more familiar with the sport it really makes it an enjoyable event to watch.

I will most certainly be back to watch another bout – and recommend you go too!

The UCT Student Sport Union

Voumani Madonko

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v74 e10 - 15 September 2015

The what, why and how

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he SSU is the representative body of sporting students, to represent their interests concerning sporting issues and decisions at UCT. The SSU is the communication link between students and sporting management in the University. It is comprised of various positions, like any executive body within the university system, including a chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary, publication and marketing officer, treasurer and transformation officer. The SSU is voted in on an annual basis during the SSU AGM that is held towards the end of the year. The event is attended by at least two members of all sports clubs executive committees. Nominations are then put forward towards the end of the AGM, and a new executive is voted in by the UCT sports students present at the event.

The role of the SSU members and who they are

The role of the SSU

Muya Koloko

Chairperson: Gordon Dodge The roles and responsibilities of the SSU Chairperson include working with committee members on their respective portfolios, assisting UCT sports clubs with any issues that they may have, and representing student sport at the UCT Sports Council and at national meetings of University Sport South Africa. This year’s chair, Gordon, is currently studying towards a Masters in Chemical Engineering. As well as being involved in the SSU, Gordon is currently the rowing club’s men’s and women’s 1st team coxswain, the chairperson of University Sport South Africa – Rowing (being a member of the Rowing South Africa Executive Committee) and a national hockey umpire.

Gordon

Vice-Chairperson and Publications and Marketing Officer: Voumani Madonko.

Voumani

The role of the Vice-Chairperson is to assist and follow up on the work done by the Chairperson, and to take over if he is unavailable. Other roles include networking with other organisations throughout UCT and actively participating in meetings and voting procedures during Sports Council meetings. The role of the publications and marketing officer is to advertise UCT Sport. This mostly involves advertising through social media, keeping up to date with the latest results and achievements of all UCT Sport students and being responsible for live coverage of all major UCT sporting events.

Voumani is a final-year Masters student, studying City and Regional Planning, and hails from the two very interesting countries of Greece and Zimbabwe. Voumani is also the chairperson of UCT Ju-Jitsu.

Secretary: Mathabo Malange

The role of the Secretary includes taking down minutes at SSU meetings and notifying the chairpersons of each sports club about the quarterly SSU meetings. Being secretary is a great opportunity to learn about the operation of clubs, and the ‘ins and outs’ of UCT Sport. Mathabo is currently in her third year, studying a BSc in Oceanography and Environmental & Geographical Science. She hails from Durban and is involved in the UCT Basketball club.

Treasurer: Camilla Koker

The role of the SSU treasurer is to keep track of the incomes and expenditures of the Union, keeping in contact with Lydia Hall with regards to budgets, and giving the go-ahead for allocating funding to applicants.

Camilla is studying Business Science Finance (CA) and is in her final year.

She is also chairperson of UCT Gymnastics and has been the girls’ coach for the last five years. She is also a committed member of Ultimate Frisbee.

Camilla Muya

Transformation Officer: Muya Koloko The TO’s responsibilities include investigating club demographics and clubs’ levels of satisfaction and implementing and facilitating transformation workshops, in an effort to aid clubs in developing strategies to organically transform their clubs. The goal is to make clubs more accessible and inclusive to as broad a range of students as possible, by assisting clubs with issues around internal transformation, and external development (as a means to internal transformation).

Muya is a Zambian PhD student researching children’s responses to video game violence. He is also one of the instructors in the UCT JuJitsu club (where he has trained for the past 12 years).

Images: Morema Moloisi, Justin Jacobs & Voumani Madonko

Mathabo

The role of the SSU is quite diverse, but the bulk of our work concerns interacting with sports management about various issues that affect sport at UCT. We bring student concerns to management, and brainstorm solutions together. Then we report back to students on the issues that have been raised, or on any issues raised by management that need awareness.

We hold quarterly meetings, at which two members of every UCT sports club’s executive must be present. We furthermore help to organize various sporting events around campus, often in cooperation with the SRC Sports representative.

Part of our role is to decide on funding and budget decisions with the Sports Council (the highest governing body for sport at UCT).

We help with the allocation of Sports Council budgets, club grants, discretionary funds, and the transformation fund. We are also in charge of our own relatively small fund - the assistance fund – should a particular sports club need urgent financial assistance.

We are not all about the money though. In the beginning of this year, we established an overall agenda - to transform UCT Sport by encouraging a more inclusive environment across all sporting codes at UCT. As part of the University’s drive toward transformation, we as the SSU invested in sports transformation by surveying UCT’s sports clubs during the first semester of 2015. We found that many clubs face the challenge of making their club accessible to a wider variety of students.

In seeking to be solution-oriented, the SSU thus engaged these clubs in transformation workshops, grouping them according to similarities in their sports codes (anticipating

that similar clubs will face similar challenges).

These workshops were well attended by the sports clubs and were fruitful. It became apparent that most clubs are actively committed to transformation, but needed guidance as to how to go about this. Accessibility, member retention, and perception were mentioned as some of the further challenges clubs faced, but through constructive conversation, some solutions have been drafted and are set to be implemented by the respective clubs. The first solution (as agreed on by the clubs, SSU and Sports Council) is for all clubs to have a transformation officer, whose responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Devising and implementing strategies to make their club accessible and inclusive to as broad a range of students as possible.

• Keeping records of the club’s demographic trends.

• Liaising with external bodies to promote development activities aimed at exposing the sport (and club) to learners while establishing connections with them.

• providing information about applying to UCT (and for financial assistance/scholarships/bursaries if need be).

• Working with other committee members to ensure that club advertising presents the club as diverse and inclusive.

• Compiling data on the current state of transformation in UCT sport and liaising with the incoming year’s TOs by discussing their strategies going forward .

This SSU year will end off with wwthe election of a new executive at our AGM, which is to be attended by all the sports clubs at UCT. In addition, we will help Sports Administration organize the annual Sports Awards, to reward excellence in sport at UCT.

Sport VARSITY

What to Watch September 18th – England vs. Fiji Rugby World Cup (Supersport 9pm) September 19th – Chelsea vs. Arsenal Premier League (Supersport 1pm) September 19th – Springboks vs. Japan Rugby World Cup(Supersport 5.45pm) September 20th – New Zealand vs. Argentina Rugby World Cup (Supersport 5.45pm)

#PlayLikeAGirl

Yogi Shoba

S

erena Jameka Williams is a hands-down legend in the tennis world. She holds 21 major titles, having grabbed her first Grand Slam win at the US Open in 1999. She was 17 years old. Could this driven teenager with beaded hair and purple nail polish have fathomed that in 2015 she would be two victories away from making tennis history?

‘grand-slammed’ the troll into silence

You see, Williams could end off her career as one of only four women to win all four major singles titles in one season. And yet, despite her success, even she is not exempt from the gender-biased trolls lurking on the internet.

Earlier this year, author J.K Rowling congratulated Williams on Twitter for winning her sixth Wimbledon title. In response, a Twitter user said, “ironic then that the main reason for her success is that she is built like a man.”

Rowling (known for her snappy remarks on Twitter) ‘grandslammed’ the troll into silence by calling him an “idiot” and posting a flattering image of Williams in a figure-hugging red dress and heels.

Unfortunately, however, the average sportswoman can’t commission Rowling to champion gender-equality, a sad fact here in our own backyard especially, where we’re yet to see thousands of Rands spent on the marketing and coverage of a Women’s Varsity Cup. It seems the closest women can get to the Rugby field is either in kissing their trophy-hunted boyfriend at halftime, or by cheerleading in a skimpy outfit as eye candy (for the spectators) and motivation (for the rugged men on the hallowed green grass).

Although cheerleaders work exceptionally hard choreographing and putting together a solid show, it has always been a mere supplement to the show of masculinity on the field. In the case of Serena Williams, her talent and hard work were seemingly not enough to help her succeed in the male-dominated world of sport. She needed a male edge: a masculine physique.

If it’s not a masculine physique though, it’s a pretty face. Maria Sharapova, or example, is ranked number three in the world in tennis. However, more emphasis is placed on her marketability as a model than on her career as a professional sportswoman.

The common thread is clearly that a woman’s body cannot be taken seriously in the realm of sport.

This is clear as day right here, when basketball matches take place in the UCT Sport’s Centre. Few people stick around to watch the women’s

first team basketball match – despite the skill and finesse displayed on the court – yet the stands can be counted on to be packed for the men’s match; with the promise of slam dunks and other shows of masculine strength.

But sport isn’t limited to tennis, rugby and basketball. At UCT there are over 40 diverse sport clubs including squash, Ultimate Frisbee and archery, which have teams of both men and women. So sport in itself is a diverse discipline with a variety of high-impact and lowimpact activities.

Furthermore, sportsmen and women are just as diverse as the sports they participate in; so typecasting people in the realm of sport holds no water.

a mere supplement to the show of masculinity on the field Sport can no longer be seen as a masculine display because the number of sports that glorify those qualities are rapidly dwindling as the field expands. Strength and skill don’t have to be accompanied by brute force, but can be just as well-complemented by intelligence, determination, hard work and passion. It makes no difference whether you’re male or female; all sportspeople can possess these qualities. The true champions, like Serena Williams, have it down to a science.

Image: comons.wikipedia.com/EdwinMartinez

Preview: The Springboks vs. Japan the World Cup. The name Michael Leitch might sound familiar to rugby fans (as Leitch plays for the Chiefs in Super Rugby) but more importantly here, is the fact that he is the captain of the Japanese team.

There aren’t many other names that will be too familiar to you, but one that does scream out is Fumiaki Tanaka. The halfback plays second fiddle to the one and only Aaron Smith at the Highlanders, but what makes Tanaka a good scrumhalf is the speed of his service and his pass in general.

Image: commons.wikimedia.com/Arvedui89

Zuko-Thando Madodonke There are now just three days left before the World Cup spectacle begins, and with all the talk around selection taking a back seat it’s time to look forward to the first hurdle Heyneke Meyer and his charges will face.

On September 19th the Boks will

battle Japan at Brighton Community Stadium, which seems like an easy opportunity for victory. However, no team can be underestimated at the World Cup because of the nature of the tournament. Therefore, Meyer will have to be thinking about trying out new combinations, as he has taken along players who have never started for the Springboks.

Thus, a game like this could

either be a very good opportunity for novice players like Rudy Paige to strut their stuff, or for the Boks to gain momentum early on in the tournament while maintaining continuity within player selection.

Similarly though, Japan will come out all guns blazing – trying to prove a point as so many other small nations always try to do at

just three days left before the World Cup

Relying on him to carry the team home is a bit too much though, because in many cases the scrumhalf is only as good as his pack of forwards and the Japanese pack are going up against one of the most devastating pack of forwards in the world.

If Meyer chooses to go for early momentum, I think his starting team will consist of his regulars with Mvovo perhaps getting the nod ahead of JP Pietersen. The area of concern, however, is in the midfield, which may not pose a problem in a game like Japan, but the lack of experience and leadership in the backline cannot be overlooked. The Boks’ Pollard, for instance, needs the experience of De Villiers on his outside (even though you might argue that Habana has over a hundred and could fill this role too). Jean De Villiers is the leader, and regardless of what people say he needs to be in the team.

I do, however, believe that the Springboks will make a strong statement in this first game regardless of who starts. The quality of the Springboks will prevail in the end. Meyer faces a tough challenge in finding the right combinations with players in a race for individual fitness. Hopefully, the team will send a message to the other teams and more importantly to the people of South Africa, reinstating the belief that Boks are a force to be reckoned with and one that can bring back the coveted William Webb Ellis trophy.