WOKE

MAY 2016

WOKE

The Sexual Violence Edition

get woke. be woke. stay woke.

Photo by: Lihle Bakaco

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Get woke!

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hat does it mean to be “woke”? Woke is defined is as the past tense of wake, however it goes much deeper than the literal meaning. To be woke is to be aware of the social injustices that afflict our society. This publication aims to awaken and ignite awareness within the Rhodes community.

It is no secret that Rhodes has a thriving sex culture, yet what is often overlooked is a perversion of this culture - rape culture. Rape culture has in the past been downplayed with very little light being shed on it, perhaps because the acts which define it mostly take place in the dark. It is time to shed some light on the subject so that it may be scrutinised and understood. As such, the sex and rape cultures are something that affect us all, even if we do not acknowledge it.

According to the Vice Chancellor of Rhodes University, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, there has only been one case of rape that was reported this year. However, it has recently come to light that no less than 22 students have been raped in the past three years. The variance between these numbers is shocking. Rape cannot be swept under the carpet.

An institution cannot publicly state that they are only aware of one rape when at least 22 cases have been publicised.

Rhodes University hosts one of the largest annual anti-sexual assault protests in South Africa, known as the ‘Silent Protest’. It is horrific attending the protest for the first time and realising

how many people wear the ‘survivor’ shirt. That in itself should be concerning to the officials within this institution.

Students walk the streets of campus only to pass their attacker, knowing that nothing will be done.

The aim of this publication is to provide a platform to break the silence on these issues so that they may be acknowledged and addressed.

Sexual violence is not the only issue requiring exposure. Although Rhodes may seem like a very accepting place, homophobia and other forms of sexual discrimination still exist and continue to plague this institution. Through discussing issues such as sexual orientation, we hope to build understanding, and by extension prevent discrimination.

This requires that we start working and informing people from the ground up as we cater to those who have limited knowledge as well as individuals with greater awareness. From sexual health advice to finding pregnancy-preventing amenities, this publication seeks to provide information regarding everything needed to prevent undesirable situations.

The topic of sex and sexual violence is not something that needs to be shied away from but rather addressed, particularly since these issues can become overwhelming to the uninformed. The only way to solve this problem is to publicise it, protest, and show the authorities that students are not people to mess with. The time has come to get woke.

The WOKE team Samantha

Jeremy

Editor

Editor

Lihle

Photographer

Zama

Photographer

Jason Editor

WOKE May 2016 Photo by: Lihle Bakaco

WOKE May 2016

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Keeping up with Dr. Kelland

By Jason Clarke n an office scattered with novels and posters of the Silent Protest, Dr. Lindsay Kelland sits boldly behind her desk in the Allan Gray Centre for Leadership Ethics (AGCLE). An incredibly bright and intelligent woman, she is immensely busy as she works on her post-doctoral fellow.

Kelland is actively engaged in the Rhodes University and broader Grahamstown community. One of her more notable projects in this regard is the Silent Protest, which is South Africa’s largest anti-rape and sexual violence protest held annually in Grahamstown. “I have been involved in the Silent Protest since 2009, [initially] just a participant and survivor of sexual violence.”

She became progressively more involved in the organisation of the event until 2015 when she served as the primary organiser for the entire protest.

As a rape survivor herself, Kelland is extremely devoted to this cause as she feels rape is a problem within our country that cuts across lines of race, class and sexuality - it affects everyone. As a previous organizer of the Silent Protest, Kelland believes it does have its own political goals but that these have moved towards creating a place for personal recovery, a place that is characterized by solidarity. Her personal goal for the protest is to create a space in which victims of sexual violence can speak out

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about their experiences and not be blamed or shamed for doing so. Despite her busy schedule and strenuous workload, Kelland finds her efforts extremely rewarding and has no plans to leave Rhodes anytime soon. She began her studies in 2001 and has come to consider Rhodes her home.

Since then, she has excelled academically achieving her Honours, Masters and Doctorate in Philosophy which she believes has given her a greater theoretical perspective on important societal issues. Kelland’s Thesis title; “Understanding the Harm of Rape” highlights her passion and dedication to helping those who have been victims of sexual violence through promoting women’s rights.

Kelland considers herself a feminist as she feels women’s rights have been neglected in the past. Much of her beliefs today have come from “amazing, strong and courageous women” who have strived to change the statusquo. “I was inspired by academics [such as] Simone de Beauvior and Sharli Paphitis, [as well] as activists Larissa Klazinga and Kim Barker.”

These women faced difficulties in their lives due to their sex which they were able to overcome. Kelland says that having such strong woman role models has helped her through difficult times in her own life and that her sense

of accomplishment stems from her numerous references to women empowerment.

“Breaking the silence is the key to the silent protest but building awareness about the problem is just as important,” says Kelland.

However, Kelland is known to be an inspiration to young woman too.

Nadine Amy Wilson, a second year at Rhodes University, considers Kelland to be a role model and inspiration in her own life. Wilson first met Kelland through her course formerly known as Existential Conversations, now known as IiNtetho zoBomi (zoBom). Wilson was amazed not just by her knowledge but by how kind and helpful she is to young women.

“Lindsay has had a huge impact on my life, from the way I look at myself to the kind of women I want to be one day,” says Wilson. She believes that she would never have become the active feminist that she is today if not for Kelland.

Kelland devotes much of her time to helping students.

This was evident through her prominent presence around Rhodes University during the #RUreferencelist protests that occurred in April earlier this year. She stands in solidarity with survivors of sexual assault, and has played a critical role in creating a safe space for victims to speak up and report their assaults.

She has given them a voice.

Dr. Lindsay Kelland stands in her office at the Rhodes University Allan Gray Centre for

Leadership Ethics and discusses the influence of rape and feminism on her life.

Photo by: Zama Luthuli

UNDERSTANDING CONSENT

By Jeremy de Beer

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ven in 2016 posts about consent are still circulating various social media pages.

This is not the first time the issue of consent has been raised this year, and it won’t be the last. Ignoring the heteronormative nature of this confession (right), sexual consent is a major issue in modern society, particularly in a university setting where the “hook-up culture” is so prevalent. There appears to be some kind of misunderstanding about consent, and it is past time that we sit down and engage with the topic, however uncomfortable it may be for some people.

First off, what is consent? “Consent is basically saying yes. If you say yes then you have consented,” says Kristen Breero, a final year LLB student at the university. “The differentiation is that some people consent with their bodies and others via words,” she continues.

In law, this is known as tacit (non-verbal) consent.

So why is consent important?

“Consent is essentially an agreement, and this agreement vitiates force,” says Brahmi Padayachi, an ex-magistrate and senior lecturer of evidence and criminal procedure in the Rhodes law department. “Consent is important because if you consent to something, you are agreeing to be bound

to the consequences of what you consent to. This is why it is so important to understand what you are agreeing to,” she explains.

What is perhaps the biggest issue regarding consent is not specifically how it is defined, but when it is present. So when is it not consent?

“This is when your power of choice is removed, or when you make it clear that you do not want this,” says Padayachi. This is all well and good when it comes to express consent, but when it comes to tacit consent it can be substantially trickier. “I think the problem comes in where the other party assumes that a person has consented,” says Breero.

According to Padayachi, this is an issue that the courts are constantly having to address. A person will claim that the other party consented by not speaking out against their advances, but the other party will argue that they were too afraid to say anything. In terms of the law, silence is treated as consent unless the victim’s power to speak up was removed due to factors such as being unconscious, bound, or gagged.

Chelsea Haith, an English honours student and the media officer for the Gender Action

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Project (GAP), finds this approach extremely problematic. “Even if a person has given tacit consent, they may feel pressured and so it isn’t necessarily true consent,” says Haith.

She goes on to raise another important point: consent as the result of coercion. She argues that if someone is coerced or manipulated (for example if they are threatened with being “dumped” if they do not consent), it is not true consent in the same way that saying yes while intoxicated/drugged is not true consent.

It really does frighten me to my core that there are still so many boys here who don’t understand consent.”

It is also important to note that according to the law, consent can be withdrawn.

Haith explains how leading someone on, going home with them, or even lying in bed naked with them does not equate to consent.

Consent can be withdrawn at any point prior to or even during the act, however it cannot be withdrawn afterwards. “You can’t withdraw your consent just because you regret

sleeping with someone,” says Breero. Withdrawing consent after the act does not make it rape, even if you would not consent to it again as this would lead to a “Salem witchhunt,” (people accused and convicted of a crime based on flimsy evidence) says Haith.

Another important point which needs to be addressed is the idea of “non-consensual sex”.

“There is no such thing as non-consensual sex.

Non-consensual sex is rape,” says Haith. Haith subscribes to the More Than Yes campaign’s thinking that consent must be continuous and enthusiastic. She prefers to define consent by what it is not, which is anything but yes. She explains that although some people may find it awkward to outright ask for consent, it does not need to be an awkward conversation but rather a standard practice. This is an important concept, particularly in a university setting.

Consent should ultimately be regarded as a standard concept that does not discriminate based on gender, culture, sexual orientation, or any other such factors. There must be clarity and agreement between both parties and at the end of the day, it is up to both parties to ensure that they have each other’s consent. “We are responsible for our own decisions, and must live with their consequences,” says Padayachi. So before you do anything, make certain that you have consent. All it takes is a simple question.

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WOKE May 2016

#RUreferencelist protests

The #RUReferencelist protest escalates to a naked protest as protesters gather on Prince Alfred Street to demand acknowledgement from Rhodes University management.

Picture by: Jason Clarke

By Jason Clarke

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sexual assault and rape awareness campaign was initially launched

by Rhodes students earlier this year under the name #Chapter212. This is a reference to the chapter of the South African Constitution regarding the rights to safety and dignity of one’s body. The campaign began when students placed posters around the Rhodes University campus. The posters were intended to raise awareness regarding the university’s sexual assault and rape policies. They included quotes and statements accusing management of victim-blaming and ignoring rape allegations altogether.

On Sunday 17 April the students began a protest against rape and sexual assault after a list of alleged rapists was released on social media. The list of alleged rapists went viral on social media using the hashtag #RUreferencelist. The #RUreferencelist was uploaded on the anonymous Facebook page RU Queer Confessions, Questions and Crushes. The list, which contains the names of 11 alleged rapists, and the Facebook page were removed from social media shortly afterwards. Students mobilized and began a search for the alleged rapists on Sunday evening following the list’s release.

However, the list had already gone viral and caused major upset amongst students who began to converge at the Steve Biko Union Building. The crowd grew into the hundreds as they mobilized and began a “witch-hunt” for those accused on the list.

The crowd of students moved from Union, through to Jan Smuts, Goldfields, Calata, Cullen Bowles and Graham residences where they demanded an explanation from the accused students. Some of the accused were kept in custody by the

crowd as they moved from residence to residence.

Dr. Mabizela intercepted the crowd while they were gathered outside Cullen Bowles residence in an attempt to dissipate the crowd and to make sure that those named on the reference list were unharmed. Dr. Mabizela attempted to engage with the crowd and encourage students to respect the accused’s rights to privacy. This caused major uproar amongst

students called for an academic shutdown if the demands were not met.

As the demands were not met the following day, a decision was made by students to shut down Rhodes University. This decision led students to barricade all the entrances to the university and to disrupt lectures. This was a partial shut-down as the university management team did not endorse it. Many students boycotted their academic classes in solidarity with survivors

#RUReferencelist: list of demands Click to play video of the list of demands made by students. the students and on social media as many felt that Dr. Mabizela and the University management team were protecting the rights of accused rapists, and neglecting the rights of victims.

The crowd of students then moved towards lower campus and gathered around the Purple Fee Square, located outside the Rhodes Drama department.

SRC Activism and Transformation Councillor Naledi Mashishi addressed students and began to draw up a list of demands. Many

as they feel rape is a problem that needs to be addressed.

On Tuesday, 19 April protesters participated in a naked demonstration before they were confronted by police.

The protesters formed a human barricade along Prince Alfred street in defiance of a heavy police presence. Many of the women protesters said that their nudity does not give any man the right to feel entitled to her body.

The situation turned volatile on

Wednesday April 20th when police attempted to disperse a crowd of protesting students by using rubber bullets, stun grenades and pepper spray. Riaad Abdullah, a second year student at Rhodes, was in the front lines of the protest when the chaos erupted. He was hit by a rubber bullet in the leg and avoided any serious injury, however other protesters were not as lucky. “My leg was extremely bruised and I couldn’t walk for a while, the man next to me was hit in the chest and needed medical attention as he was struggling to breathe. It was an extremely traumatic day,” said Abdullah.

Reabetsoe Ralethe, a student and prominent member of the protest claimed that the university and police are focusing on the wrong issues and not the real objective at hand. She stated that police should use excessive force on rapists and criminals, rather than on students who are trying to raise awareness. “We were being treated as the criminals in society while the real criminals are protected by the police and the law,” she stated.

It is clear that the #RUreference protests have highlighted a greater problem in the Sexual Offenses Act. Many students feel they are not protected and that the university has not given an appropriate response to their demands. The Rhodes Law Department claims it will be looking into the Sexual Offenses Act and the university has promised that they will develop a system that will monitor the progress on all issues related to rape and sexual violence in order to ensure a positive change will be made.

This system entailed the appointment of several task teams to look into the various issues.

WOKE May 2016

Rape doesn’t discriminate

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By Samantha Johnson

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n 17 April, a list of alleged sexual offenders was released known as the #RUReferenceList. It is interesting to note that all the alleged offenders were male.

Many of them were dragged out of their residences, with students demanding answers. This list lead to a weeklong protest and academic shut down as students waited for management to address their list of demands.

This protest became a way for women to stand together and show the world they have had enough of nothing being done to help sexual assault victims.

The protest became focused solely on the rape of women by men which then overlooked the issue of male rape by both men and women.

Rape statistics are often difficult to find as many rapes are unreported due to fear or simply because they are ashamed. A study conducted by the Medical Council of South Africa has found that at least 10 % of men have been victims

of sexual assault by other men.

Male rape is a very real thing and the perpetrators aren’t always men, women can be rapists too.

This protest brought to light a very important problem that needs to be resolved. However, in the process of standing up for women as victims of sexual harassment, men who are also victims were lost in the crowd.

Society has created this idea that rape happens to women and men are the perpetrators; it becomes a black and white case.

If a man is assaulted by a woman and fights back, he could become the perpetrator rather than the victim because men rape and woman are victims. Men are seen as strong beings who provide for their families and therefore can’t be victims of assaultmost certainly not by a woman.

The rape of men is not a homosexual act, it is an act of dominance and authority over the victim and the same goes for rape where a woman is the victim.

It is not an attempt to fulfil a sexual urge, it is a violent and cruel way

of asserting dominance and power at the expense of another.

Society needs more protests, more people standing up and refusing to accept that nothing will be done about sexual assault.

But, male sexual assault victims need to be acknowledged. One wouldn’t dare laugh off a woman’s rape, so why are male rape victims not being taken seriously?

Institutions like Rhodes shouldn’t teach students that a woman’s body is hers and she can do with it what she wants, they should teach students that their bodies belong to them and they can do with it what they want. Rape is not a gendered crime; it is a humanity crime.

Men are victims as much as women and until the preconceived notion that only women are raped is dismantled, this problem will never find a solution. People can protest about it as much as they want but unless it becomes an ‘us’ issue, rather than a man vs woman issue, there will never be an end to the rape culture.

The profile picture that was used on social media by those standing in solidarity with the #RUReferencelist protest. Image sourced.

Designed by: Matthew Erasmus

Reference list, rape, and violated rights

By Jeremy de Beer

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Business as usual

Students disrupt a lecture in Eden Grove Red at Rhodes University during the #RUreferencelist protest. Photo by: Jeremy de Beer

By Jason Clarke

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he students from Rhodes University were scheduled to resume normal academic activity on Monday the 25th of April, after one week of the #RUreferencelist protests. This decision caused major upset amongst students and staff as they feel that the protest is being dismissed and swept under the rug by the university’s management.

The decision made by the Rhodes management to resume normal academic activity is being enforced through a court interdict. An interdict is a court order that prohibits specific actions over a temporary period of time.

The order is either finalised or set aside at a later date. The interdict obtained by Rhodes management essentially criminalizes any form of disruption by students, putting what appears to be a swift end to the #RUreferencelist protests. This interdict specifically outlines that students may not participate in any form of extreme protest, specifically the disruption of the academic project. Failure to comply with the interdict will result in the student’s arrest.

This interdict was put in place due to the events of Wednesday the 27th of April when police moved onto the Rhodes campus and used what many would consider excessive force. This involved tear gas, stun grenades and the firing of rubber bullets at a large crowd of protesting students. The management team claim that the interdict was put in place to pro-

tect protesting and non-protesting students alike.

Many students and staff from Rhodes University have openly voiced their disappointment with how the University has continued with regular academic activity, or “business as usual”. By encouraging students to return to “business as usual” through a court interdict, the Rhodes University management team has revealed where they stand, and many students feel it is not in solidarity with the protest. It was an extremely traumatic and emotional week for many students who were emotionally triggered by the #RUreferencelist protest. Many students also feel silenced as their protest is now over, and they are yet to see any changes.

Natalie Donaldson, a psychology lecturer and course co-ordinator, was one of the first lecturers to not only add her voice to the protest, but also voice her disappointment about the university’s lack of response to the demands made by the protesting students.

Donaldson stated that “in this place and time, I am not proud to be a staff member at Rhodes University”.

The Rhodes University management team has left too much uncertainty regarding what will be done moving forward. Rape and sexual assault are a terrible reality that needs to be addressed, and until the University’s management team gives a sufficient , detailed response and the interdict is lifted, many students vow to keep fighting.

ape. Sexual violence. RU reference list. These three issues have been the topic of much debate in the past month ever since a list of alleged rapists was anonymously published on Facebook with the hashtag “RUReferenceList”. The publication of this list resulted in students uniting to protest against the rape and sexual violence policies of Rhodes University, making a list of demands to management. It can unequivocally be agreed that the cause of the protest is serious and that its goals are admirable. The means however, are questionable.

Although the publication of the “reference list” has led to muchneeded discussion, debate, and hopefully transformation, the lives of those eleven people on the list have since been destroyed, their guilt established in the minds of thousands without a trial. This issue is one of great importance as the rights of the accused are protected by South Africa’s Constitution, which serves as the supreme law. An accused has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to prevent false accusations from sending innocent people to prison. This is a fundamental principle of a free, egalitarian society. Although this principle may still apply in a courtroom, it is definitely absent from the minds of many people.

The rights of the accused have been further violated in that an accused has the right to face his or her accuser. By publishing the list anonymously, the people on the list have been deprived of this

right. This is another fundamental principle of our society – the right to rebut defamatory claims made against us. How are these people supposed to defend themselves and disprove such claims when they don’t even know where these claims are coming from?

Another problematic action taken by the protestors was the removal of some of the people on this list from their residences. These people were marched from their residences after a massive crowd gathered outside and were subsequently paraded about as pariah, called on to “answer for their actions”. One was even held overnight, a clear violation of his right to freedom of movement.

This all took place without a single accused stepping foot in a court or being afforded a fair trial.

When people band together to take the law into their own hands, it is often called “mob justice”, however due to the non-violent nature of the protest, “mass vigilantism” seems more accurate.

It must be noted, however, that vigilantism only occurs where the legal agencies designated to deal with such issues are thought to be inadequate, and this is perhaps the crux of the issue. Does rape culture exist?

Yes. Is it a difficult standard of proof? Yes. Is there a need for real transformation in terms of approach and policy? Yes. Should we be able to deprive accused people of their rights? No. This is not to say that the people on the list are innocent – that is for a judge to decide. It is simply to say that they should be given a fair chance to defend themselves before judgement is passed.

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WOKE May 2016

SEXUAL HEALTH

Contraception infographic (above) designed by: Zama Luthuli Sexual Health infographic (left) designed by: Jeremy de Beer

WOKE May 2016

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The ‘F’ word

By Lihle Bakaco

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eminism is a social movement that advocates equal rights for women and men. Recently, the movement has come under attack. Men and some women believe that Feminism has become irrelevant. Legally men and women have the same rights, so the movement has become redundant. It is certainly true that Feminism has granted women the same rights, privileges and opportunities that men have enjoyed for centuries. Does this mean that Feminism is now irrelevant?

There are blogs such as Womenagainstfeminism.tumblr.com in which women post their reasons for being anti-feminist. One woman wrote “I don’t need (Modern) feminism because the world needs equality, not superiority. Some believe that the movement has gone too far in granting women rights: “Feminism, as long as gender is concerned, is about granting more privilege to women.” Has the movement truly done all it can, to improve women’s social, political and economic rights?

According to the United Na-

tions Population Fund, women comprise two thirds of illiterate adults worldwide and 60 percent of the world’s poorest are women. The International Trade Union Confederation and Income Data Services puts South Africa’s gender wage gap at 33.5 percent. As of 2014, the unemployment rate for young women (aged 15-24) is at 57%. The economical position of women cannot be separated from how women are conceived in popular culture.

Women’s bodies are regularly objectified in mass media. This contributes to impossible standards that women have to meet, if they want to be taken seriously.

The inaccurate portrayal of women in male-run mainstream media leads to body-shaming, sex-shaming, slut-shaming, mansplaining, victim-blaming and sexism. Statistically women face far more harassment and assault on the street or in social situations than men and they experience sexist behaviour on a daily basis. Our society has produced a rape culture in which victims are blamed for their own rapes. Rape victims

are frequently questioned about what they were wearing, saying or doing to provoke rape.

Feminism is still relevant for these reasons and many more. As long as there are problems specific to gender there is a need for solutions specific to gender.

That is what feminism is, an ideological system that acknowledges gender problems and then tries to fix them. The modern world has many problems related to gender. Traditional gender roles restrict both genders into living lives controlled by old fashioned customs and values. Feminism has become the new F-word because people do not understand what it truly means and associate feminists with man-hating.

The basic aim of feminism is to spread knowledge about inequality and find ways to prevent gender discrimination. By this definition, anyone who wants equality between the sexes is a feminist. It is evident that society is far from reaching this goal. This is why Feminism is as significant today as it was when women fought for voting rights.

Ziphelele Zulu imitates the “We Can Do It!” Feminism poster.

Photo by: Zama Luthuli

Gender oppression perpetuated through catcalling

By Samantha Johnson

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atcalling affects all types of women, regardless of their race, age or clothing. A global study conducted on more than 16 000 women revealed that majority of the woman have been catcalled or harassed before the age of 17.

Despite efforts to create equal environments for women, many still face a daily battle at the hands of their counterparts. Sexual assault is not limited to physical penetration but includes groping and inappropriate remarks, better known as catcalling.

Second year student, Teneal Potts recounts her assault during a promotion at a local pub.

“They cornered me and touched my bum, and I asked them politely to stop to which they responded with [a series] of dirty remarks,” Potts comments.

She then reported the incident to her male boss who asked whether or not she enjoyed it, commenting that “Some girls like that”.

Catcalling is only one aspect of street harassment and involves gender-based harassment with the aim of making a person feel inferior. The comments are often of a sexual nature leaving the victim feeling vulnerable.

Image designed by: Lihle Bakaco

Leila Stein, editor of The Oppidan Press, discusses her personal

experience of sexual assault.

Stein was out dancing when an intoxicated male student repeatedly groped her from behind despite her objections, which resulted in her pushing him away and him falling over.

His friend eventually apologised to Stein, using his intoxication as a justification for his actions.

Both instances were ‘justified’ either due to the state of the perpetrator or because of the pleasure principle as a result of male attention.

Stein believes harassment in any form is a sign of dominance saying, “I don’t think catcalls benefit anyone, it doesn’t achieve anything - it’s a power play to make you know you are being watched.”

She mentions that it is often an unconscious thing due to the way that society has approached the topic. Stein believes days like International Women’s day should be used to focus on smaller issues like creating gender equality in all spheres rather than simply focusing on political and economic issues.

She believes people should be made aware of these incidents to reveal the unconscious actions which have been deemed normal due to the lack of education regarding gender roles.

WOKE May 2016

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A woman’s experience

By Jeremy de Beer and Samantha Johnson

The voice of Lili Barras-Hargan is not a voice that is easily forgotten. Her calm British accent stands out from the sea of African accents at Rhodes University. Having moved between fifteen different countries throughout her lifetime, it may seem odd that someone so well-travelled would choose to study in a place as small as Grahamstown.

A third year journalism student and majoring in English, Lili’s love of writing has helped her climb to the position of deputy editor at the Oppidan Press. “She’s always willing to listen to my stories and has some good insights for me,” says her editor-in-chief Leila Stein.

Lili explains that she has learned so much through writing and that it is an excellent way to keep teaching yourself. As a journalist, Lili is also passionate about bringing this knowledge to her readers, particularly regarding issues that are close to her heart.

Lili is very open about being a rape survivor and is a proud activist regarding issues of a sexual nature. She is also an active member of the Gender Action Project (GAP) which she believes to be “absolutely fantastic” in terms how they address such issues.

“GAP really emphasises self-care and creates a safe environment where people can speak about the issues that are troubling them

in the way that they want to,” explains Lili.

Currently living in Kuwait, Lili often finds it difficult to balance her respect for the Islam culture there with her strong views as a feminist.

“Just recently I had a woman run up to me and tell me to pull my shirt up. She actually yanked my top up my chest,” says Lili. The experience was a startling one as Lili believes that a woman should be able to wear what she wants to without suffering the judgment of others. What she found most disheartening about her experience was that the woman was carrying a baby girl in her arms.

Coming to Rhodes and being able to go out to a club in the evening with her friends is a refreshing experience for Lili, who is unable to do such things in Kuwait. She finds however that she still dresses in clothing that is not too revealing, not because of her past experiences in Kuwait, but to avoid being sexually harassed. “I don’t know any of my male friends who have to think about what they are wearing in a precautionary sense,” says Lili. There have been occasions in the past where she has had to cross the road to avoid a group of drunk men and a potentially harmful situation. She explains that this is a common experience for many women, and an issue that needs to be addressed.

Lili Barras-Hargan sits outside the Rhodes University Journalism Department and discusses her experience as a woman, feminism, and the sex culture at Rhodes.

Photo by: Jeremy de Beer Lane Tao, a second year male student offers a slightly different perspective. Lane began crossdressing in 2015. “I dress to appear female and experience what it’s like,” Lane explains. He feels lucky as he doesn’t receive much tribulation from people as once he is dressed up, he has the features of an attractive female.

There is however, a flip-side to this.

When Lane dresses as a female, he receives a lot of male attention, which often leads to microaggressions such as catcalling and groping. He gets a small taste of what women have to deal with

“

Lane Tao unashamedly dresses as a woman to experience life from a different perspective.

Photo by: Zama Luthuli

Having suffered such microaggressions herself, Lili believes that there are several issues which need to be addressed in our own environment here at Rhodes to prevent this. One of the biggest things that she believes needs to be addressed are the first year res talks. Lili believes that these are often conducted by people who do not have the training or knowledge to speak to people about issues such as consent. Rather than letting these talks be conducted by untrained House Committee members, Lili believes that these talks should be taken by profes-

I am not ashamed to dress like a woman because I do not think it is shameful to be a woman ” - Iggy Pop

every day. Lane specifically mentions his experiences in Friars and how before dressing as woman, men kept their hands to themselves. However, when dressedup, men will “accidentally” grab his waist.

sional nurses from the Health Care Centre who are equipped to deal with such conversations.

Another thing that concerns Lili is the difference in the tone of these talks between male and female residences. “Generally guys

reses are basically told to just be courteous by not being too loud when it comes to sex whereas female reses are told how to be safe and to not be the ‘campus mattress’,” she explains. Despite her love of laughter and light-heartedness, Lili believes that the humour in many of these talks should never be allowed to detract from their importance.

Lili’s biggest problem with the sex culture at Rhodes however is that “you can never seem to do right”. She elaborates by saying that particularly in the case of women, those who are virgins or do not “hook-up” often are ridiculed and shamed as a result. At the same time, women who “hook-up” often are shamed for being “sluts”. “The thing that keeps getting forgotten is that it’s all about choice, and choice is the real basis of feminism. If you are shaming a woman for a choice she has made, that’s antifeminist,” says Lili.

Despite many people at Rhodes being woke to such issues, Lili believes that people need to continually challenge their views and their upbringing. She has raised her voice to speak out about these issues, and her voice is not easily forgotten.

WOKE May 2016

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Lillian Roberts, a third year English and Politics major recounts her abortion and the academic repercussions due to the politics department.

Photo by: Samantha Johnson

The trauma of abortion at Rhodes

By Samantha Johnson

S

he brought the Pall Mall cigarette to her lips, drawing a breath and inhaling deeply before removing her hand and exhaling into the sky. Soft jazz playing in the background, reminiscent of a vintage bar.

Lillian Roberts, a third year English and Politics major suffered a personal set-back in 2015 which was further aggravated by the lack of understanding from various departments within Rhodes University.

Drawing a breath and exhaling another puff of her cigarette, Roberts explained what happened. “I found out I was pregnant in the last week of the third term and I had term essays [to submit] but I was not about to compare governments in politics when I had just realised I was carrying someone else’s child.”

Roberts commended the San on their assistance in confirming her pregnancy and advising her about what to do next. Desiree Wicks from the Student Bureau reiterated Roberts’s statement about the San stating, “The healthcare centre is very helpful, they will [assist the girls where possible] and will refer them to the various clinics in Grahamstown and PE”.

However, Roberts felt the counselling centre did not give her the attention she needed. Furthermore she mentioned that it felt like her psychologist wasn’t really listening to her and to make matters worse, she forgot that Lillian needed an LOA for her politics essay due to the procedure.

“They were really busy that day and I think my friend instinctively knew that I couldn’t handle this on

my own and that I needed someone to help me get through it. She basically forced someone to see me.”

Roberts’s biggest challenge however, came from the Politics department. Roberts had decided to terminate her pregnancy as soon as possible and went to the Politics department to explain her situation. She spoke directly to the teaching assistant who verbally agreed to extend her deadline until the first week of term. Roberts understood his agreement as giving her until the end of the week to hand in her assignment.

As she had never terminated a pregnancy before, she was unaware that the pills used for a medical abortion would only take effect two days after consumption which pushed her procedure and recovery time back by two days.

However, during her recovery period she received an email from the Politics Department stating that her essay was due the first Tuesday back. As she was still in recovery, Roberts didn’t think to check her emails which resulted in her receiving zero for her essay despite her circumstances.

She was only allowed to hand it in for DP purposes.

“It made me feel like…if the institution loses faith in you, you lose faith in the institution [and] it’s how students like me literally slip through the cracks.”

When questioned on her motives for the termination, she hesitantly paused and inhaled her cigarette before explaining, “When I have a kid I know that I want to give my kid the best start in life that I possibly can and…[what] I decided to end, was the possibility of a child’s life”.

She explained her statement by saying as she was only five weeks along, there was no central nervous system or fully developed brain to feel pain.

Having experienced various other traumas while at the institution, Roberts feels trauma is not being taken seriously enough. Quoting a reading by Victoria Burrows, she mentions that if trauma is not socially and personally acknowledged, then it will remain the eternally un-listened to story.

Looking down at her hands she explained the role of the institution in her trauma saying, “My abortion had to be validated via bureaucratic forms in order for me to be listened to, which is absurd. I should have just been able to say I can’t do this [and been allowed to hand everything in once I was better].”

Roberts feels that women should be given time to deal with the trauma that is attached to having an abortion and that there needs to be a greater understanding of the survivor’s situation in order to help them heal.

As she sat on the couch, she briefly displayed an expression of pain as she mentioned the daily battles she continues to face months after the procedure. She mentions the belated numbing that occurs in instances of severe trauma and reflects on the realisation that she continues to be triggered and often breaks down.

Despite struggling to deal with her trauma, she is continually expected, like many other students in her position, to conform to the confines of the rigorous academic lifestyle in order to complete her degree.

WOKE May 2016

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Why heteronormativity is a cultural norm

By Lihle Bakaco

E

very day we negotiate societal norms and values, and rules that dictate how people should treat each other.

Civilisation is based on these rules, but do these rules and norms help or hinder? These norms are so firmly entrenched in our culture that we never take the time to actually inspect them and see why we have those rules. As a result, our norms and values remain unquestioned.

Heteronormativity is such a norm.

Heteronormativity is an ideology that regards heterosexuality as the only natural way of being. It asserts that heterosexuality is the only moral and ethical way to express sexuality while also regarding nonheterosexuals as deviant because they differ from this standard. The term can also be applied to the social, cultural and legal institutional structures that perpetuate this ideology. Homophobia, heterosexism and all other forms of LGBT discrimination originate from heteronormativity.

Samuel Chambers, a political theorist, understands heteronormativity as a “concept that reveals the expectations, demands, and constraints produced when heterosexuality is taken as normative within a society”. Cathy Cohen, Michael Warner and Lauren Berlant explain that heterosexuality is “oppressive, stigmatizing, and marginalizing of perceived deviant forms of sexuality and gender, and make self-expression more difficult when that expression does not conform to the norm”.

Heteronormativity manifests in The LGBT Pride flag. Image sourced. discrimination which oppresses the rights and unwritten standards of behaviour that disadvantage member of the LGBT community plans on becoming a of queer people.

Heterosexism and homophobia are examples of this. Natalie Donaldson, a queer people. Cultural homophobia is the social standards Life Orientation teacher because she was never given Rhodes lecturer who specialises in studies about sexuality, and norms that dictate that being heterosexual is better or information about being bisexual. “I didn’t think I existed describes heterosexism as a form of discrimination which more moral than being queer, and that everyone is either until I was given the right vocabulary to describe what I assumes that “heterosexuality is normal and natural,” heterosexual or should be. These standards are not written was feeling. As a bisexual, you see straight people on TV and that because of this, it is superior and should be down but they are perpetuated in television shows and and you can picture yourself in that situation half the time, given all the advantages and privileges that come with mass media where virtually every character is heterosexual but not all the time because I’m not straight,” says Nevay.

Within the gay community, homophobia manifests in being heterosexual. Anyone who is not heterosexual and every sexual relationship involves a female and a male.

Dylan Green, a third year OutRhodes member, homonormativity. “Queer people are still stigmatized and is regarded as less human or less deserving of rights.

Homophobia originates from this assumption and substantiates this by saying “Wherever you go and so to gain some semblance of acceptance, they need to is expressed in our institutions and culture. Institutional whatever you do, you are always confronted with a man perform their identities in certain ways. These ways have forms of homophobia are the ways in which businesses, and a women being the ideal version of what a couple to mimic or imitate heterosexuality as close as possible,” government, religious institutions and other organisations should be. As a homosexual, it makes you feel excluded. explains Donaldson. Homonormativity encompasses discriminate against queer people. They do this by setting If you never see yourself represented in the media, the ideals and values of heterosexuality and when policies, allocating resources and maintaining written it feels as if you don’t exist.” Andrea Nevay, another imposed upon queer people, can be extremely harmful.

STAYING WOKE

By Samantha Johnson

I

f you weren’t already woke, we hope this publication has opened your eyes. Social injustices are all around us and simply acknowledging them just isn’t enough.

As an individual occupying a space in society, you have obligations. Just as you are required to pay taxes, you are obligated to respond to the injustices that plague our society. Being woke does not just mean being aware but being awake - being prepared to take a stand and to force others to acknowledge their perpet-

uation in these injustices. Teach yourself, teach your family and friends that patriarchy isn’t okay, homophobia isn’t okay, and rape culture is not okay. In fact, they should not even exist. The South African Constitution contains an extensive Bill of Rights, which includes the right not to be discriminated against due to race, gender and sexual orientation. It also states that everyone has the right to their bodies and to make their own decisions about their bodies.

Why then is homophobia, patriarchy and rape culture still a thing?

These injustices still exist because we allow them to exist, perhaps not consciously but we allow it. As Edmund Burke once said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” This does not just mean men, but everyone. It means you.

We may not agree with the racist joke our friends make, but we laugh along anyway to avoid an awkward situation. We see the lustful look in his eyes as she walks by, but we justify it because, you know, he didn’t do anything and her skirt is a little short.

No. That joke is not funny. That awkward conversation needs to happen. That look in his eyes is not okay. She is entitled to dress or act however she chooses to do because it is her body.

So what can you do to change these situations and to stop the cycle of social injustice?

Don’t just acknowledge the problem, acknowledge those who cause it, and call them out. Put an end to the vicious cycle by saying something instead of trying to justify someone else’s views or actions. Tell the perpetrator

that their mind set perpetuates social injustice, and unless they too put an end to the cycle, it will continue to be a daily struggle.

Be woke, get woke, and stay woke. If you didn’t do it before, make informed decisions before running your mouth or making a hasty decision. Keep striving to further your education and be someone that will not only acknowledge the problem, but fight against it so that we can create an inclusive and safe society. Only then will we achieve the society that we need.

get woke. be woke. stay woke.