CELEBRATE AND HONOUR WOMEN’S DIVERSITY

By: Nthateng Mhlambiso (Managing Editor)

Talking about women’s month and women’s issues, a debate with a friend disturbed me last night when she accused lesbians of isolating themselves and wanting special attention.

She said this as she was convincing me to attend and cover some Women’s event where my response was that I did not see anything that has to do with lesbians in the programme and that as an editor of an LGBTI publication our stories should always serve our target audience.

Rightfully, she said that lesbians are women and that every aspect of life that affects women also affects lesbians as they are real women.

While this is true, I am concerned about programmes and interventions that bind all women with one belt despite the diversity of our issues.

We may be women but our problems differ and I believe that they require targeted and specific interventions.

A young unemployed black graduate faces dissimilar issues from a lesbian who could not get a chance to get educated because she was disowned by parents due to her sexual orientation.

Same applies to young women who abuse alcohol and drugs because they can afford to while some are drug slaves because they want to temporarily forget about poverty and circumstances at home. 

I believe that in order to solve a bigger problem one needs to break it down and remedy each issue accordingly instead of just generic reactions that end up helping no one.

Issues of heterosexual women living with HIV need to be addressed differently from those of lesbians who are targets for corrective rape and don’t have anything to protect themselves with at first place.

Presently when experts talk about HIV prevention, you hear abstain, condomise and be faithful, the condomise part is a solution for heterosexual women but how does one expect a lesbian to condomise when having sex with another woman.

Condoms and fermidoms are for heterosexuals not lesbians. The sad reality is that lesbians remain left out in HIV preventions strategies in this country.

One may say that lesbians need special attention or special rights but I know that when it comes to women’s issues, or any other issue for that matter, dealing with one problem at a time and specifically addressing it, can only ensure accurate and inclusive interventions that will benefit everyone.
So as we celebrate Women’s Day on 9 August let us honour all women, heterosexual and gay, let us celebrate and acknowledge their diversity and most of all let us make sure that women from all walks of life are respected, their needs are catered for and that they have a voice in this democracy.

wathint' abafazi,
wathint' imbokodo,
uza kufa!

You strike a women,
you strike a rock,
you will be crushed