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By  Raeesah Noor-Mahomed  There is no experience that can be equated to standing in a crowd, screaming at the top of your lungs and collectively marching for a cause. United in anger at the injustice you are facing. Calling for a change. Womxn have faced oppression from men for hundreds of years. We have been shut down and silenced for so long. But we have had enough. Womxn all over South Africa have taken a stand against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Womxn have organized protests and shutdowns. Womxn are fighting against the system of oppression. Womxn are revolutionary. We have a voice. And we are going to use it. I am a 17-year-old female. The world is a scary place for women and marginalized groups and South Africa’s GBV rate is four times more than the global rate. We, as the youth of South Africa, have decided that we are not going to sit down and watch our sisters get killed. We decided to take a stand. The morning after Uyinene’s body was di...

By Janet Gilman We mostly hear myths about menstruation as South Africans. And often, these myths lead to young women to feeling embarrassed and outcasted for experiencing something that happens to them every month. My experiences about menstruation were that I can't cook for my dad or any male when I am on my periods cause bad luck would follow up. I can't allow any woman on her periods to touch my hair or else my hair will fall off and last but not least I can't be around men when on my periods cause it'll make my blood flow heavier and I might lose a lot of blood. Afrika Tikkun's students busy writing down their thoughts in QRATE's Menstruation workshop. How many more myths and untrue stories should we hear, listen and digest about being a woman on her menstrual cycle?! It's time we normalized menstruation and found pride with walking out of a classroom full of boys and see no harm nor embarrassment about flashing our pads, ta...

By Traver Mudzonga Son: “Daddy, what does it mean to be a man?” Father: “Nothing son, absolutely nothing.”  Food for Thought : What do boys in South Africa think about being boys today? What do they imagine is expected of them? Whom do they look up to and how are they navigating the transition from being boys to becoming men?  What does it mean to be a man? That a man does not cry? That a man provides and protects? Maybe these are not the right questions.  But maybe this story will provide the right answers.  Andisiwe and Tshepo, a newly married young couple, are planning on having a baby. Tshepo wants a daughter but his aunts are adamant that his firstborn should be a boy, “to carry on the family name” they say. His uncles also insist that his firstborn must be a boy too, “to show that he is a man in the bedroom” they say.  On the other hand, Andisiwe wants a son for a firstborn and her mother agrees, “to please your hu...

by Mokgabo Maletswa and Natacha Martins Teaching a kid about consent has nothing to do with teaching them about sex. It’s about respecting boundaries. We believe parents can start educating children about consent and empowerment as early as 1 year old and continuing into the university years. It is our sincere hope that this post can help us raise empowered young adults who have empathy for others and a clear understanding of healthy consent.  To teach a child about the concept of consent and what consent entails, one must consider what is meant by the phenomena termed ‘consent’. So, what is consent really? What does consent involve? What should we be aware of when bearing in mind such a concept? In general terms, consent is a matter of an individual granting someone or something permission for a particular event to take place. It is the achievement of willful acknowledgment, sexual acceptance and eventually permission (expressly stated)...

As seen in Part One, a lot and more has been said about teaching little girls about menstruation, hygiene, and social taboos associated with it and such, but seldom do we talk about how to enlighten our little boys on this topic. Don’t you think it is as important for us to teach our sons in a very healthy way about the concept of menstruation? Isn’t that also one of the most important steps towards eradicating the social taboos that still exist in our society regarding menstruation? Half the population has periods, so why not make sure the half that doesn’t is also informed? Every boy should learn about period education.  This is in part why a recent report has called for boys, as well as girls, to learn about periods and the menstrual cycle at school. Plan International, the charity behind the report, suggests there is a need to talk more about the issue as many girls feel embarrassed – with the menstrual cycle tarnished with stigma and taboo.  Their findings al...

Fact: People with periods menstruate monthly for about 40 years - close to 500 times in a lifetime.  Fact: Not talking about periods creates confusion, oppression, and societal harm.  It is important to talk about menstrual health, society has for too long made it a taboo. Menstruation, despite being a completely natural and common occurrence for young girls and women for as long as our species has existed is one of the most misunderstood and feared phenomena. MANY girls believe that periods are a burden to be borne every month, silently and in shame. Society is complicit in teaching girls that menstruation is a dirty little secret. The messaging about periods is that they are best suffered quietly and that they are certainly not appropriate for polite conversation. Normalise Menstruation - by Hey Ellen  It is critical for both girls and boys to know that having your period is a natural  and important part of gr...

The New Year is here which means it is time for you and your family to set resolutions. You probably think, why does my child need resolutions ?  When it comes to children, achieving goals or resolutions can play a critical role in developing healthy self-esteem and confidence. Start by explaining to your child first what a resolution means, and give examples of ones you have set in past years.  Just keep in mind that resolutions should always be discussed in a positive way with children. For example: Saying "I'm going to do this..." instead of "I'm going to stop doing this."  If your child suggests well-intentioned but vague ideas like "Be a better friend" or "Be healthier," try to help them filter those ideas into tangible actions that can be done every day, either by themselves or together as a family.  Try using the SMART method with setting resolutions: S = Specific Let's say your child wants to get better grad...