There is something distinctly inherited about misogyny.
It lingers and creeps in your veins as if it were a dormant disease. It flows through your blood and poisons the mind. It is almost buried beneath and before you know it, you find yourself looking sideways at the girl you deem promiscuous because she is not docile. You will not realise it is there, even when you pray for a baby boy because they are ‘so much easier to raise’ than girls. Without knowing it you uphold patriarchy in small ways.
This topic is a dead horse that will never stop getting beat. It is constantly on my mind. How can it not be when we live in a world where an abuser can sell out stadiums globally. A world where violence and injustices against women are constantly ignored. Men claim to care but prove daily that they do not. In my opinion, men rarely consider your feelings the same way a women would.
This is evident in the support problematic male celebrities continue to garner. These men are defended and uplifted irrespective of how irredeemable their actions are.
A comment under a TikTok about the recent arrest of Chris Brown.
A comment under a TikTok about Connor McGregor’s court case.
Society expects women to sit idly by, with no bark or bite, because we should be pleased to have a seat at the table. We still have to hope that asking, “What if that was your mother or daughter?” is enough for a man to be empathetic. A woman should not be reduced to her role in a man’s life for her pain to be empathised with.
It does not matter what type of woman you are or aspire to be, nine times out of ten, there is a word out there to demean you. My favourite out of the bunch lately is ‘bird,’ used to refer to a woman who is being wistfully naïve when it comes to seeking male validation. Have you not found the courage to leave your abusive boyfriend yet? Bird. Do you forgive cheating? Bird. Do you complain about your manipulative boyfriend but stay with him? Bird. People on the internet say, “too many birds on the ground and not enough in the sky.”
The latest example are the women on Love Island 2026, namely Melanie Moreno and Aniya Harvey. The term has shifted from holding women accountable for enabling men to blaming women for being mistreated by men. People should be capable of calling out a woman’s wrongdoings without diminishing her entire character, especially without using terms that were created to police women and their actions.
Misogyny shows up in the jokes we find funny; in the memes we reshare; in the bullying we endorse and the two-cent comments we dismiss. It does not just spring up suddenly in unexpected violent outbursts.
It is when we dislike a woman for being too loud, or for taking up too much space, instead of staying in the tiny corner designated for her. We see this experience the most among famous women. From Taylor Swift to Megan Thee Stallion to Chappell Roan, all women hated for different reasons but with one noticeable similarity. In most cases, even if there are valid reasons to dislike these women, rarely are those the reasons why people do.
These ‘jokes’ test your morals and what you deem as okay to say and hear. They question how ignorant you are toward those you love when they make such takes.
Comments under a TikTok about Chappell Roan’s controversy.
Women who are complicit in men’s misogyny should not claim to care about our issues. If you associate yourself with this kind of man, you are complicit. You are the company that you keep. By associating yourself with this type of man, you are that man yourself.
This is the part of the article where I confirm I am not some all-men hating, bitter misandrist. If this is bitter, then bitter is what I will be. As it is, I do not believe we are bitter enough.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, and Adelaide Tambo are often remembered as women who stood behind great men while their husbands were imprisoned, exiled, or silenced by Apartheid. However, that memory is incomplete.
These women are not simply supporting figures in South Africa’s liberation story; they are central characters in it. They were organisers, political actors, caregivers, and leaders who carried families, communities, and, in many ways, the struggle itself on their backs.
The new Netflix documentary The Trials of Winnie Mandela offers a deeply moving portrait of Mama Winnie — from her youth to her marriage, to becoming one of Apartheid’s fiercest opponents, and later enduring public scrutiny during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. What the documentary captures so powerfully is not just Winnie Mandela’s politics, but her resilience.
When Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, Winnie kept his name alive. While the apartheid state tried to crush resistance, she remained visible, vocal, and defiant. At home, she was left to raise two daughters under immense pressure. In public, she became the face of resistance. In private, she still had to be a mother, provider, protector, and head of the household. She was expected to be everything.
That reality is not unique to Winnie Mandela. It is the lived reality of millions of South African women today.
According to Statistics South Africa, approximately 6.1 million households or 37.9% of all households in South Africa were headed by women in 2018, with female-headed households being most common in rural provinces such as the Eastern Cape (46.9%), Limpopo (45.8%), and KwaZulu-Natal (45.0%). More recent figures show that by 2024, that number had risen to 42.4% of households nationwide, meaning more than two in every five South African homes are led by women.
This is not a small social trend; it is the backbone of South African society. And yet, despite carrying homes, raising children, and often being the sole breadwinners, women continue to receive little recognition for their labour. Their sacrifices are normalised. Their struggles are overlooked. Their strength is expected.
Instead of appreciation, many are met with criticism, scrutiny, and impossible standards much like Winnie Mandela herself, whose legacy is too often reduced to controversy rather than the weight of what she carried.
A graphic of resilient women. Graphic and photos: Sanele Sithole
I think of women like my own mother, and countless others whose names will never appear in documentaries or history books, but whose work has held families together against impossible odds. These women build homes from very little. They sacrifice quietly. They endure endlessly, yet we rarely tell their stories in full.
South African history has long celebrated men as heroes, while women are remembered as wives, widows, or footnotes to male greatness. Women were never standing beside history; they were making it.
The question is no longer whether women deserve recognition.
The real question is: when will we finally honour the women who have been carrying this country, often alone, all along?
FEATURED IMAGE: A graphic of resilient women. Photo by: Sanele Sithole
Rirhandzu Shilubane uses her platform to challenge beauty standards and empower women and children.
In a world increasingly shaped by changing beauty standards where weight-loss culture dominates and more young people feel pressured to change their bodies, Rirhandzu Shilubane is working to rewrite that narrative. When she entered the room, she did so with bright energy and a welcoming smile that immediately put one at ease. She has a presence that reflects both confidence and intention.
Shilubane, is a 24-year-old third-year law student at Wits University. She is also a Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. For her, the pageant is not about appearance, but about the impact.
“I’ve always known that I wanted to be a vessel of change,” she says. “Even before I fully understood what that looked like, I knew I wanted to work in a space where I could contribute to something bigger than myself- especially in advancing rights and justice.”
Her academic journey reflects this purpose. “I became interested in how laws actually work in people’s lives, how we make sure rights are not just written but realised.”
Her decision to enter pageantry is rooted in deeply personal experiences. Growing up, she often felt excluded because of her body size during pageants at her primary school.
Rirhandzu Shilubane, Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. Photo: Dzulani Muthaphuli/ Plain World PicturesRirhandzu Shilubane, Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. Photo: Dzulani Muthaphuli/ Plain World Pictures
“I wanted to be part of something that tells young girls, especially those who look like me, that they are worthy, that they are seen,” she says. “Representation matters. When you see someone who looks like you taking up space, it gives you permission to do the same.”
Through her initiative, Elevate Her and Children, Shilubane has translated advocacy into action, running food and clothing drives, supporting a children’s home, and organising programmes centred on dignity and care.
“Dignity is a basic right,” she says. “Sometimes we think it’s something abstract, but for many children, it’s about being acknowledged, being cared for, being given space to just be children.”
Her advocacy for body positivity is equally extensive. “It’s not just about plus-size women,” she explains. “It’s about everyone. You could wake up tomorrow in a different body, but if you’re not at peace with yourself, nothing changes. Body positivity is about being comfortable in your own skin, regardless of size, shape, or appearance.”
Despite criticism that often surrounds beauty pageantry, Shilubane remains steady in her purpose. “I understand the criticism, because some spaces do reinforce harmful standards,” she acknowledges. “But for me, this platform is about deconstructing those ideas. Even if I only reach one person, if one girl starts to see herself differently, then that is enough.”
Rirhandzu Shilubane, Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. Photo: Dzulani Muthaphuli/ Plain World Pictures
Her resilience, she says, is rooted in her upbringing. “My mother taught me that when a door closes, you don’t stop- you find another way in,” she says.
Looking ahead, Shilubane hopes to use her law degree to expand access to justice and empower communities through education. “People are not voiceless,” she says. “They have voices, they just need platforms that amplify them. I want to be part of creating those platforms.”
Her message to young women is both simple and profound: “When you fully embrace who you are, you give others the freedom to do the same. And that is where real change begins.”
FEATURED IMAGE: Rirhandzu Shilubane, Top 14 finalist in the Face of Plus-Size South Africa 2026 pageant. Photo: Dzulani Muthaphuli/ Plain World Pictures.
South Africa’s falling birth rate is not an accident, it’s a choice as women’s aspirations are reshaping the future.
South Africa’s declining birth rate is more than just a statistic; it is a powerful indicator of a societal shift, driven by women demanding more for themselves.
According to the latest Mid-Year Population Estimates (MYPE) 2025 report by Stats SA, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in 2025 has fallen to an average of 2,21 children per woman, down from its peak in 2008 at 2,78 children per woman on average.
This downward trend is further supported in a recent study by Microtrends, which states that the South African birth rate for 2025 is 18.50 births per one thousand people, which is a 1.32% decline from 2024’s 18.75 births per one thousand people.
This decline is not merely a demographic trend, but signals societal transformation. There has been a mental and cultural shift in the attitudes towards parenthood. More and more South African women are choosing to delay or even relinquish having children altogether.
Research firm Eighty20 attribute this decline to a number of reasons including but not limited to: better access to healthcare and family planning, delayed marriages, and the cost of raising children. Most importantly, women have improved access to education.
With the scarcity of jobs and rising cost of living, raising a child is becoming increasingly expensive, especially in a country like South Africa where the high youth unemployment rate remains a critical issue.
It raises a particularly important question: can we truly afford the lives we imagine for ourselves, let alone for the next generation?
Historically, success for women was defined by marriage and bearing children, but traditional norms are now being challenged. The meaning of success has been redefined for the new generation of South African women.
As women make more informed choices, a new set of priorities is emerging. Many are now putting their education, careers, and personal growth first and pursuing financial independence, which these days is often referred to as ‘chasing the bag’.
While children are often considered a blessing, it would be irresponsible not to acknowledge the immense responsibility and personal sacrifice that come with raising a child. Parenting is a full-time commitment that often falls disproportionately on women. In a society where support systems are limited, many are questioning the feasibility of bringing a child into the world, not only for themselves but also for the child.
These cultural shifts are not just unique to South Africa, they echo global feminist movements such as South Korea’s 4B Movement, where women opt out of dating, marriage, sexual relations with men, and having children.
Although South African women may not fully embrace this approach, the underlying desire for autonomy and personal freedom is an indicator of how traditional norms are being challenged worldwide.
While it is important to celebrate the growing autonomy of South African women, we must also consider the implications for future generations. According to a report by The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), declining birth rates often lead to ageing populations and eventually, shrinking workforces. Over time, societies may be faced with strained economic systems and social services such as grants and pension funds.
Whether women choose to embrace motherhood or not, at the heart of this transformation lies a simple, undeniable truth: women want more for themselves – they want better.
The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of sporting excellence, and these women athletes are the perfect example of South African sporting talent.
This year, South African Women’s Month coincides with the Summer Olympic Games, which makes it a perfect time to honour just some of the countless women who have made history in these prestigious games. From Penny Heyns to Caster Semenya, South African women have continued to showcase their skills at the highest level.
The Olympics are some of the oldest athletic competitions in the world, starting in 776 BC, but women only joined the competition in the 1900 games. South Africa has an interesting relationship with the Olympic games because of the nation’s Apartheid policy which had them banned from 1964 until the negotiations to end Apartheid began in 1990 (Olympedia). This means South African women only participated in the Olympic Games on a larger scale from the 1992 Summer Games, with 26 women at once, as opposed to the combined 31 between 1920 and 1990.
Since their readmission, South African women have proven to be worthy contenders, holding their weight in all competitions, from swimming to athletics and even hockey.
Penelope ‘Penny’ Heyns, one of the nation’s most successful competitors, won 3 total medals (two gold and one bronze), and became one of the world’s greatest swimmers after becoming the first woman in Olympic history to win both the 200m and 100m breaststroke events at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
Despite questions about her gender, Caster Semenya won gold medals in Women’s 800m athletics at the London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics. Semenya’s Olympics journey was cut short when World Athletics (formerly International Association of Athletics Federations) ruled in 2018 that she and other female athletes like her with high testosterone levels should take medication to reduce these levels. She remains one of the greatest South African women athletes to participate at the Olympics.
Tatjana Smith (formerly Schoenmaker) is yet another South African woman who continues to achieve phenomenal results at the Olympic Games. As of July 30, Smith received one gold medal in the women’s 100m breaststroke event, the country’s first of the tournament. This gold medal achievement is her third after winning two others at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where she set a new world record for the Women’s 200m breaststroke.
These are just a few of South Africa’s amazing women athletes who have flown the South African flag high. Their passion, dedication, and skill serve to inspire generations of young women as the country celebrates women this Women’s Month.
FEATURED IMAGE: Tatjana Smith posing with her Olympic gold medal on TV. Photo: Kamogelo Kungwane
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