By Jani Roux
The year is 2022 and women of this new era now have the right to vote, to be treated equally in the workplace and even to do something as simple as wear pants on campus or get a credit card in their own name. These are simple things that most women 100 years ago weren’t allowed to do, which makes it fitting that the official theme for International Women’s Day (8 March) this year was “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. So, in honour of this day, Die Matie turned to a few women of Stellenbosch for their thoughts on a few questions.
Tamlin Rademeyer, first-year BA (Humanities)
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
“Overcoming barriers and just celebrating all that we have achieved. It’s crazy to think how far we’ve come.”
What woman do you look up to who breaks the bias surrounding women ?
“Yara Shahidi. She’s a 21-year-old actor and activist. She’s basically a woman Mandela — Womandela, if you will.”
Asanda Mkhize, second-year BA (Humanities)
If you could say something to all the women of the world, what would it be?
“To quote Kris Jenner, ‘You’re doing amazing sweetie!’”
Chané Greeff, second-year BA (Language and Culture)
What woman do you look up to who breaks the bias surrounding women?
“All women, actually. I think there is strength in laughter, and when I see women passing me, laughing with their friends, their positivity gives me hope.”
Patricia Potgieter, first-year BA (Language and Culture)
What would you change about the assumptions men have about women?
“I wish men would treat [each of] us like a person rather than a woman. What I mean is that we are able to accomplish things not because we are women and get things handed to us but because we are people that have drive and ambition and have to work hard for what we want, just like they do.”
