Unpacking gender inequality by Hazel Sibande

I stood uncomfortably outside my aunt's house as she disgustingly and pitifully looked at me as i walked in. I knew why. It was because of the way i was dressed: torn jeans, baggy t and shoes that screamed look at me, the way a typical teenager would be dressed in. She then asked me what my plans for the future were and what were my thoughts on marriage. I told her the truth, which was a mistake.I told her about the career i would follow and that marriage was for me, it was a very disguised way to trap one.All hell broke loose because a serious lecture followed. I was told the function of a women which really angered me, ' to serve your husband and bear him children, heirs' those were exactly my aunt's words.She told me that a career was for men only, i just had to worry about keeping him happy.

after that frustrating encounter with my aunt, i thought a lot about it. Why is it happening and why are we allowing it? The answer is just laying in the air really, we are oppressed and we let it happen. the funny thing in all of this is that we teach and encourage ourselves to in equality.We live in a society where in most households girls are being taught to become wives with a little education on the side so you aren't a brainless wive, clever enough but not enough to challenge your husband, that is very wrong if you were born in a religious or cultural background. 

The causes of this go all the way back to the apartheid era and beyond. We are used to this and we will continue to do so until our mindsets actually change themselves. This has been embedded and forced unto us and many may even hide behind doors and say' we are over this, why are we still coming back?' Our struggles are actually sugercoated.

By Hazel Sibande
Age 17
New Nations School 

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