Most of our interviews to date have mostly been with people in the entertainment and media industries.
Last month, August 2011, was Women's Month in South Africa.
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In honor of this important time of the year, we spoke to a young, vibrant South African woman about her life, her career and her feelings about women in the country.
She is an accomplished writer, academic and lecturer and so we value her opinion.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Pretoria, where my maternal grandmother lived at the time, and grew up in
Polokwane, the hometown of my father’s family.
Where do you currently live?
I currently live and work in Johannesburg.
What is your profession?
I graduated with a Masters degree in Sociology, and I lecture a course based on my research, so professionally I identify as an academic, a sociologist, and also as a writer and poet.
Because South African women are so diverse and multi-faceted, how would you describe your identity as a South African woman?
I agree that identity is made up of various layers that we wear over time, and so I identify as a South African Muslim woman, a writer, academic and artist. My forefathers came from India, and so there’s a cultural link along with a spiritual affiliation to Middle Eastern traditions.
In South Africa, the term ‘Women’s Empowerment’ is often used in many spaces to mean many things, but what does the term mean for you?
Empowerment, especially of women in both the local and global context, is a responsibility on all to make efforts to eradicate violence and discrimination. Extended, it also means that we should do everything we can to make up for deficient education and job opportunities in order to empower citizens, mothers, women professionals in order to ensure a better future for all.
Have you been able to travel to other countries? If so, what was the impression that you had of the women in the countries that you visited?
I’ve travelled extensively, and the contradictions are apparent in cases where traditional cultures have patriarchal bias in the way that women are treated, even in countries such as ours where so-called democracy and equal opportunity is the suggested mode. For example, in India, where literacy is high (in South India as much as 99%), women are still subjected to stigma and discrimination in the home and autonomy is limited. But this is not particular to India, studies suggest that this is the case across the globe, with individuals from various backgrounds. Patriarchal underpinnings of society, where expectations on women and the way that women’s behaviour is regulated is interpreted by men, can be seen as the main obstacle on the path of women’s empowerment.
Growing up, did you have any consciousness of the socio-economic and political position of women in your community, or was this an awareness you gained later in life?
I have been surrounded by strong decisive women, as my grandmother was widowed at the age of 39 and she brought my mother and her younger sister up, as a single mom. Also, my grandmother comes from a family of six sisters and so these were the first and immediate women that I encountered. Through networks of family and community, I have always been aware of womens position in the family and in society, and of the trials and stigma that are faced by women in particular.
You are an accomplished writer on the subject of ‘women’. One of your books is ‘Daughters are Diamonds: Honour, Shame & Seclusion – A South African Perspective.’ Can you tell us what the book is about and what inspired you to write it?
‘Daughters are Diamonds: Honour, Shame and Seclusion- A South African Perspective’, was published in 2007. The thesis documents narratives of women in traditional Indian Muslim homes and looks at the disparities in autonomy and decision-making 'allowed' to these women, living in democratic South Africa. It also looks at primary texts that inform cultural behaviour and especially the expectation on women, defining patriarchal readings of for example the Quran and other social laws that predetermine what women might see as religious obligation. Since then, my work has developed into a cross-cultural contemporary feminism course that I teach at intervals at various Universities, UKZN, Wits and a once off series at Humboldt in Berlin which provided further fascinating data to add to the mix.
How do you feel about South African women’s roles in society today? And what improvements do you hope for?
Needless to say, women in South Africa can be seen to lead at various levels, as home-based caregivers, in professional positions, as activists and community empowerment leaders. Women are making their voices heard against violence, race and abuse that affects not only women themselves. While I have no doubt that women will continue to reach these great heights and nurture society, I would like to see an end to discrimination and the obstacles such as stigma that block their path. As a society, we need to rethink our ways of seeing. And it starts with re-educating children, boys and girls, about respect for each other and shared goals and objectives forward.
Which women do you admire and why?
There are a number of women in the world, in history and in my personal life who have made a huge impact on how I see the world, and on my reflections as to being the best that I can be, and encouraging others to do the same. My list would be endless if I tried to do justice to the names here, but I feel grateful for the wonderful women (and men) whom I have had the honour and pleasure of knowing or reading about.
What is your biggest achievement to date?
My biggest achievement to date is the realisation that to truly make a difference, there is still much work to be done.
What are your dreams for yourself?
My dreams? I want to be able to fulfil the personal commitments that I have made.
Where can people follow you and get to know more about you?
I am available on the usual social media sites:
Facebook and Twitter @shafinaaz and also have my site http://shafinaaz.wordpress.com .
Alternately, read my blog at http://memoirs4kimya.blogspot.com
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