‘Culture’ trumps women’s rights

[Lindile Ndlovu]

Thursday, 13 September 2007
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Posted to the web on: 13 September 2007
‘Culture’ trumps women’s rights 

It smacks of double standards for King Goodwill Zwelithini and other,
mostly male, proponents of “virginity testing” to argue that the
practice should be continued because “it is our tradition and culture”,
and to label all those critical of it as “anti-Zulu” and
“anti-African”.

This argument has been invoked selectively by self-styled
“traditionalists” and “custodians” of Zulu-African customs who, while
waving the traditional and cultural flag, are very happy to embrace the
material goods of western culture and civilisation.

Strangely, when it comes to issues of gender equity, gay rights and
children’s rights, hiding behind culture and tradition becomes a very
convenient and popular tactic for sexist conservative African
patriarchs.

In the T section of Umlazi township, south of Durban, women are
prohibited from wearing trousers. The argument is that this is
“un-African” and “un-Zulu”. By prohibiting women from wearing trousers
at the recent Reed Dance ceremony in Nongoma, the organisers were, in
effect, endorsing the patriarchal mentality of the Umlazi men.

Yet what is so traditional about the Zulu king dressed up in an
expensive western suite and being chauffeured around in a convoy of
German luxury cars while the majority of his subjects are facing
serious socio economic challenges?

The KwaZulu-Natal constitution — a w estern concept — provides for the
king to receive millions of taxpayers’ money every year. Is this
traditional? Has the royal family ever complained about this imposition
of western/European ideas on the Zulu people?

It is also rather disingenuous to equate women’s rights, gay rights,
etc, with European culture, as some African traditionalists, including
presidential hopeful Jacob Zuma, have done. The reality is that the few
rights being enjoyed by women and minorities in this male-dominated
capitalist world are not European, but were acquired through bitter
struggles. Europeans are just as patriarchal and anti-gay as most
conservative societies.

Well into the 20th century in Victorian England women were regarded as
the property of their husbands or fathers. A husband could legally beat
his wife as long as the stick he used was not thicker than his thumb.

Virginity testing reinforces the age-old sexist belief that women are
the possessions of their husbands and fathers.

Let us not hide behind culture and African customs to justify the
oppression of women, and to deny others their constitutionally
guaranteed rights.

Percy Ngonyama
Percy Ngonyama
Durban
Durban

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