Modiehi Khuele looks at how patterns of patriarchy are being reproduced in the new social movements, and contributes to gender inequality in South Africa today.
Despite the victories witnessed in the struggle for national liberation in South Africa for the past 11 years, the country remains one of the most unequal societies.
The struggle for national liberation was for equality, fraternity and sharing, phasing out all forms of oppression against Black South Africans. Patriarchy – or male dominance is one of the worst forms of oppression that is still prevalent today. By definition patriarchy is a social and cultural system promoting male domination over others, especially women. The struggle for national liberation serves as an important point of reference in beginning to interrogate the impact of a patriarchal system as the major cause of the absence of significant women’s participation in the new emerging social movements in South Africa.
Defining Patriarchy
Patriarchy is defined and interpreted by many from various angles and perspectives. But the common thread running through all interpretations is male domination. It is seen by some as being rooted in tribal societies and reinforced by cultural values derived from male dominance. Patriarchy has penetrated all aspects of human thinking and relations to the extent that it has become universal. This is why it has been perceived as a natural and unchangeable phenomenon as opposed to being a socially constructed one.
Although it existed before capitalism, patriarchy has been consolidated under capitalism. Patriarchy’s functionality to the capitalist world order has contributed to its penetration into social, economic, political and psychological spheres of life. Social relations under capitalism have been structured to ensure the exploitation of the working class, accumulation and the reproduction of capitalist social relations.
Although the ANC-led government has placed a lot of emphasis on gender equality at policy and legislative levels, patriarchy still has deep psychological and cultural roots entrenched within society. These roots have found their way beside the advocacy for the new political agenda; gender equity. The quota system for parliamentary seats, which was initiated in 1997 of 1:3, was intended to break the impasse in other spheres of life as well. However, little has been done so far except talk shows translating themselves through workshop seminars. Women still remain marginalised because they are not competent or trained in the most senior posts they hold. Men enjoy most of the privileges as before. Therefore, patriarchy is the main cause of women’s oppression in all societies.
South Africa
The negative impact of the neoliberal Growth, Employment & Redistribution (GEAR) programme on the masses in South Africa, resulted in the emergence of new social formations struggling against its impact. The neoliberal agenda promotes privatisation of state assets, putting emphasis on a market-driven economic developmental path. This has created socio-economic conditions which contribute to the perpetuation of social inequalities in terms of wealth and access to resources and social amenities, with women being on the receiving end. Inevitably, the poor and the historically marginalised suffer the consequences of the negative effects of such an agenda, most importantly the working class communities and women. Privatisation thrives and sustains itself through the continuous exploitation of natural resources, raw materials and cheap labour whilst aggravating gross human abuse and labour turnover – retrenchments, lay offs, mine closures as well as economic instability in the work place.
New Social Movements
The new social movements have been concerned with the impact of neoliberalism on the lives of working people. Despite the oppression of women, the social movements have focussed their energies on the struggles against the privatisation of basic services such as electricity and water, as well as land evictions. Issues that directly affect women have been ignored. Whilst acknowledging that the denial of basic services has a greater impact on women and thus important to struggle against, patterns of patriarchy continue to serve as a barrier towards a more comprehensive realisation of victory.
Given the absence of a strong women’s movement in South Africa, high numbers of working class women have begun participating in the social movements that emerged after apartheid, mainly with the hope of finding an enabling platform for women to raise and articulate the challenges they are confronted with in this period.
The social movements and their struggles exhibit some of the tendencies that were prevalent in the national liberation movements. Once again, the struggles against issues that directly affect women continue to be masked by the broader struggle against neoliberalism, globalisation and privatisation. Issues that directly affect women such as violence and abuse against women and girl children, HIV/Aids, the struggles for reproductive health rights are given minimal attention. The fact that such issues are also a direct manifestation of the neoliberal agenda is downplayed.
Patterns of Patriarchy within Social Movements
It is also clear that within the new social movements, women activists continue to grapple to advance and defend their interests in the changing political and economic environment. Social movements in their newness have male leadership that excludes women from influencing the operational and cultural direction of their organisations. This impacts on women’s participation. An elevation of women into leadership as an attempt to reflect gender equality in most cases serves as a mere front that is still very much dictated by men behind the scenes. Where women are seen to be influential it is, in most cases, those who have a middle class background. This means that the real issues that affect working class women are sometimes compromised. While one acknowledges the contribution of middle class leaders in facilitating the theoretical perspectives for the participation of women in social movements, it is important for working class women to speak for themselves. Within the social movements, issues that directly affect women are often downplayed. Given the leadership composition and women’s lack of confidence, it is difficult to ensure that some of these issues are put on the agenda. Some of these issues include the following:
- The minimal attention paid to the need for childcare facilities, also prevents the participa- tion of women. Within some organisations there are also hidden forms of sexual exploitation of female members.
- The downplaying or rejection of forums for women to discuss their issues within some of the social movements. For some, providing a forum for women to discuss their issues is perceived as a declaration of a ‘war of the sexes’.
- The lack of solidarity amongst women members within the social movements is an obstacle to advancing women’s interests. Some women have internalised patriarchal values and norms, and this is an obstacle to women within the movements. For example, women do not nominate and vote other women into positions of influence within organisations.
Defence Mechanisms
Beyond overt reflections of male domination is a hidden and unspoken form of male domination: the manipulation and exploitation of women sexually to advance and reassert male power. (Women must, however, also take responsibility for this.) Fortunately, this trend is in gradual decline as women occupy their political space. Accompanying this is another tendency that advances the rejection of the creation of women’s spaces within organisations to articulate their views. That is, women’s issues are misinterpreted as women causing division and waging a “war of the sexes” with their male counterparts. These defence mechanisms are geared towards the protection and the preservation of patriarchy that will continue to limit the advancement of women’s struggles, and those of the social movements.
Conclusion
The idea is not to create a shift towards female domination. It is my contention that it is only through exposing and debating some of these issues that male domination will be challenged. Only then can we fully realise a situation where women will advance their interests. This will contribute to developing an ideological framework within which women can locate their struggles in a manner that the male is not seen as the enemy but as an ally in the common struggle towards gender equity.
Modiehi Khuele is a gender activist and a member of the Khanya Journal Editorial Collective.
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