ISSUE 5: JANUARY 2013 CONTENTS Black Consciousness: Black Consciousness A Mind of One’s Own 2 and Feminism 7 Introduction: The Role of Black Consciousness Contradictory Locations: Black Black Consciousness in Redefining Contemporary Women and the Discourse of the and Gender 1 Black Masculinity 4 Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa 13 Black Consciousness and Gender ince the advent of South Africa’s Journal, we reflect on the ways in which democratic dispensation, discourse the ideology of Black Consciousness (BC) Son gender, and particularly the role of historically contributed to the liberation of women in society, has gained prominence. women, and the ways in which this philo- Enshrined in the Constitution are certain sophy continues to shape feminist thinking inalienable rights that guarantee girls and in the 21st century. With that said, we women equality under the law. The African also explore the short-comings of BC and National Congress, the governing party since the Black Consciousness Movement in 1994, has gone so far as to mandate that advancing gender equality. Our hope is women comprise 50% of their leadership; that this issue of the FrankTalk journal will and indeed, South Africa has one of the highest provide another framework through which NKOSINATHI BIKO rates of female representation in its parlia- to understand these topics—and make real Chief Executive Officer of the Steve ment globally. Yet, paradoxically, South Africa notions of equality. Biko Foundation also has one of the highest incidences of To lead us into this discussion, we are reported rape anywhere in the world. Further, pleased to bring you contributions from four women in our country, as is the trend globally, individuals who have reflected on Black are disproportionally poor and carry the great- Consciousness and Gender in their various est disease burden. capacities as feminist scholars, political “One must Confronted with this contradiction, there analysts and activists. immediately dispel are moments on the national calendar in We look forward to bringing you more which South Africa pauses to consider perspectives on contemporary socio-economic the thought that the role of women in society: to celebrate and political issues in the coming editions Black Consciousness their contributions and to examine their of the journal and invite you to share your is merely a challenges. As South Africa concluded the 16 contributions with us via email: days of activism against the abuse of women [email protected] or the FrankTalk Blog methodology or a and children and celebrated the 66th www.sbffranktalk.blogspot.com. means towards an birthday of Steve Biko last month, we at Continue the dialogue through Facebook the Steve Biko Foundation take a moment to www.facebook.com/TheSteveBikoFoundation end.” Steve Biko consider Black Consciousness and Gender. and Twitter www.twitter.com/BikoFoundation. In this, the fifth edition of the FrankTalk 2 Black Consciousness A Mind of One’s Own By Mohau Pheko lmost every canonised Western are marginalised and discriminated philosopher is on record as viewing against in society, to acquire a critical Awomen as inferior, incompetent, consciousness. This literacy is a critical or disqualified epistemic or moral agents. consciousness for interrogating racism There are social arrangements that and sexism. It helps examine the subordinate or oppress women which representations of African women and are served and protected by patterns of African life in literature and popular culture. belief and social interactions that make It helps us figure out how these rep- truths about women’s subordination and resentations enhance and undermine its alternatives hard to recognise, or easy the capacity of African women to to cover up. determine their own fate. Black Con- Black Consciousness makes such sciousness is a tool that makes it easier social orders costly if not impossible. This to scrutinise in particular, the way in AMBASSADOR MOHAU PHEKO consciousness keeps certain testimonies which such representations work to impeachable where they nonetheless enslave or liberate African women, Mohau Pheko is currently the South emerge. To this general end it helps to reinforce or challenge racism in whites, African ambassador to Japan. have discredited certain categories of and sustain or subvert white supremacy. This comes after her post as South testifiers in advance. So it has been with Black Consciousness reminds us that African high commissioner to women and Black Consciousness and white lives and African lives are doubtless Canada. As a political economist, the societies it informs. just as segregated today as ever. Now, Mohau Pheko is one of the most Steve Biko in “The Quest for a True however, we watch a lot of images of respected voices in development Humanity,” I Write What I Like says “We African women on TV and in other media. economics. A specialist in the do not want to be reminded that it is The presence of such images creates position of women in economics, we, the indigenous people, who are an illusion of familiarity, a ‘sisterhood’ of Pheko has worked as a consultant poor and exploited in the land of our sorts, a kind of simulated integration. Yet to Southern African governments birth. These are concepts which the few of these images are produced by and companies and for numerous Black Consciousness approach wishes African people, or challenge stereotypes international programmes. In 1998 to eradicate from the black man’s mind of African women. In terms of race, she set up the Motheho Integrity before our society is driven to chaos by class, and gender, white people talk Consultants, a company which irresponsible people from Coca-Cola about “the black family,” “unemployed specialises in providing economic and hamburger cultural background.” black women,” or whomever, as if they research, policy and literature to This easily translates into a clear know what they are talking about- as if parliamentarians, civil servants and message; we women do not want to be African people were speaking instead of women’s organisations. Pheko is reminded that it is we, who are poor and being spoken about. Their conversations also coordinator of Gender and exploited in the land of our birth. For me, create the illusion that they know African Trade Network in Africa. an African woman, Black Consciousness people’s lives. as espoused by Steve Biko is a necessary Black Consciousness for African step to owning, shaping and celebrating women has been essential for women’s the black mind. This leads one to what consciousness raising in terms of I call a mind of one’s own. It asserts challenging ideas that run counter to African women as authoritative speakers, values and beliefs that advance the status “Black Consciousness credible witnesses, thinking subjects of women in our society. It has given is a tool that makes it and reflectively responsible moral agents. impetus for women to refuse to conform easier to scrutinise in Black Consciousness has contributed to someone else’s image of who and what particular, the way in to the women’s movement a literacy that they should be and to a large extent have which representations is essential to the future of the movement the opportunity through the ideas of Black work to enslave or because the lack of reading, writing and Consciousness to reinvent themselves. liberate African critical skills serves to exclude many In reinventing themselves, African women, reinforce or women from consciousness. Not only women through Black Consciousness challenge racism in that, it excludes many from the political have entered the contested terrain of whites, and sustain process and the labour market. I regard power that tends to distribute power in or subvert white literacy as more than being able to read an asymmetrical manner between men supremacy.” and write. I refer to the literacy that and women, white and black. Among enables women, particularly those who those powers is the power to name 3 niversity of Technology U Peace Activist, Ela Gandhi at a seminar discussing Biko’s Quest for a True Humanity True Quest for a Ela Gandhi at a seminar discussing Biko’s Activist, Peace Picture courtesy of Durban Picture and describe things, to find and attest whiteness. Race is always an issue of to fact, to be an arbiter of interpretation, otherness that is not white; it is black, “It seems to me that to speak for oneself, in public, or brown, yellow, red, purple even. Yet only crucial questions with authority, to speak credibly on a persistent, rigorous and informed critique of “race”, values, multitude of issues and places, or to of whiteness could really determine what identity, culture, new speak at all. forces of denial, fear and competition intellectual frames, The challenge for Black Conscious- are responsible for creating fundamental and social and cultural ness is for African women to produce gaps between professed political transformation that a discourse on race that interrogates commitment to eradicating racism and whiteness. It would just be attention the participation in the construction of a SASO and Black grabbing for all those white folks who discourse on race that perpetuates racial Consciousness raised are giving blacks their take on blackness domination. remain highly relevant to let them know what’s going on with in our own time.” 4 The Role of BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS in Redefining Contemporary Black Masculinity By Busisiwe Deyi is overwhelmed by a sense of being MS BUSISIWE DEYI overburdened by societal, economic and political responsibility. Busisiwe Deyi is a queer transfeminist/feminist and Apartheid as an oppressive system, human rights activist. She graduated with her LLB sought to create a societal paradigm from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and within which it could justify its existence. went on to graduate with her Masters (LLM) in Human Therefore, in order to justify the oppression Rights and Democratisation in Africa from the Human of black people, it legitimised oppression Rights Centre, University of Pretoria.