Still fighting for equality

We should be celebrating, respecting and acknowledging each other every day. Of course.

That's hard when you fervently disagree with somebody, or if they are beating you physically, or about your neatly plucked brow.

One hopes the person who is literally beating you will get locked behind bars , and never find your lovely being again. But if it's an intellectual, political, emotional or silly disagreement, you would hope it can be solved with humour, real engagement and attention to each other's points of view. Always with respect, of course.

That's how it should be. Yet it's more common for domestic doors to be slammed, political doors to be closed, and acrimonious words to be exchanged between warring parties.

For instance, take Julius Malema and the media last week. He didn't attend the discussion between the ANCYL and the media about recent revelations regarding his finances. I suppose this is another unsophisticated conflict avoidance tactic, too well-practised by too many of us.

But back to my point of respecting each other. Why are we taking the time, the month of August, to acknowledge women?

"It's become like Valentine's Day," says a friend.

It's just a ploy for the media and interested markets to make the financial most of the best, greatest, smartest women in their branding categories, she suggests.

Well, yes, there is that aspect of the month, but so what? Why shouldn't we celebrate and honour women who continue to defy our male-dominated world? It's the images and stories of women who achieve big things in both their private and their bigger worlds who are given extra media space during August. It's these images and stories, and the untold stories, that inspire our daughters and ourselves. Because in these wintery, dull months as we wait for signs of spring, anything that looks better than a dull besuited man, or a dead music star, is a welcome sight.

We need these icons, and so do our daughters. There are still far too many women who are paid too little, who are abused, or who don't know their worth. Our sons, brothers and husbands must be reminded that women are their equals and deserve respect. It's a pity they need the reminding, but they do.