Beauty is … an 18-year-old girl in pink stilettos, walking to the sound of her own confident giggle. A native of Krugersdorp, Beauty Ramoroka exudes self-assurance and exuberance. She doesn’t subscribe to the popular concept of beauty that condemns plump, dark-skinned women. She, like many other South African women, is redefining ”pretty”.
Steve Biko’s famous maxim ”Black man you are on your own!” has found expression in South Africa’s only organisation specifically for black lesbians who are going it alone. On Freedom Day, the Forum for the Empowerment of Women marked the second anniversary of its ”Rose has Thorns Anti-Hate Crimes Campaign”.
The current lawsuit by three HIV-positive women against Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille and journalist Charlene Smith is uncovering more than just issues of privacy. It is also highlighting South Africa’s urgent need to normalise HIV in order to prevent a social backlash after a person discloses a positive status.
The Dominican Convent in Belgravia, Johannesburg, embraces many of the values and traditions of the Catholic Church. But it also recognises that learners must face the facts of life head-on – including sex and the real threat of HIV.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women in South Africa, with one in 31 women suffering from this disease. The second National Cleavage Day (April 8) is being held to raise funds for the Cancer Association of South Africa through a series of promotional events planned across the country. Misconceptions about breast cancer prevent women from getting frequent mammograms.