Women voices in the media of the Afrikaans language commumity - an historical perspective
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Date
2004
Authors
Rabe, Lizette
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
How were the voices of women journalists in the Afrikaans speaking community in
South Africa heard over the past century? Who were these women, and who pioneered
the way before them? This article investigates the origin and development of Afrikaans
women journalists against the background of the socio-political climate as manifested
after the Anglo-Boer War. Discrimination against women was widespread, as in other
cultures. However, after the Anglo-Boer War, it seems women relinquished their rights
in favour of the Afrikaner Nationalist movement. This impacted even more on the rights
of women as citizens who could contribute as equals on all levels of society. Individuals
who pleaded for equality were silenced. Afrikaans women were not allowed - it was
deemed as "the will of God" - to play a public role. In the Afrikaans journalism world,
this manifested itself in the fact that women had to be content to play a secondary role
for many decades. Those individuals who can be regarded as the pioneers in Afrikaans
journalism are highlighted in this article. The need for more research in media
historiography - not only with the focus on women, but also on those voices that were
not heard because of class or race - is also articulated.
Description
Keywords
Women, Journalism, Afrikaans language, Discrimination
Citation
Rabe, L. (2004). Women voices in the media of the Afrikaans language commumity - an historical perspective. Communitas, 9(1), 31-46.