Winnie Madikizela-Mandela: Hero, Activist, Ex-Wife
Unlike her ex-husband’s death, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s death on April 2, 2018 did not spark international news coverage, nor did celebrities post on social media lamenting her passing, nor did the average college student have any idea of her death or her legacy. The majority of the college-aged people who surround me either have no idea who she was or understand her role in the South African anti-apartheid movement as auxiliary, as an accessory and ex-wife to Nelson Mandela.
But we can learn a lot from Winnie.
She was not taken seriously because of her gender and her beauty. As college women, how many times have assumptions about our gender and competency closed doors in our faces? We had to fight for our right to go to the same schools as men, to have the same jobs as men, to vote like men.
The media framed Winnie as an unreliable political figure, only suited to be a mother and a wife. She was criticized for her romantic relationships. But Winnie embraced her roles as a mother and a wife. She refused to tremble at sexist rhetoric. She was nurturing and she was fierce. She became known as the Mother of the Nation. Her source of political power was the very thing that people questioned—her femininity.
Feminist. Activist. Social justice warrior. These are loaded words and identities, especially on college campuses. Out of fear of being deemed “preachy” or being known as that girl, many college-aged women (myself included) have hidden these parts of our identities. But the next time I feel myself feeling embarrassed by the word “activist,” I will think of Winnie’s resilience.
When the sexist structures of Greek life bother me, I will speak up. If I am offended by a racist or sexist joke, I will ask why harmful stereotypes are comedic. I will not second-guess myself when I want to share an article on Facebook which details social injustices. I will unapologetically support and join social movements on campus when I resonate with them. Talk about the issues you care about to your peers.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was so much more than someone’s ex-wife, and yet her gender confines her to this title. Her legacy as an activist, a feminist, a mother, a wife, and a fighter should inspire college women to pursue their passions. Whether it be social justice or arts or athletics or anything in between. She refused to be stereotyped. As college women, we should use Winnie’s legacy as a roadmap to breaking the barriers that confine us.
By Victoria Wang
Duke Student, resident globe-trotter and founder of getting foreign food posts trending