THE BOOGEYMEN DEFANGED: Changing the language of prejudice.

¨...racial and gender intolerance has become the lingua franca of leading politicians...¨

South Africa has been referred to as the global capital of rape.

More recently we've become the international headliner for ´corrective rape´, which refers to the rape of a lesbian purportedly as a means of ´correcting´ her sexual orientation or gender identity.¨

¨Rape is made permissible by sexist and homophobic discourses. To dismantle these master narratives that prejudice women and stigmatise lesbian, gay and transgender people means confronting both the language and the messengers. From the homophobic or misogynist dinner-table joke to the sexual "banter" of our political leaders, the language that underpins gender oppression needs to be resisted. Language and action are mutually reinforcing.

Attaching new social meaning to sex, sexuality and gender

¨Eradicating the language of prejudice requires that we actively attach new social meanings to sex, sexuality and gender. Advancing the constitutional values of equality, dignity and protection of diversity is key to this process. These inspire a common language of humanity which is compelling because it is antithetical to apartheid discrimination. If we collectively and consciously give social currency to these values we will develop a shared ethic of social inclusion.¨

Seem Familiar?

¨But the opposite has been happening -- racial and gender intolerance has become the lingua franca of leading politicians. Progressive post-apartheid legislation and jurisprudence that uphold the rights of women and sexual minorities are repudiated in the dominant political discourse...¨  please read it all,   HERE

·  Thanks to Gay Uganda, HERE
·  Thanks to Mail and Guardian Online, South Africa/United Kingdom
·  Thanks to Melanie Judge, Human Rights