Mappings of feminist/womanist resistance within student movements across the African continent

Abstract

abstractFeminist and womanist resistance in South Africa has not received the attention it deserves, considering the sacrifice women made during the struggle for freedom. Today sadly not much has changed. Women within the Fees Must Fall (FMF) protest movement have been a little more successful in shaping their own narratives, but unfortunately our ancestors could not do this; so much of the information about their resilience has been lost. Social media today plays a huge role in ensuring that this no longer happens.This perspective piece discusses womanist resistance by drawing on historical examples of social, political and even religious groups created or largely influenced by women. The historical discussion of the Alexandra Women's Council, Bantu Women's League and individuals like Pastor Clarah Maphumulo is juxtaposed with contemporary struggles of young student female activists. This has been done through a discussion about the University of the Witwatersrand naked protest, as well as by highlighting gender inequality within FMF. This perspective also illustrates how recent Fallism protest actions owe their origins to Ubuntu, which informs so many of the Black Consciousness ideals which revolutionaries value. It also maps out how Ubuntu influenced early activism against Christian missionaries and empowered African women to resist Western domination at a time when it was dangerous to do so. The spirit and passion of women acting against Christianity in the 1900s and against the State in the 1950s are the same that shape contemporary womanist resistance.