[ ALL SHOUTING ]
>> WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE
INCREASINGLY BEING
INSTITUTIONALIZED AROUND THE
WORLD, BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN HAVING THOSE RIGHTS AND
KNOWING HOW TO EXERCISE THEM.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE
CHALLENGES NEXT ON
"GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES."
>> THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE
IN PART BY FUNDING FROM...
>> THIS IS
"GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES," WITH
PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING
COMMENTATOR JOHN BERSIA.
>> WELCOME TO
"GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES."
AS WE WATCH THE POLITICAL AND
SOCIAL TURMOIL UNDERWAY AROUND
THE WORLD, WE ARE FINDING MORE
AND MORE ATTENTION BEING PAID TO
THE RIGHTS AND PLIGHTS OF WOMEN.
WE SEE WOMEN TAKING PART IN
PROTESTS, AND WE SEE THEM PAYING
AN AWFUL PRICE.
WE SEE THEM SPEAKING OUT FOR
WOMEN'S EDUCATION.
AND WE SEE A 14-YEAR-OLD
PAKISTANI BLOGGER SHOT WHILE ON
A SCHOOL BUS.
THE ATTITUDE OF ACCEPTANCE MAY
BE CHANGING, THOUGH.
WOMEN IN SOUTH AFRICA DEMANDED
JUSTICE FOR THE GANG-RAPE AND
MURDER OF A TEENAGER.
AND THAT WAS JUST DAYS AFTER
INDIA WAS OUTRAGED BY THE
GANG-RAPE OF A WOMAN ON A
NEW DELHI BUS.
>> [ SINGING IN NATIVE
LANGUAGE ]
>> BUT THE CULTURAL ROOTS
DEFINING WOMEN'S ROLES RUN DEEP.
>> [ CHANTING ]
>> AND NO ONE KNOWS THAT BETTER
THAN TODAY'S GUEST, PSYCHOLOGIST
AND JOURNALIST DEVI RAJAB, WHOSE
BOOKS INCLUDE "WOMEN: SOUTH
AFRICANS OF INDIAN ORIGIN," AND
"NO SUBJECT IS TABOO."
HELLO, DEVI.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
>> TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEWEST
BOOK ON WOMEN.
>> IT IS A WORK OF PASSION FOR
ME IN THE SENSE THAT I'VE ALWAYS
WANTED TO RECORD THE STORIES OF
THESE WOMEN, FROM INDENTURE TO
DEMOCRACY.
I HAD A WONDERFUL ARRAY OF
BEAUTIFUL PICTURES, WHICH THIS
EMINENT PHOTOGRAPHER,
RANJITH KALLY, HAD COVERED OVER
THE YEARS.
AND SO HE CAME TO VISIT ONE DAY,
AND HE LAID IT ALL ACROSS THE
DINING-ROOM TABLE, AND I SAID,
"WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH
THIS STUFF."
AND SO THAT'S HOW THE PROJECT
BEGAN.
SO WE RECORDED, WE WENT THROUGH
THE COUNTRYSIDE, ALL THE
PROVINCES, MEETING WOMEN,
INTERVIEWING THEM, HEARING THEIR
STORIES, AND IT WAS AN
EYE-OPENER FOR ME BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, THEY WERE WOMEN WHO HAD
BEEN TOTALLY LOST.
PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THEM.
PEOPLE WERE OBLIVIOUS OF THE
HISTORY.
AND I FOUND FASCINATING EXAMPLES
OF THESE WOMEN, AND THEN, SO WE
TOOK THESE BEAUTIFUL PORTRAITS
OF THEM, AND WE TOLD THEIR
STORIES.
BUT ONE WOMAN STANDS OUT FOR ME,
AND SHE CAME CARRYING HER ENTIRE
LIFE IN A PAPER BAG, SO TO
SPEAK.
>> OH, MY GOSH.
I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU IF YOU
HAD A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ONE OF
YOUR FAVORITES.
>> YEAH, YEAH, IN A PAPER BAG.
AND HER NAME WAS SHANTI NAIDOO.
AND SHE WAS, DURING APARTHEID,
SHE WAS UNDER SOLITARY
CONFINEMENT FOR 360 DAYS.
NOBODY KNEW WHERE SHE WAS.
SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN A VERY
SMALL CELL, OF COURSE.
AND SHE REFUSED TO GIVE
INFORMATION AGAINST
WINNIE MANDELA AND THE OTHER
WOMEN OVER SOME RULING OR
THE OTHER.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE
DETAILS WERE, BUT THERE SHE WAS.
AND THEN SHE ESCAPED AND WENT
OFF TO ENGLAND AFTER SHE WAS
RELEASED, AND REMAINED THERE,
MARRIED SOMEONE, AND WAS
INVOLVED IN THE MOVEMENT OUTSIDE
OF SOUTH AFRICA.
AND WITH A NEW GOVERNMENT COMING
IN, SHE'S RETURNED, YOU SEE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT BROUGHT TEARS
TO HER EYES JUST REMEMBERING ALL
THE EXPERIENCES THAT SHE HAD
HAD.
THAT WAS ONE.
>> HELP OUR VIEWERS UNDERSTAND
THIS PRACTICE OVER A LONG PERIOD
OF TIME -- 150 YEARS.
HOW DID SOMEBODY COME FROM INDIA
OR SOME OTHER LOCATION TO LIVE
IN SOUTH AFRICA, AND THEN HOW
DID THIS SUBCULTURE DEVELOP?
>> A GOOD QUESTION.
BECAUSE, WHY I SAY "GOOD,"
BECAUSE I THINK VERY MANY PEOPLE
ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT
SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN AND
SOUTH AFRICAN INDIAN WOMEN, BUT
YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH
THE FACT THAT BRITAIN HAD
COLONIZED INDIA, HAD INDIA AS
ITS COLONY, AND THEN, OF COURSE,
HAD ITS VARIOUS OTHER COLONIES
IN AFRICA, IN MAURITIUS, IN
FIJI, IN TRINIDAD, AND SO FORTH.
AND IT WAS GRAPPLING WITH THE
PROBLEM OF THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN
SOUTH AFRICA.
AND THE LOCAL, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
WERE NOT INTERESTED IN WORKING
FOR ANYONE ELSE.
THEY WERE PASTORAL PEOPLE, AND
SO THEY COULDN'T BE HARNESSED
INTO CUTTING CANE, SO THEY
LURED, LITERALLY, PEOPLE FROM
MADRAS AND FROM THE SOUTH OF
INDIA, WHERE LIFE WAS REALLY
HARD, TO THE COLONIES UNDER THE
PRETEXT THAT, YOU KNOW, STREETS
WERE PAVED WITH GOLD.
AND SO A LOT OF THEM CAME
THINKING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A
BETTER LIFE IN AFRICA.
AND SO THEY CAME IN 1860 RIGHT
UP TO 1911.
AND WHEN THEY CAME, THERE WAS A
BARRAGE OF ABOUT 144 LAWS THAT
WERE PASSED THAT RESTRICTED
THEIR MOVEMENT AND CONFINED THEM
TO WORKING CONDITIONS THAT WERE
ALMOST AKIN TO SLAVERY.
SO THE INDENTURED PEOPLE IN
SOUTH AFRICA REALLY STRUGGLED
HERE.
BUT DESPITE THAT, MANY OF THEM
DIDN'T WANT TO GO BACK TO INDIA
BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THEY
DEFIED THE CASTE SYSTEM BY
MIXING UP WITH NON-CASTE PEOPLE,
SO THEY FELT THAT THEY WOULD
RATHER STAY HERE.
AND AFTER THREE OR FIVE YEARS,
I THINK, THEY WERE GIVEN A SMALL
PLOT OF LAND, AND THAT'S REALLY
HOW THE INDIAN COMMUNITY
REMAINED IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR
ABOUT 150 YEARS NOW.
>> AND THAT COMMUNITY, MORE OR
LESS, STAYED TOGETHER AS A
RESULT OF APARTHEID?
IS THAT PART OF YOUR ANALYSIS?
>> APARTHEID DEFINED THEM.
SO THEY DIDN'T DEFINE
THEMSELVES.
SO I THINK, IN A WAY, APARTHEID
FORCED THEM TO ACTUALLY BE
TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.
BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT, BEFORE
APARTHEID, BEFORE FORMAL
APARTHEID, BECAUSE THEY WERE
INDENTURED PEOPLE, AND THEY WERE
ALL FEELING THE SAME SET OF
THREATS, THEY TENDED TO BAND
TOGETHER AND TO FORGET THEIR
DIFFERENCES AND TO HELP EACH
OTHER.
SO THERE WAS A SPIRIT OF
GENEROSITY THAT ABIDED.
AND I REMEMBER MY UNCLE, WHO HAD
STARTED A BUSINESS IN A
PARTICULAR AREA, AND HE WANTED
TO HAVE THIS SHOP, YOU SEE.
SO EVERY DAY, HE WOULD
APPARENTLY WALK DOWN THE STREET,
AND HE WOULD LOOK UP AT THE
BUILDING, AND HE WOULD THINK TO
HIMSELF THAT HE WAS GOING TO BUY
THE BUILDING.
HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW HOW HE
WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, BUT,
NEVERTHELESS, MY GRANDMOTHER
THEN GOT A COMPLAINT FROM ONE OF
THE LOCAL PEOPLE, AND IT SAID,
"YOU SHOULD WATCH YOUR SON
BECAUSE HE IS GOING TO THAT
BUILDING EVERY DAY AND LOOKING
UP.
I THINK THERE'S A GIRL THERE."
ANYWAY, THEN, WHEN HIS MOTHER
CHASTISED HIM, HE SAID, "NO, NO,
NO."
HE WANTED TO BUY THE BUILDING.
>> SO EITHER WAY, IT WAS ABOUT
AMBITION.
>> IT WAS ABOUT AMBITION.
IT WAS ABOUT.
BUT COMING BACK TO THIS WHOLE
STORY OF HOW THEY HELPED EACH
OTHER IS, HE STARTED THIS STORE,
AND HE HAD NO MONEY, SO HE
FILLED IT UP WITH BREAD --
LOAVES AND LOAVES OF BREAD.
AND ANOTHER MERCHANT-CLASS GUY
CAME ALONG AND SAID, "THIS IS AN
EMBARRASSMENT."
HE SAID, "YOU TAKE THIS GOLD
CHAIN THAT I HAVE FROM MY SECOND
WIFE, AND I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU.
YOU PAWN IT.
TAKE THE MONEY AND FILL YOUR
SHOP WITH GOODS.
AND WHEN YOU'RE ON YOUR FEET,
YOU GO AND GET MY NECKLACE
BACK."
WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED, BUT
THERE WAS A SENSE OF TRUST, AND
THE SENSE OF SHARING, AND A
SENSE OF CARING ABOUT HOW EACH
OTHER REFLECTED AN IMAGE.
>> SO HOW DOES THE INDIAN
COMMUNITY FIT INTO THE
SOUTH AFRICA OF TODAY?
WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE
APARTHEID?
>> SOME GREAT CHANGES HAVE TAKEN
AFTER 1994.
AND THIS IS WHAT I'VE DOCUMENTED
IN MY BOOK, WHICH SHOWS THAT
DURING APARTHEID, INDIANS WERE
REALLY RESTRICTED, PARTICULARLY
INDIAN WOMEN.
SO EVEN THOUGH THEY WENT TO
UNIVERSITY AND STUDIED AND HAD
FORMAL DEGREES, THEY WERE NOT
ABLE TO TRANSLATE THAT INTO ANY
DISCERNIBLE CAREERS OR SERIOUS
EMPLOYMENT.
THEY WERE TYPICALLY WOMEN WHO
REMAINED AT HOME.
BUT AFTER 1994, WHAT WAS
INTERESTING IS THAT THERE WAS A
RENAISSANCE OF INDIAN WOMEN
REACHING GREAT HEIGHTS.
AND SO NOW, TODAY, IN A SHORT
WHILE, WE HAVE WOMEN ON THE
BENCH, WE HAVE WOMEN SCIENTISTS,
WE HAVE WOMEN MEDICAL DOCTORS
DOING WONDERFUL WORK IN
HIV/AIDS AND RESEARCH.
WE HAVE A BRILLIANT
PALEONTOLOGIST.
I'VE RECORDED THAT IN MY BOOK.
THE FIRST INDIAN-WOMAN PILOT.
THEY'VE REALLY SORT OF
DIVERSIFIED INTO A VARIETY OF
CAREERS THAT, IN MY GENERATION,
WE NEVER REALLY HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY.
SO I THINK SOME GREAT THINGS
HAVE HAPPENED THUS FAR.
>> SO THE OPPORTUNITIES, BASED
ON WHAT YOU'VE JUST DESCRIBED,
SEEM LIKE THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH
LIMITLESS AT THIS POINT.
>> YEAH, I THINK SO.
>> AND TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE
INDIAN COMMUNITY IN SOUTH AFRICA
CONNECTING WITH INDIAN
COMMUNITIES IN OTHER PARTS OF
THE WORLD?
I WOULD GUESS DURING THE TIME OF
APARTHEID, ALL OF THOSE
RESTRICTIONS KEPT MUCH OF THAT
FROM HAPPENING, BUT NOW THAT
GROUP IS PROBABLY VERY MUCH
INTERCONNECTED WITH THE INDIAN
NETWORK WORLDWIDE.
>> WELL, INDIA HAS RECENTLY COME
UP WITH THIS PRAVASI BHARATIYA,
KIND OF A...WHAT IS IT...
SORT OF A MEETING OF INDIANS IN
THE DIASPORA.
AND SO THEY'VE INVITED PEOPLE OF
INDIAN ORIGIN ALL OVER THE
WORLD.
AND I'VE EXPERIENCED IT.
I'VE BEEN THERE.
AND IT WAS AN EYE-OPENER,
ACTUALLY, FOR ME TO -- EVEN THE
JAIPUR LITERARY FESTIVAL WAS
AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE TO, YOU
KNOW, GET OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA
AND SEE YOURSELF IN ANOTHER
CONTEXT.
SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION
IS, I THINK NOW WITH THE NEW
GOVERNMENT, THINGS ARE OPENING
UP.
SEEMS MUCH MORE POSITIVE.
PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING MORE.
PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING CONFERENCES
IN OUR COUNTRY MORE OPENLY THAN
IT WAS UNDER THE NATIONALIST
RULE.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE
HOLDS FOR WOMEN, NOT JUST OF
INDIAN ORIGIN, BUT IN GENERAL IN
SOUTH AFRICA AND OTHER PLACES?
WE CITED SEVERAL INSTANCES OF
RECENT ABUSES AGAINST WOMEN,
AND, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S
UNFORTUNATELY GOING TO CONTINUE
TO HAPPEN IN SOME PARTS OF THE
WORLD, BUT DO YOU FEEL WE'RE
MOVING INTO A PERIOD IN WHICH
HUMAN RIGHTS AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS
WILL BE PROTECTED BETTER THAN
THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST?
>> WE HAVE THE BEST CONSTITUTION
IN THE WORLD AS FAR AS WOMEN'S
RIGHTS CONCERNED, BUT THAT'S
JUST ON PAPER.
IT'S ABOUT HOW YOU TRANSLATE
THESE IDEAS, THE IDEOLOGY, TO
THE MAN IN THE STREET.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
HOW DO YOU BREAK CULTURAL, YOU
KNOW, FEELINGS ABOUT THE OTHER,
THE GENDER ISSUES AND SO FORTH?
AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE WE'RE
STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE
SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN ARE REALLY
STRUGGLING WITH THE WAY IN WHICH
THEY -- WITH CRIME AND THE
SAFETY, RAPE.
WHEN I WAS DEAN OF STUDENTS, THE
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, REALLY, ON
CAMPUS, WERE NEVER SAFE, WERE
NEVER SAFE.
SO ALMOST EVERY DAY YOU WOULD
HEAR STORIES OF SEXUAL
HARASSMENT OR RAPE, OR YOU WOULD
HEAR INSTANCES WHERE GANGS WOULD
COME IN ON CAMPUS AND KIDNAP A
KHOISA-SPEAKING GIRL OR A
FAIR-SKINNED, KHOISA-SPEAKING
GIRL, TAKE HER OFF FOR THE
WEEKEND TO THE TOWNSHIP, DO WITH
HER WHATEVER THEY PLEASED, AND
DROP HER BACK ON CAMPUS AGAIN.
SO WE ARE REALLY BATTLING WITH A
CULTURE OF REAL VIOLATION
AGAINST WOMEN'S RIGHTS.
SO ALTHOUGH WE TECHNICALLY HAVE
THE BEST CONSTITUTION -- WE HAVE
WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT, WE HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES OPENING -- WHEN WE
WALK OUT ON THE STREET AS WOMEN,
WE ARE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES,
YOU KNOW.
>> WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE CASE
YOU JUST MENTIONED TO TRY TO
STOP THE PROBLEM?
>> WELL, IT WASN'T EASY BECAUSE
THE WOMEN STUDENTS ALSO DIDN'T
HELP US.
WE WANTED TO HAVE SEPARATE
RESIDENCES, AND THAT WAS A
NO-NO.
WE TRIED TO HAVE SPECIAL, YOU
KNOW, CURFEWS IN TERMS OF -- AND
SAFETY AND POLICE SITTING
OUTSIDE THE RESIDENCES, BUT THAT
WASN'T TAKEN VERY PROGRESSIVELY
THERE.
STUDENTS FELT THAT THEY NEEDED
TO BE FREE, BUT THERE WAS STILL
THIS ELEMENT THAT WE COULDN'T
CONTROL.
ONE EXPERIENCE THAT I CAN NEVER
FORGET IS THIS ONE STUDENT WHO
WAS IN A RELATIONSHIP, AND THEN
SHE CAME AND TOLD -- SHE CAME TO
THE COUNSELING CENTER, AND
COMPLAINED THAT THE BOYFRIEND
WAS HARASSING HER.
SO WE THEN SAID TO HER THAT WE
WOULD BE HAPPY TO CHANGE HER
RESIDENCE, AND WE WILL THEN BE
HAPPY TO EVEN PUT A SECURITY
GUARD OUTSIDE THE RESIDENCE.
SO FINE.
SO WE THOUGHT WE WERE MANAGING
THAT.
AND SO WE HAD BUILT UP ALL THE
SYSTEMS ON CAMPUS TO PROTECT
HER.
AND THEN THE YOUNG MAN COMES IN
TO THE RESIDENCE, AND HE CARRIES
THIS BIG CHOCOLATE CAKE, AND HE
WALKS IN, AND THEN HE SEES THE
OTHER STUDENTS, AND HE SAYS,
"I'M JUST MAKING UP WITH MY
GIRLFRIEND, AND I BROUGHT THIS
BEAUTIFUL CHOCOLATE CAKE SO THAT
WE CAN ALL SHARE."
AND THEY LAUGH, AND THEY LET HIM
IN.
THE GUARDS LET HIM IN.
HE GETS INTO THE RESIDENCE.
HE GETS INTO HER ROOM BECAUSE
ONE OF THE GIRLS LET HIM IN.
AND HE SITS THERE, AND HE WAITS
WITH A CAKE AND A GUN.
AND WHEN SHE WALKS IN, HE SHOOTS
HER AND KILLS HER AND KILLS
HIMSELF.
SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SOME OF
THE INCIDENCES THAT WE'VE HAD TO
GRAPPLE WITH.
AND IT IS SO HARD BECAUSE THE
CLIMATE AROUND YOU IS SUCH
A DIFFICULT ONE.
>> WHAT IS THE MESSAGE TO OTHER
STUDENTS AFTER A SITUATION LIKE
THAT?
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT MUST BE
OVERWHELMING.
>> IT IS.
WE HAD TO DO THERAPY WITH THE
ENTIRE RESIDENCE.
WE HAD TO RUN WORKSHOPS TEACHING
WOMEN ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS,
TEACHING THEM HOW TO SAY "NO,"
HOW TO BREAK A RELATIONSHIP, YOU
KNOW, HOW TO SUSS OUT A
RELATIONSHIP.
BUT THEN, AT THE SAME TIME, WE
HAD A LOT OF OLDER MEN COMING
INTO THE RESIDENCES, AND THEY
WERE WHAT WE CALL "THE SUGAR
DADDIES," AND SO THEY WOULD BUY
THESE WOMEN BEAUTIFUL CLOTHING,
PAY FOR THEIR FEES, AND LIVE
WITH THEM.
AND SO YOU HAD THIS SITUATION,
AS WELL.
THE BOTTOM IS THAT WOMEN
THEMSELVES HAVE TO LEARN TO
IDENTIFY THE DANGER ZONES, TO A
LARGE EXTENT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY
CAMPUSES.
WE CAN ONLY HELP TO A CERTAIN
EXTENT, BUT AFTER THAT, FAMILIES
HAVE TO COME IN, AND WOMEN
THEMSELVES HAVE TO DO JUST THAT.
BUT IN TERMS OF SAFETY ALL
AROUND US, WE'RE LIVING IN A
CRIME-RIDDEN SOCIETY WHERE YOUNG
CHILDREN AND BABIES, LITERALLY,
HAVE TO BE PROTECTED, BECAUSE I
THINK PART OF IT IS THE
IGNORANCE AND THE LACK OF
LITERACY AND THE LACK OF
EDUCATION AND THE FORCES OF
SOCIOECONOMIC PRESSURES HAVE
CAUSED A WHOLE LOT OF PROBLEMS
THAT ARE CHALLENGING US.
THE ONE WHICH YOU'RE
PARTICULARLY FAMILIAR WITH
PROBABLY IS WHERE MEN, WHO ARE
HIV-POSITIVE, BELIEVE THAT
UNLESS THEY HAVE SEX WITH A
VIRGIN GIRL OR A BABY OR
SOMETHING, THEY'LL NEVER BE
PROTECTED.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT ONE OF YOUR
OTHER BOOKS, "NO SUBJECT IS
TABOO."
WHAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THAT?
>> I ENJOY THAT ONE BECAUSE IT'S
ACTUALLY A COMPILATION OF MY
COLUMNS.
WHEN I ORIGINALLY STARTED
WRITING FOR THE MERCURY, I WAS
PROBABLY THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN
COLUMNIST IN NATAL, I KNOW FOR
SURE, BUT I'M NOT SURE IN THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY, BUT I
CERTAINLY WAS GIVEN AN
OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS NOT THERE
BEFORE.
AND SO THEY ASKED ME INITIALLY
TO WRITE ABOUT THE INDIAN
COMMUNITY.
AND SO I SAID, "WHAT DO I DO
AFTER I DRY UP, AFTER SIX
MONTHS, 'CAUSE I'M NOT A
WRITER?"
AND THEY SAID, "WELL, WE'LL
CROSS THE BRIDGE WHEN WE GET
TO IT."
SO AFTER ABOUT THREE OR FOUR OR
FIVE COLUMNS, I THOUGHT, "THIS
IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS.
WHY SHOULD I WRITE ABOUT MY
ETHNIC GROUP?
I MUST WRITE ABOUT WHAT I FANCY,
WHAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT
RESONATES WITH ME."
SO I START TO WRITE ABOUT WOMEN,
I START TO WRITE ABOUT POLITICS,
I START TO VENTURE INTO AREAS
THAT WOMEN WERE NEVER ALLOWED TO
WRITE ABOUT, AND MY HUSBAND
WOULD PERIODICALLY SAY TO ME,
"WRITE LIKE A MAN, DON'T WRITE
LIKE A WOMAN," IN THE SENSE
THAT, "WRITE BOLDLY, AND DON'T
BE AFRAID.
DON'T LET THEM SORT OF PUSH YOU
INTO A LITTLE NICHE MARKET."
AND SO I MUST SAY A GREAT DEAL
OF CREDIT GOES TO MY HUSBAND,
TOO, BECAUSE HE REALLY SHAPED ME
IN THE EARLY YEARS.
NOW I'VE GOT TO A POINT WHERE I
DON'T EVEN TELL HIM WHAT I'M
WRITING ABOUT, AND HE HAS TO SEE
IT.
"NO SUBJECT IS TABOO" COVERS
POLITICS, IT COVERS SOCIAL
ISSUES, IT COVERS CRIME, IT
COVERS WOMEN'S ISSUES IN
PARTICULAR, AND INTERNATIONAL
ISSUES, NATIONAL ISSUES.
>> WELL, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE
SUBJECT, OF ALL OF THE ONES IN
THE BOOK?
>> I LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT
BUILDING -- BUILDING NATIONS,
ABOUT BUILDING FAMILIES, ABOUT
SOUND, SORT OF, VALUES.
WOMEN'S ISSUES, YES, CERTAINLY.
AND I REALLY DO FEEL STRONGLY
ABOUT NATION-BUILDING, YOU KNOW.
EDUCATION ALSO.
>> IF YOU HAD TO PROJECT
50 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE IN
SOUTH AFRICA AND OTHER PARTS OF
THE WORLD, WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE
THAT WOMEN'S RIGHTS WOULD BE
BETTER OBSERVED AT THAT POINT
THAN NOW, OR IS THAT ONE OF
THOSE THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO --
GIVEN THE VIOLENCE AND THE
UNCERTAINTY OF OUR MODERN WORLD,
IS IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PROJECT?
>> IT WOULD PRETTY MUCH DEPEND
ON THE LARGER CONTEXT, BECAUSE
NOW WE'RE LOOKING
INTERNATIONALLY, AND WE'RE
FINDING THAT THE TREATMENT OF
WOMEN IS DEVASTATING ALL OVER
THE WORLD.
AND SO SOUTH AFRICA IS, YOU
KNOW, JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S
ACTUALLY HAPPENING, A MICROCOSM
OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE
WORLD.
SO I WOULD SAY IF WE COULD
ANSWER THAT QUESTION WITH
REGARDS TO OTHER PARTS OF THE
WORLD -- THE ISLAMIC WORLD,
PAKISTAN, AND THE MIDDLE EAST,
INDIA, EVERYWHERE ELSE.
IF WE COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION
HONESTLY, THEN WE COULD ANSWER
THAT IN SOUTH AFRICA, AS WELL.
>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US TODAY, DEVI RAJAB.
AND THANK YOU.
FOR "GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES," I'M
JOHN BERSIA.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
>> THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE
IN PART BY FUNDING FROM...
