A philosophical investigation of virginity testing in Kwazulu-Natal: a contribution to the multiculturalism and feminism debate.
| dc.contributor.advisor | Du Toit, Louise | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Dlamini, Lennox Khulekani | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Philosophy. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-12-07T07:58:22Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-12-22T14:32:02Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-12-07T07:58:22Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-12-22T14:32:02Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-12 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2021. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A debate has broken out between promoters of multiculturalism and those of feminism. Even though both can be said to be interested in some form of equality, some feminists argue that multiculturalists’ demand for cultural group rights can only be realised at the expense of women. Will Kymlicka (1995) is convinced that individualistic human rights as promulgated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are insufficient for the protection of two kinds of groups, that is, national and polyethnic minorities. According to Kymlicka group-specific rights are morally justified as means to ensure minorities’ meaningful participation in liberal society and government. Susan Moller Okin (1999) in her book, Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women? questions and rejects Kymlicka’s multiculturalist theory based on her conviction that it represents a threat to the progress made by feminists to challenge patriarchal worldviews. She argues that there is an inherent conflict between feminism and multiculturalism, and if special group rights were to be granted to national minorities, women from the minorities would be in a disadvantaged position (ibid.:10). However, Okin’s strong tone in her suggestion that cultures that oppress women should be allowed to go extinct is an issue of concern and has polarised the debate in the form of an intractable multiculturalism vs feminism conflict. Anne Phillips (2007; 2010) offers an alternative/middle way to the stonecast polarisation caused by what she deemed as an exaggerated value given to role of culture as a determining cause of human behaviour (2007:8). According to Phillips, a fundamental change in our understanding of the role culture plays in people’s lives will defuse the construed dilemma between multiculturalism and feminism. This change entails rejecting the essentialist and deterministic notions that are too often attached to culture. Like Phillips, I argue that both multiculturalism and feminism have something to offer on the condition that both accept that cultures are always changing as the result of both internal and external influences. At the same time, I argue that culture needs not be the enemy of feminism; on the contrary, culture and particular practices can be manipulated in such a way that they advance feminist goals. Thus, in Chapter Five, I link the multiculturalism and feminism debate to the lived experience of the people of South Africa. I focus on virginity testing (henceforth VT), as practised in KwaZulu-Natal. In the early 1990s, VT was re-established in KwaZulu-Natal as a cultural alternative to government initiatives to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. In recent years, however, VT has been condemned by South African human rights organisations and women’s rights organisations such as the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL). In response, in 2006, the government signed into law the Children’s Act No. 38 of 2005, which bans VT of girls younger than 16 years of age and regulates VT of the girls above 16. I argue that a total ban on VT might deprive feminists of the opportunity to empower young girls through promoting those VT elements that have the potential to strengthen the feminist agenda. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is ‘n voortgaande, hewige debat tussen voorstaanders van multikulturalisme en feminisme onderskeidelik. Alhoewel albei agendas geïnteresseerd is in gelykheid, argumenteer sommige feministe dat multikulturaliste se eis vir kulturele groepsregte slegs gerealiseer kan word ten koste van vroue. Will Kymlicka (1995) argumenteer dat individuele menseregte soos geproklameer in die Universele Verklaring van Menseregte onvoldoende is vir die beskerming van twee soorte groepe, te wete, nasionale en poli-etniese minderhede. Volgens Kymlicka is groep-spesifieke regte moreel geregverdig as ‘n manier om minderhede se betekenisvolle deelname aan ‘n liberale samelewing en regering te waarborg. Susan Moller Okin (1999) in haar boek, Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women? bevraagteken en verwerp Kymlicka se multikulturalisme, weens haar oortuiging dat dit ‘n bedreiging inhou vir die vordering wat feministe gemaak het in hulle teenkanting teen patriargale wêreldbeskouings. Sy voer aan daar is ‘n inherente konflik tussen hierdie twee teorieë, en as spesiale groepsregte vir minderhede toegestaan sou word, sou die vroue binne daardie minderhede in ‘n benadeelde posisie opeindig. Okin se skerp toon in haar suggestie dat kulture wat vroue onderdruk toegelaat moet word om uit te sterf is sorgwekkend en het die debat gepolariseer tot ‘n skynbaar onoplosbare konflik tussen multikulturalisme en feminisme. Anne Phillips (2007; 2010) wys egter ‘n alternatief of ‘n middeweg uit hierdie impasse aan, wanneer sy dui op die oordrewe waarde wat gegee word aan kultuur as ‘n bepalende oorsaak van menslike gedrag (2007:8). Volgens Phillips sal ‘n fundamentele verandering in ons verstaan van die rol van kultuur in mense se lewens die bogenoemde konflik ontlont. Hierdie verandering verwerp die essensialistiese en deterministiese idees wat té dikwels aan kultuur gekoppel word. Soos Phillips, argumenteer ek dat beide multikulturalisme en feminisme iets het om te bied, op voorwaarde dat albei aanvaar dat kulture altyd besig is om te verander as gevolg van sowel interne as eksterne invloede. Terselfdertyd argumenteer ek dat kultuur nie die vyand van feminisme hoef te wees nie; inteendeel, kultuur en spesifieke praktyke kan sodanig gemanipuleer word dat hulle feministiese doelwitte dien. In Hoofstuk Vyf koppel ek daarom hierdie debat aan die geleefde ervaring van mense in Suid-Afrika. Ek fokus op maagdelikheidstoetsing (of “virginity testing”, voortaan MT), soos beoefen in KwaZulu-Natal. In die vroeë 1990s is MT heringestel in verskeie streke van KwaZulu-Natal as ‘n kulturele alternatief vir regeringsinisiatiewe om die verspreiding van HIV/VIGS te bekamp. In die meer onlangse verlede is MT egter veroordeel deur Suid-Afrikaanse menseregte-organisasies, sowel as deur vroueregte-organisasies, soos die ANCWL (ANC-vroueliga). In reaksie het die Regering in 2006 die Kinderwet (Children’s Act No. 38) aanvaar, wat MT verbied vir meisies jonger as 16 jaar oud, en die MT van ouer meisies reguleer. Ek argumenteer dat ‘n totale verbod op MT feministe van ‘n geleentheid kan ontneem om jong meisies te bemagtig deur die bevordering van daardie elemente van MT wat die potensiaal het om ‘n feministiese agenda te versterk. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Masters | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | 126 pages | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/123967 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Multiculturalism | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Civil rights | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Individualism | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Human rights | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Feminism | en_ZA |
| dc.title | A philosophical investigation of virginity testing in Kwazulu-Natal: a contribution to the multiculturalism and feminism debate. | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |