Savania Govender, a 10th-grade student at Greenbury Secondary School, shared her thoughts on the celebration of Women's Day, noting that its perception differs from the commonly held view.
When August arrives, society often adopts a corporate image, filling stores with pink balloons while brands release commercials about how they 'value women.' Society offers collective support, reminding people of women's strength and resilience. However, while in class and scrolling through aesthetically pleasing Instagram posts, Govender feels a sense of detachment.
Adults tend to view Women's Day as a deserved holiday or a moment for sending cards. But for a 15-year-old girl trying to navigate school life and real growing up, all the public praise seems to belong to a completely different world.
In school, history is studied, such as the legendary women of 1956 who marched to the Union Buildings against pass laws. Govender respects their courage but notes that teaching history often creates the impression that the fight for equality was concluded decades ago, and now people are simply enjoying the fruits of that struggle. However, this does not align with her personal experience.
Today's problems do not always look like battles from history textbooks; they are quieter and occur online. This is the constant and exhausting pressure to conform to a certain image in algorithm-driven feeds designed to profit from insecurity. It is also daily sexism in the classroom, which is ignored as 'just a joke,' and the risk of becoming an outcast if it is condemned. She has to face contradictions: she is told she can achieve anything, but simultaneously advised to watch her tone, choose a different route home, and become less noticeable so as not to be 'too much.'
During Women's Day celebrations, the focus is placed on end results—successful CEOs, outstanding scientists, and historical figures. While such role models are necessary, no one wants to discuss the complex intermediate stage. No one wants to acknowledge how scary it is to try to find your voice when you are not yet confident. Govender argues that empowerment does not mean a constant feeling of invincibility; for her and her friends, it often means trying to speak when the voice is trembling, or supporting a friend struggling with inner insecurity.
To bridge this gap, the approach toward teenagers needs to change. Instead of lectures on historical gatherings, schools and public spaces should create real, unfiltered discussions where girls themselves can talk about current issues such as online safety, mental health, or daily equality. It is also important for older women to share not only successes but also real failures and difficult life paths to show that it is normal to go through the process of self-discovery. Furthermore, boys need to be taught from an early age to support girls, thereby changing the culture in classrooms where respect is practiced daily, not just taught as a rule.
If the goal is to bring about change, women's rights cannot be viewed as a seasonal phenomenon that ends after August. Pressure, double standards, and expectations do not suddenly appear at eighteen; they are built into the daily life of a modern teenage girl. Therefore, besides raising banners, space must be created where teenagers feel a sense of belonging right now, not just the promise of running the world in the future.