Following the recent horrific social media attacks on Miss SA finalist Chidimma Adetshina, several organisations, celebrities, and members of parliament have risen to her support.
Sonke Gender Justice has issued a statement defending the 23-year-old Soweto native beauty.
According to the organization, women and men, girls and boys may work together to combat patriarchy, advocate for gender justice, and accomplish gender transition.
Adetshina, a Miss SA finalist, has faced xenophobic and afrophobic insults on social media after many questioned her citizenship status and demanded that she be removed from the Miss SA event.
The assaults continued on social media following what appeared to be a video of her rejoicing with her Nigerian family.
Sonke Gender Justice has also responded to criticisms made by Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.
“Sonke also condemns utterance made by the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton Mckenzie in relation to Adetshina’s participation in the pageant which seeks to disregard her nationality as a South African,” Sonke said.
Sonke added that McKenzie should have exercised his power responsibly, in a manner that upholds the laws of this country.
“Therefore, the comments by Minister Mckenzie regarding Adetshina’s eligibility to participate in the contest have not only subjected her to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) but also pose a significant threat to digital democracy and the participation of women in public life,” Sonke said.
Sonke further stated that McKenzie’s comment is consistent with damaging TFGBV features such as the reinforcement of harmful norms, the isolation of victims, the amplification of abuse, polarisation, the reinforcement of patriarchal norms, the undermining of South Africa’s efforts towards gender equality, and the erosion of trust in democratic processes.
Sonke thus urged McKenzie to withdraw the statements he published on his X account that undermine Adetshina’s citizenship rights, as well as to condemn individuals who promote online abuse and violations of Adetshina’s rights.
Sonke Gender Justice also urges members of the public to stop undermining Adetshina’s rights as a South African citizen and subjecting her to further TFGBV, abuse, and harassment, which is damaging to her and violates the spirit of the constitution.
