WINNING LETTER

Generations

Well done, Liesl! You nailed it in your article ‘Ugh, Millennials’ [August 2019]. You articulated the reality of a generation that my nieces are a part of, and explained the Xennial micro-generation perfectly.

With two Gen Z children, the future is worrying, and the only thing one can do is encourage our babies as they grow up. I won’t allow my kids to live a life of anxiety. I say this as a ‘microgener’ full of wisdom, knowing what a fun childhood I was able to have – yet I’m also making the most of the global data network. Two for one, basically!

This ‘new way’ calls for parents to use their Gen X experience to coach and mentor their children, who can bring about a tipping point for humanity, whether it’s

linked to relationships, community or climate. Verity

Ed: Good for you, Verity! We love your optimism – we feel the same.

Homecoming

I read your article ‘Homecoming Queen’ [September 2019] on the day that many South African women were shocked by the senseless brutality many of our sisters fall victim to. Many women, myself included, feel hopeless and ask the question: is it still worth living in South Africa when we fear going to the post office? Sure, standards and human values are deteriorating, but we still want to feel safe to some extent.

So is there hope? Yes, there’s always hope! But it will take a mind-shift for both men and women. We raise the men: what are boys taught from an early age? ‘Boys will be boys’? No, the boy of today will be the man of tomorrow.

The decision to return to SA also comes with a responsibility: to contribute towards building the hope. Government can’t bring the change; it can’t bring the hope – it has to start with us on the ground. Magda Ann Liedeman-Vaas

Women’s Month has come and gone, but all the recent tragedies have left a bitter taste. With rising teen suicides and adolescent depression becoming the norm, with rape and murder being a daily conversation and kidnappings making headlines, how do we scan the Beauty and Fashion pages without a second thought?

So how is FAIRLADY making a difference to our community? Your ‘voice’ is heard far and wide, and we need that voice to help people become aware of the damage they’re causing to our country and our people. Don’t get me wrong – I loved your ‘Homecoming Queen’ article.

I just feel more can be done by such a great voice as FAIRLADY’s. Anshaaf Abrahams

Ed: I agree with you, Magda... both the fear and the hope you feel. Your point about FAIRLADY’s voice is tricky, Anshaaf: while we do publish stories about violence against, and abuse of, women (see page 40, for example), my view is that as women ourselves, we know this on a visceral level. We know the constant vigilance and constant danger. We’re exhausted by it. Sometimes what we need is an escape from it. For real change to happen, men need to speak to men and boys about violence against women. We can make that happen in our families, but it’s men that have to change themselves and the society we live in.