LET’S TALK ABOUT SEXTEEN

MILLA PEERUTIN

Milla Peerutin comes from a long line of strong women. The Raphaelys have shaped SA’s magazine industry, and Milla herself made headlines at the age of nine when she single-handedly sold hundreds of muffins to raise money for a Christmas party for kids at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

But when Milla was 16, her then-boyfriend made some horrendous comments at a time of intimacy and vulnerability, and she found herself fixated on his words. ‘I started doodling and illustrating his comments and some girls from school saw them and shared their own experiences with me,’ she says. She showed her mom the quotes, both the terrible things guys had said, and the beautiful ones. ‘My mom suggested that my message should be seen by the widest possible audiences.’

Milla created an anonymous page online where people could share their stories and on the first day, she already had 500 submissions.

Although we’re becoming increasingly aware of the trauma women face every day, only a fraction of these stories get the airtime they deserve. Sexteen Magazine, however, brought to light just how everyday these experiences actually were for young girls.

Being privy to so many girls’ horrific experiences wasn’t always easy. ‘Luckily, I had a support system,’ says Milla. ‘Sometimes I’d go to my parents and say, “This is a big one – I don’t know if I should post it”. Their answer was always the same: “These young girls have told you their stories. They want you to share it.”’

Milla’s posts are short and easy to digest: she draws people in with the artwork and then confronts them with the words. ‘I don’t think women and those who are fem-identifying really have the opportunity to speak up, because if you say something on social media, the whole male Twittersphere will just attack you.’

Sexteen Magazine is on a hiatus at the moment while Milla concentrates on her studies and health. Of course, the 19-year-old is now closer to 20 than 16. ‘Ideally, I want to change Sexteen to be accessible to all fem-identifying people of all ages,’ she says.

So, what would she say to THAT ex? ‘Thank you Have you seen that cool Insta account Sexteen? Maybe you could benefit from having a look!”