Comments on: Why is Caster ‘our little girl’ anyway?

By: selaelo

selaelo — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:14:58 +0000

i’m 22 yrs old and my mom still calls me that. there is nothing wrong with Caster being called a little gal, its not literal its in a form of support to say Caster we love you. whites do call their over 18s little gals more than blacks you would know that. as for an 18yr old boy being called little no we wouldnt bacause boys and gals are not the same.

By: Mark Kerruish

Mark Kerruish — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:22:12 +0000

Good point, chick. :p

By: Sarah Britten

Sarah Britten — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:28:06 +0000

The point of this article was less about the merits of gender testing (and – quickly checking the colour of the sky – I tend to agree with vic), and more about the way in which individuals are used by the state as a means to construct an us-vs-them nationalist identity. Hence, Caster is “our little girl”. This has absolutely nothing to do with misunderstanding people for whom English is not a first language and everything to do with how politicians cynically exploit the feelings of the populace in order to further their own agendas. It’s a technique that has been used by chauvinist nationalists the world over, and South Africa is no different.

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:29:22 +0000

@brigs — when last I looked, it was extremely rude and disrespectful to call a full-grown African gardening man of voting age a “garden-boy”. And if a matronly African woman was employed to make staff teas at a workplace, you’d surely be reprimanded for referring to her as the “tea-girl”. So I’m just not going to buy any of this cheery justification of Malema’s “girl” phraseology. Of course it’s rude. No doubt about it.

By: BOYA

BOYA — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:36:51 +0000

SHES A BOY.

By: Xolile ka Solani

Xolile ka Solani — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:02:28 +0000

The Women’s month goes with the celebration of women. It does not take away the feeling and need that women do need protection, love and care all the time and at all costs. What I have just said does not mean women are weak and can not take care of themselves.The women’s month actually emphasises both truths.
My view is that when Julius called Caster a little girl was a loving and affectionate confirmation of how the majority of South African both young and old feel about both the achievements of Caster on the field and the painful attack on her gender off the field and the need for all of us to protect her at all costs.
The real point here though should not be the picking of the so-called negatives in what Julius is saying but the facts and the debates he is bringing up as the agenda for positive dialogue as South Africans going forward.

By: BillyC

BillyC — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:41:04 +0000

What a load of Caster oil shite.

Everyone puffing and pontificating while the juries still out. What if the IAAF find that Caster is full of synthetic testosterone, thanks to Herr Arbeit; or worse still, that Caster has ambivalent sexual characteristics. Then the fur will fly as Kenya will be given gold and Caster will have to pay back the R60k dud cheque to the ANCYL. Jules will have to call Caster his little boy instead of girl.

Some comfort is that, regarding the Greek mythical twins Castor and Pollux, (who form the Gemini constelation) Castor’s name meant “beaver” in Greek. Maybe there is some good omen after all
I’ll be studying my Nando’s entrails tonight with extra interest

By: Bruce

Bruce — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:34:54 +0000

When reading all of these emotional comments, you realise that Julius Malema has achieved exactly what he wanted:
1. Promote racism and division and
2. Get more personal publicity.
Unfortunately the media laps it up and he wins every time.

By: lana

lana — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:39:00 +0000

“SAffers” and third Worlders huh?….my goodness this country and its sad inhabitants….

For the record, Naledi i agree with you as a 22 yrs old pedi girl. Will there ever be line of generation that does not analyse issues racially or politically?….

And i hope that Caster is keeping strong wherever she is. She is only 18,where i come from,she is a little girl who should be protected. A little girl who is as affected by the things people say or do to her as any other little girl or person for that matter.

By: Kitty Kat

Kitty Kat — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:12:03 +0000

This is when you have a eurocentric view parading itself as South African. If you took the time to get to know how we behave culturally, you would note our traditions and practises within our differenct cultures. The fact that the majority of SOUTH AFRICANS are first and foremost traditionalists it cannot be the conclusion that when you express yourself in an English language that you have mastered that language. If you had expressed yourself in one of my languages, I wonder how many times we would take you to task for using a word that was out of place with our traditions. Why is it that you misunderstand us so COMPLETELY!