Porteous
Publications
Writing is the song of my soul, the rhythm of my thoughts, the melody of my imagination.
It is the way I connect with the world, and share my thoughts with those who are willing to read them. As a writer, I've been fortunate to have a few of my words published in a variety of online platforms, including News24 and Mail & Guardian's Thought Leader. I have also contributed to an anthology edited by Sue Nyathi, and to several literary magazines.
The links below are more than just a collection of scribbles; they are a reflection of the beginning of my journey as a writer, a testament to my hopes for the future, and my passion for storytelling.
A young girl on the Cape Flats is gifted in exchange for a bottle of alcohol, a woman is beaten by her boyfriend and told to bezekela (persevere), a businesswoman is asked for sexual favours to secure a contract, while a child rapist is released on bail after three years...
South Africa is a country at war with its women. Rarely a woman can be found who has not been the victim of some kind of abuse or does not know a friend or a family member who has.
Gender-based violence takes many different forms – emotional, financial, physical, sexual and structural – and it can be meted out by strangers, intimate partners or a family member. Many women are overcome by a sense of shame when they are sexually or emotionally abused but sharing what was once a secret, helps to break shame’s hold. ‘I am not defined by the abuse I have suffered,’ writes Sue Nyathi. ‘I am not a victim; I am a survivor.’
In When Secrets Become Stories, women from all walks of life, across racial lines, age and income demographics, boldly speak out.
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Online Publications:
April 2023
August 2021
June 2021
February 2021
January 2021
July 2020