Today on the podcast I talk with Shari Maluleke. Shari is a feminist writer who is committed to dismantling the patriarchy and fighting for the rights of black womxn and queer people.

Activism and writing are two things she is most passionate about, and she considers herself lucky to do both at the same time. Shari is 20 years old and is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Arts at Wits university. Taking things step by step, Shari hopes to not only leave a mark but change a few lives, even if it is just her own.

Shari’s piece in Living While Feminist is called ‘Understanding Myself’. In that piece she says:

Binaries felt more restrictive than eye-opening, for a long time in my life. Binaries made me feel like I must ask myself ‘who should I be’ rather than ‘who am I?’ Gender was always a matter of energies to me – masculine energy today and feminine energy tomorrow. I choose who I want to be today and I choose who I want to be tomorrow.

Today I’m going to be talking with Shari about her piece, about the power of language, and about what the future looks like for young feminists.