The colour purple counts

Speech that enables harm is not freedom - it is oppression disguised as liberty.

- Enkosi Selane

Freedom of speech becomes oppressive when it excuses cruelty, when it allows tone-deaf mannerisms to masquerade as solidarity.

Neutrality in the face of oppression is not neutrality at all; it is siding with the oppressor. If you take a stand, it must be with your entire being. Change something, change one thing, change anything within your reach.

On Friday, the Women for Change march against gender-based violence (GBV) calls for GBV to be declared a national disaster. One of its most visible initiatives has been asking people to change their profile pictures to purple as a symbol of solidarity.

The campaign has already gathered over 900 000 signatures, proof of its resonance. Beyond the digital sphere, purple ribbons are being worn, extending commitment into the physical world. This is a kind of middle finger to those who mocked the purple profile pictures, dismissing them as empty gestures.