1. DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES
TRS 221: GENDER AND POLITICS
NAME(S): OGONE THANDY MASIAPETO
STUDENT ID: 201004144
LECTURER: MS. KGALEMANG
THE POLITICS OF SOCIAL LOCATION
DUE DATE: 02-09-2013

2. ABSTRACT
The experiences of race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, education, marital status, history and
nationality intersect to produce a social location and construction that advantages or
disadvantages people. Any individual within the social array experiences different forms of
privilege and subordination, depending on their race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, history
and nationality. Although these are not all identically salient in every set of social relationships
in which inequality is done, each of these constructs is hierarchical, intersecting forms of
domination producing both oppression and opportunity. This paper will briefly summarize Musa
Dube’s article “Social Location as a Story-telling Method of Teaching in HIV/AIDS Contexts. I
will further discuss my own Social Location by taking into account the issues of ‘Bread’ and
‘Blood’ as discussed by Dube.
INTRODUCTION
As defined by Musa (2003), “ Social location refers to an individual’s place or location in his or
her society.

4. MY SOCIAL LOCATION
I was not born a member of society. I became a member of society. In my life there has been a
temporal sequence, in the course of which I was inducted into participation in the social dialectic
though ‘successful socialization’. I was born and bred in Mabesekwa; one of the small
settlements in the outskirts of Tonota village. I was inducted in to the cultural practices,
ideology, ethos and the value system my community. My grandfather was well known for having
so many livestock, through these in such a small settlement I was a ‘rich’ kid. I was respected for
my family background and my ‘honored’ surname in Mabesekwa.
I was the most valued ‘assert’ in my extended family as they are fewer girl child in the family. It
is the family’s belief that I can bring the cattle to my grandfather’s kraal as my father is not part
of my life when I get married. As I was growing I was groomed to be a responsible young
woman and knew my limitations within the family sphere thus what I was entitled to as the girl
child as there was emphasis on gender roles and privileges.
Issues of race and ethnicity never hit-hard me in my comfort zone- Mabesekwa until I went on to
do my Junior Certificate at Tonota. The three years, following the other two years of Senior
School and then Four years of University has uncovered what I used to conceptualize as my ideal
life in my community. Mabesekwa is not well recognized and is not even known by so many
people. I remember that when I was asked where I came from at Senior School I used to say I
came from Tonota as people from Mabesekwa were looked down upon, we were called ‘bana ba
tengnyana-teng’ or ‘DIRADS’ referring to the Rural Areas Dwellers scheme that is administered
to help the vulnerable groups access services. I began to realize that my geographical location,
ethnicity and weight identified who I am. I was so reserved, had low self-esteem and I was

5. humiliated easily as the use to say my skin complexion and hair were those of the San ‘o
seswarwa’. I was orientated by my single mother who is so influential in cognitive functioning to
cope withstand all the pressures and humiliation that is the package of being a minority group
and focus on my studies.
I am now a typical University student whose day consists mostly of class, studying, and of
course a little bit of fun every now and then! I feel as though being University educated will help
empower me as a marginalized citizen in the future when entering the work force. My social
location is complex. My social location has for the past years silent me in public arenas even
behind closed doors thus in my intimate relationships. I was oppressed for my ethnicity and
geographical location and that disempowered as well as empowered and encouraged me to
perform well in my studies. My life experiences has been influenced and defined by my social
location.

6. CONCLUSION
In a nutshell, people are socially located and socially constructed and all this are inevitable.

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Shields, S.Gender: An Intersectionality Perspective. Springer Science and Business Media, LLC,
USA, 2008,p.301–311.

8. There are people who can walk away from you.
And hear me when I tell you this! When people
can walk away from you: let them walk. I don’t
want you to try to talk another person into
staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring
about you, coming to see you, staying attached
to you. I mean hang up the phone.
When people can walk away from you let them
walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that
left.
The bible said that, they came out from us that it
might be made manifest that they were not for
us. For had they been of us, no doubt they
would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]
People leave you because they are not joined to
you. And if they are not joined to you, you can’t
make them stay.
Let them go.
And it doesn’t mean that they are a bad person it
just means that their part in the story is over.
And you’ve got to know when people’s part in
your story is over so that you don’t keep trying to
raise the dead.
You’ve got to know when it’s dead.
You’ve got to know when it’s over. Let me tell
you something. I’ve got the gift of good-bye. It’s
the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It’s
not that I’m hateful, it’s that I’m faithful, and I
know whatever God means for me to have He’ll
give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I
don’t need it. Stop begging people to stay.
Let them go!!
If you are holding on to something that doesn’t
belong to you and was never intended for your
life, then you need to……
LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to past hurts and
pains…………
LET IT GO!!!
If someone can’t treat you right, love you back,
and
see your worth…..
LET IT GO!!!
If someone has angered you.
LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil
and revenge……
LET IT GO!!!
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or
addiction……
LET IT GO!!!

9. If you are holding on to a job that no longer
meets your needs or talents
LET IT GO!!!
If you have a bad attitude…..
LET IT GO!!!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel
better……
LET IT GO!!!
If you’re stuck in the past and God is trying to
take you to a new level in Him……..
LET IT GO!!!
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken
relationship…….
LET IT GO!!!
If you keep trying to help someone who won’t
even try to help themselves……
LET IT GO!!!
If you’re feeling depressed and
stressed………………
LET IT GO!!!
If there is a particular situation that you are so
used to handling yourself and God is saying
‘take your hands off of it,’ then you need to…..
LET IT GO!!!
Let the past be the past. Forget the former
things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2009
(There is still time left, if not then we carry on in
2010)
LET IT GO!!!
Get Right or Get Left … think about it, and then.
LET IT G O!!!
‘The Battle is the Lord’s!’