Similarly to how climate change greatly amplifies and compounds inequalities specifically
directed against women, is the same way a global pandemic exacerbates and fans the flames of
patriarchy and violence against women. During 2020 under such unprecedented times of
COVID-19, it became very important for Girl Talk Africa to create online spaces that center the
wellbeing of women and build online feminist communities.
Our work at Girl Talk intersects with all the multiple identities of women who are sex workers,
queer, disabled, trans, non binary and young girls or the above all together and more that go
beyond race, gender, sexuality etc.. So as we organized throughout the year of 2020, we made
sure the conversations were centered around supporting and reinforcing an online community
that is not exclusionary to marginalized groups especially those residing from Africa.
We found that holding Girl Talk conversations that helped to reexamine ways of self care as a
feminist and as a community were imperative and created a safe space for feminists to unpack
their complex relationships with taking care of themselves, the need to take breaks and it also
permitted a vulnerable space with love and sisterhood. It became evident now more than ever
we should have feminist community that promotes selfcare, fuly embraces being kind and
compassionate not only to others but to ourselves, in reaching out to each other and finding
comfort in feminist solidarity.
Many of the online conversations we held included sessions of meditation, musical, art and
visual productions where we had feminist singers, poetesses and meditators that facilitated
these online spaces.
As the world’s consciousness awoke to the devastating times of corona, we rose as Girl Talk to
collaborate, create online conversations mainly for feminists to convene and reflect on how
better to take care of each other, provide support to the marginalized and how we could work
together towards a collective action.
In 2021, we’re looking forward to achieving politics that demand us to re-value our need to self
care while still expanding our feminist theory and praxis. We also aim to engage in using online
tools that foster a space for engagement through writing and speaker engagement sessions. We
also acknowledge the presence of a digital divide and difficulty in accessing online information
for many, which is why we’re also organizing offline conversation separately for small
communities while respecting the restrictions and instructions that pertain due to COVID-19.
So far, we’re off to a sustainable trajectory and successful start for the year 2021.
Bonitah Kobusingye
GT Africa Director
Jan 2021
