Stigma tried to silence us, but our voices were louder

Pain knows no prejudice. But harmful stigmas still pervade our afflictions, and these misconceptions can be the most damaging of all. Raynolda Makhutle, Barbara Kingsley, and Rofhiwa Maneta are fighting such negative attitudes and empowering others to live free of judgement.  

At the age of 40, Raynolda Makhutle received news that would change her life – she had cancer. After undergoing surgery, it appeared as though she had beat it. Yet three months later, doctors discovered she had malignant tumours on both of her ovaries. Her battle had only just begun. Makhutle had to have a hysterectomy, resulting in her husband and community turning their back on her. “In our culture, when you lose a womb you’re stigmatised that you are not a complete woman,” she says. Filled with shame, Makhutle sunk into a depression. But when she lost her mother to the same disease, she joined Cancervive to fight the real issue in her community – stigma. Today, Makhutle and the organisation travel across South Africa to promote early detection and provide support to those affected.

In 2000, Barbara Kingsley found herself on the outskirts of society when she learnt she was HIV-positive. For eight years she denied her status, all while her body gradually deteriorated. “To start treatment meant acknowledging that I was sick,” she says. Eventually, Kingsley landed up in hospital and finally began taking antiretrovirals. “It is not HIV/AIDS that is killing us, it is stigma,” she says. With her health and vitality restored, Kingsley embarked on the road to recovery. She discovered the mental and physical strength that shame had stolen from her for almost a decade. Now an ultra-marathon runner, Kingsley competes with the Positive Heroes team in gruelling races to raise awareness. “I cannot change a status,” she says. “But I can change a perception.” 

When it comes to tackling stigmas, Rofhiwa Maneta wrote the book. He absorbed the falsehood that displaying emotion as man was a sign of weakness. “We are told ‘men don’t break’, ‘be a man’ or ‘man up’,” Maneta says. “This thinking stops so many people from seeking help.” After moving to a new city and encountering a surge in racism, Maneta grew more anxious by the day. Afraid to seek help, his emotional wellbeing worsened until he suffered a breakdown. To cope, Maneta started to write his book, Metanoia. Through a series of short stories, he explores the damaging stigmas bound to masculinity and mental health, particularly in black communities. By turning the page on these misconceptions, Maneta has not only found healing within himself, but also empowered men to express themselves. 

Makhutle, Kingsley, and Maneta each stood up to stigma in their own way. They have regained power over their lives, encouraging others to face their battles with confidence. We are not defined by our challenges, but by how we overcome them.

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Main image courtesy of Beautiful News