(African Sun Media, 2020) Claassens, L. Juliana M.
During the fallout from the now infamous Sport Science article,1 a colleague of
mine in the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University shared an anecdote of
some coloured woman who was removed from a shortlist for some position at some
company. The reason for this decision: “You know, that study … .”
Some coloured woman. Some position. Some company. Like most anecdotes, this
one is not easily verified. However, what rings true about it is what everyone knows
who so fiercely critiqued this study portraying some coloured South African women
as somehow representing all coloured South African women: ethnic and gender
stereotypes, once they are out there, have an effect. And even though the article has
been retracted, the stereotypes out there remain out there.