Why South Africans Are Turning Their Profile Pictures Purple — And What It Means

South Africa’s social media landscape has been overtaken by purple. Profile pictures, emojis, and posts across platforms signal solidarity with a growing movement: the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide. Leading this charge is advocacy organisation Women For Change (WFC), which is calling on the government to declare GBV a national disaster.

The movement peaks on Friday, November 21, when women and LGBTQI+ allies are urged to stage a nationwide shutdown—refraining from paid and unpaid work, spending no money, and withdrawing from the economy for a day. This unprecedented protest is strategically timed ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, ensuring international attention on South Africa’s ongoing crisis, which claims a life every 2.5 hours.

A central feature of the campaign is the 15-minute standstill at 12pm, where participants lie down to symbolically honour the 15 women murdered daily. Protesters are encouraged to wear black, representing both mourning and resistance, while purple profile pictures and purple hearts amplify the message online. The digital visibility transforms social media into a national stage for advocacy.

The purple profile picture movement carries significant implications across multiple levels. For policymakers, it underscores that gender-based violence is not merely a social issue but a barrier to national progress, demanding urgent policy reform and investment in prevention. For individuals, changing a profile picture is a simple act with a ripple effect, connecting digital activism to tangible real-world outcomes and keeping public attention focused on the crisis. For South Africa as a whole, the campaign’s call to withdraw labour and spending for a day quantifies the economic and social contributions of women and LGBTQI+ communities, highlighting the human and financial costs of inaction.

Support for the initiative has been widespread. South African celebrities and brands including Bonang Matheba, J Something and his wife (Cordelia Godi), Thando Thabethe, Sthelo Shezi, Cici, Lumi Glo, Silki Skin, Essence and more have publicly backed the campaign. The movement has also drawn solidarity from neighboring countries, including Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania, highlighting the regional resonance of South Africa’s GBV crisis.

What began as a symbolic colour choice has evolved into a co-ordinated nationwide action linking digital activism with real-world impact. The purple campaign illustrates the power of social media to unify citizens, pressure policymakers, and elevate social issues onto the global stage.