Lady Justice

Before she was Lady Justice, she was Themis. A Titaness. A mother of law and order. She stood with her eyes closed – not in weakness, but in unshakeable trust of what was right.

We often see her sculpted in marble or bronze – blindfolded, sword in one hand, scales in the other. But what do we really know about Lady Justice? Why is she so often portrayed as a woman, and why is she blind?

The answer is far more intuitive – and far more powerful -than most realize.

Justice wears a blindfold not because she lacks vision, but because she chooses not to rely solely on sight. Vision is easily manipulated. What we see can be distorted, curated, rehearsed. Justice, to remain impartial, must reach beyond appearances. She leans into her other senses -the ones often overlooked, yet essential for true discernment.

She listens -with ears tuned not just to what is said, but to what is meant. She detects tone, silence, contradiction. Justice hears truth even when it whispers or trembles.

She smells -and the scent of deception lingers longer than spoken words. A whiff of dishonesty cannot be scrubbed clean.

She tastes -the bitterness of biting her own tongue when provoked, and the patience to speak only when the moment is right. Diplomacy, not silence, becomes her flavour.

She feels -the weight of the scales in one hand, and the unwavering grip of the sword in the other. Her sense of touch is not emotional softness but measured force.

She knows that intuition is not mysticism -it is the integration of all senses, a kind of deep pattern recognition. Justice doesn’t need to see the micro-details when her body, her reason, her wisdom already knows the macro truth.

And this is why the law itself is a blend of fixed statute and flexible interpretation. Some parts are rigid. Immovable and carved into stone. Others are living -adaptable and responsive to the unique human condition of each case. The law must evolve with us, or it fails to be just at all.

The “wheels of justice” do turn, but they are not a machine. They are organic, almost mystical in their movement through time. Each person -each cog -contributes. And while the pace may feel glacial, that restraint is what ensures we don’t lurch forward on emotion alone. The silence? It’s not passivity. It’s strategy. Because justice, true justice, knows:

Timing is everything.

Throughout history, women have stood at the gates of justice, not only to enter -but to remake the space within. Ruth Bader Ginsburg reshaped the U.S. legal landscape not through grandstanding, but by quietly, stubbornly dismantling gender bias one judgment at a time. Charlotte Maxeke, a South African icon- literally sang her way into opportunities and advocated for both education and civil rights in an era where Black women weren’t even seen by the law, let alone heard. In 1903 she became the first black South African woman to earn a degree! Florence Nightingale revolutionized healthcare systems not just with compassion, but with data and policy reform. And let us not forget Joan of Arc -the warrior-saint who defied every social structure of her time. Joan was military leader who annihilated gender roles and gained recognition as a savior of France in 1429.

Though neither lawyer, trained warrior or royal advisor, she stood as living proof that conviction, clarity, and purpose can burn so brightly they force kings to listen.

Their strategies differed. Some argued. Some fought. Some wrote. Some simply refused to yield. They didn’t always see the victories themselves -but their presence cracked open the gates.

What they never tell you about women who serve justice –is the toll.
The late nights rewriting proposals no one reads.
The dignity maintained through public disrespect and attempts to shame women into silence.
The balancing act between truth and diplomacy, carried like invisible stone.
They do not cry for recognition. They architect change.
And when the world finally shifts?
It often forgets who tilted the axis.

Of course, belief alone is not enough. One must walk the tightrope between fire and discernment. Just because you believe in something deeply does not mean you act like Don Quixote -tilting at illusions, chasing windmills. Passion must be paired with precision. Emotion with education. Myth with method.

And so the torch passes.

To every woman in a courtroom. At a desk. Behind a call centre screen. In a boardroom meeting or court chambers. Carrying caseloads that feel bigger than budgets. Teaching others to navigate statutes. Balancing policy with humanity.

They are the daughters of Joan. Of Charlotte. Of Ruth. Not biologically, but spiritually. They carry the memory of those who came before and shape the space for those who come next. They stand and speak in clear truth that banishes shame from those who seek justice and the dignity she upholds.

Because shouting about change does not make it happen. Only when Justice finally speaks will her voice echo with such clarity that everyone must take note. She must be unwavering in her decisions because the sword cuts both ways after all. She rallies men and women to the cause.

DCASA commends the unshakeable, untameable, stubborn spirit of Justice. We commend every woman who moves the wheels of justice forward. We are stronger together -remember that. Those who sit silently through chaos, who hold their swords with grace, who weigh outcomes and consequences before they speak. Those who advocate against shame-based narratives. This Women’s Month, let us honour not just the woman who is Justice -but the women in our industry who embody her. Debt Counsellors. Attorneys. Admin clerks. Ombuds. Mediators. Journalists. Advocates.

Your title and profession matter not. What truly matters, is your refusal to succumb under pressure to conform to expectations simply for the sake of safety.

Women who navigate unbearable cases with dignity, knowing that what is right may not always be what is easy. Knowing that in every storm they have to face, they remain in the eye, calm, regardless of the chaos around them.

They are not blind.
They are focused.
And they are the reason the system still stands.

There might be those who burn bright for a moment –
claiming the oxygen of others just to stay lit.

And then there are those who hold the flame steady through storms.

One dazzles momentarily.
The other leads revolutions.

Choose your legacy.

And to those watching quietly from the sidelines -weighing whether to rise, to speak, to lead:

The scales are waiting.
The torch is still warm.

It’s your turn to add your voice. Unashamed.

Written by Nadia de Weerdt– Sandton Debt Counselling / Dcasa western Cape Representative / avid reader and mythology geek. 

– date posted 8 August 2025

 

#WomenOfJustice #DCASAWomensMonth #FinancialFairness #DebtWithDignity #RiseWithGrace

To read more of Nadia’s work, head to her DC Corner here.

www.sandtondc.co.za