Despite the struggles that women have sustained century after century, despite our legal achievements (more so in some countries than in others), the international reality demonstrates that we are still far from achieving true equality between the sexes. The respect all humans deserve regardless of their differences does not exist yet.
Gender-based violence, threats against the control of our bodies, and labor inequality, to name just a few, are as prevalent today as they were in the last century. Even more so now, because we are witnessing the rebirth of nationalist, populist and, consequently, sexist movements that put at risk that which we took for conquered, at least in the Western world.
While the prospect of a woman becoming President of a country as important as the United States made us expect for a moment a great step forward in terms of gender equality, her defeat, and the rise of a President as Trump, as well as Le Pen’s breakthrough in France —who despite being a woman is the leader of a nationalist and macho movement— and that of other candidates with similar ideals in other parts of Europe and the world, clearly show that the path that we have to travel is still long and very uphill. “Machismo”, as well as the most racist and xenophobic sentiments are emerging every day with greater impudence. Suffice it to say, that the Polish representative to the European Parliament Janusz Korwin-Mikke, bearing a complacent smile on his face, has declared that: «It is right for women to earn less because they are weaker, smaller and less intelligent.»
We women have in our DNA however capacity for struggle, and resilience; not only because we have always had to fight for our place in society, but because we are accustomed to doing so with equal passion as regards other issues that concern us all. Minorities, from the LGBTQIA community to immigrants, the elderly, the disabled, can all count on the support of women. They all want a world of peace, without weapons, where the environment be respected. Women are in the forefront of the fight to defend habitat. It is only enough to remember true heroines like the Hondurans Berta Cáceres and Lesbia Yaneth Urquía Urquía, who gave their lives to defend the land of their ancestors.
The coming eighth of March won’t be like just any other celebrations. The threats against our rights are real and serious. Women are victims of abuse, mistreatment and homicide in all parts of the world. The slogan #Niunamenos [Not even one more], launched by Argentinean women after the nth murder of a girl at the hands of a family member, boyfriend or friend, echoed throughout all Latin America. Chiara Páez, 14, who was pregnant, was killed by her boyfriend, who buried her in his grandparents’ courtyard.
Abortion remains taboo in many countries, particularly in Latin America, and it is a right endangered also in places where we had already conquered same. One of President Trump’s first steps has been to cut off funds that would have gone otherwise to organizations that help women get a safe abortion, condemning them to die at the hands of midwives; a first step that has triggered many alarm bells.
And inequalities also persist in the labor world. Although discharging similar obligations, women often receive lower wages; and that goes without counting the large number of young women who do not have the right to an education, are forced to marry while still being young girls, and are destined for a life of slavery.
The world is imperfect for everyone; but, regarding women, it is severely imperfect and can get even worse.
Faced with this situation, women from all over the world have met again, to regain their capacity for dialogue and communication: a “tam-tam” reaching 40 different countries. All together, they have decreed a general strike that will take place on March the eighth, thanks also to a great job done by old and new feminist groups; those that Milo Yiannopoulos, star of Breitbart, the extreme right media that Steve Bannon used to conduct, defined on one occasion as a «cancer».
For as long as a whole day, the world will miss women’s strength, creativity and professional ability; and even men like Yiannopoulos, Bannon and many others like them, or women like Le Pen, will find perhaps a moment to reflect.
The meeting place will be Washington Square, in New York City, starting at 4:00 pm.
Photo Credits: ResistFromDay1