A few weeks ago, in our class’ Newsroom, I had the opportunity to talk about the Feminist movement in Mexico, specifically the Black Block group. Years of violence and injustice against women has led to the moment where Mexican women took over a Human Rights Commission Building. One of the leaders of the takeover is Erika Martinez who’s 10-year-old daughter, RJ, was sexually assaulted but authorities have not yet given justice to her case. The feminist collective turned the building into a shelter for women who are victims of the injustices and sexual abuse that takes place in Mexico everyday. They demand justice in their sexual assault and rape cases, gender-sensitive training for police, expansion of abortion rights, and that Mexico’s president publicly recognize the legitimacy of the feminist movement. After learning about this movement, I dug deeper into the injustices against women in Mexico and it led me to their abortion issues.
Currently, abortion is illegal everywhere in Mexico except two states, but even if a woman has a miscarriage it is sometimes considered murder and even occasionally leads to arrests. Certain circumstances, such as rape, allow an abortion, but with all the legal problems in Mexico surrounding rape cases and the corruption of the system it is difficult to achieve. On September 28th, International Safe Abortion Day, women took to the streets of Mexico City to throw cocktails on cops and wear their green bandanas, which have become a symbol of the prochoice movement to demand their rights.
With RBG’s seat being filled by the ~lovely~ Amy Coney Barrett, it is disheartening to think that this could be the new possibility for America. It is a scary thought and one that I do not wish on any country anywhere in the world. America has fought for so long for freedoms and rights for women and minorities- if Barrett’s views begin to come into play and form actual policies it would be a shame to take that many steps back. Mexico has been fighting for a long time for women’s rights and slowly but surely some states are accommodating but it should not be that difficult to grant women the right to their own bodies. Reading about how in 2020 this is still an issue and the possibility of America having to resort back to these ways are chilling and quite the slap in the face.
To read more about Mexican women’s struggles- check out the video below as well as to read about the September 28th protest:
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