Women Speak Out

On Sunday cities throughout the world observed International Women's Day.  In Mexico City 80,000 participants marched from the Monument of the Revolution to the city's main plaza, the Zócalo.  The march was a protest against femicides in Mexico.  

My friend Alejandro, his sister and his nephew were going to participate, but the nephew was not feeling well, so they did not go.  I am glad that they were not there because, although the vast majority of the protesters were peaceful, there was a small band of radicals with spray paint, hammers and chisels who were damaging buildings and monuments along the way.  When they reached the Zócalo, someone threw a Molotov cocktail toward the National Palace.  It missed its mark, but instead a photographer was injured.

When I talked to Alejandro on the phone last night, he said that he disapproved of the vandalism and violence, but that he can understand the rage of the perpetrators.  Last year there were 3,825 femicides in Mexico.  So far this year there have been 265 murders of woman.  Twenty of those victims have been girls under the age of fourteen, and 68 of the murders have been in Mexico City.  The murderers are very, very rarely brought to justice.  One of the most horrific crimes occurred last month when a seven year old girl was abducted when she left school.  Her body was later found in a bag, and she had been beaten and sexually abused.  So, yes, there is reason for outrage.

(image taken from the internet)

"I don't want them to kill me."

The protest did not end with yesterday's march.  Today was "A Day Without Women".  The organizers have called upon women throughout the country to stay home, not go to work, not go to school, not go shopping... demonstrate what the country would look like without women.  Government offices, many universities, and some of the country's biggest corporations have supported the strike.  Alejandro's sister was staying home from work today, and school was cancelled for her son today because none of the women teachers would be present.  I will be interested to hear how successful the strike was.

(image taken from the internet)

THE 9th NOBODY MOVES!

NATIONAL STRIKE

Not a woman on the streets

Not a woman at work

Not a girl at school

Not a young woman at the universities

Not a woman buying