These are bad times for feminism. The aggressiveness that has presided over the last sessions in the Congress of Deputies has revolved on too many occasions around equality policies, which not so long ago aroused a broad and well-established consensus. It's not that long ago, it's barely three years, since Vox broke into Congress. Vox has made anti-feminism its flag, a counter-movement to stop equality. But even at very different levels of analysis, one must ask how far the partisan instrumentalization of the debate reaches.
It is Irene Montero, as Minister of Equality, who has been at the center of this battle. Pointed out for being a "woman of" from Vox, in a book sexist diatribe, Montero lashed out days later against the PP for promoting the "rape culture", an accusation that caused discomfort not only in the PP but also in the PSOE and in feminist sectors. Feminism, points out Eva Anduiza, professor of Political Science (UAB) has gone from being "in politics" to being "in politics".
Vox and Podemos cannot be put in the same category in any way, it does not help to clarify the situation, indicates Anduiza. “But it is important to understand that Vox is, among other things, a reaction to the advances and above all to the visibility and mobilization of feminism. Therefore, what Vox does is not independent of what Podemos does. Podemos has to think about whether the strategy that suits it best, both electorally and to move policies forward, is the search for confrontation or the search for agreements, ”says the political scientist.
It is worrisome that feminism is on the agenda as a battering ram, says Maria Freixanet, a researcher at the Institute of Political and Social Sciences (ICPS). Vox has introduced a violent tone into the debate, a change in political tone that today would make it impossible to generate the atmosphere that was achieved to seal the State Pact against Gender Violence, in 2017. There is also, indicates the researcher, harassment of Montero for reasons of sex -the accusations she receives would not be made against a male minister-, and due to the fact that she is Minister of Equality, a ministry on target from misogynist positions.
But precisely because of this, Freixanet considers that Montero, in order to "take care" of the Ministry, to take root, should listen to the "pertinent" criticisms that have been made from the feminist movement, especially in the processing of the trans law. There has been no listening, she points out, bridges with feminist sectors have been broken. It does not seem that there is any interest in rebuilding them and this weakens feminism. The scenario of the long electoral year that is opening does not invite great optimism.
Vox has thus wanted to break from its trenches the consensus around the fight against sexist violence. The fight against feminism as a cultural war that is made explicit in what is called the war against “gender ideology”. The question is not to create an identity against it, to avoid the end of the political logic of the argument between speeches, and thus not fall into the search for similar trenches.
That feminism becomes a thrown weapon in Congress does not help equality policies. Professor Anduiza indicates that feminism requires "a lot of pedagogy, because it basically teaches us to look at the world in a very different way than we are used to, and that costs." It is difficult to understand the bases of inequality with a broad perspective. For this reason, she emphasizes that the concepts must be explained in such a way that they can be understood “and do not generate more reaction or backlash than the essential minimum.
Pedagogy could be done with gender violence, and looking back a decade you can see how society has understood what it is and what it is based on. "This - indicates Anduiza - could be done in relation to other concepts, such as the culture of rape."
If feminism -remembering that it is the fight for equality between men and women- is in a difficult moment as a result of the irruption of the ultra-right, it is time to save all the allies, as many as possible, indicates Freixanet. The episodes of these days, where many wars and partisan strategies of the present and future end, generate too many doubts today
