While there is an International Women’s Day that has been commemorated on March 8 every year since 1977, at Codigo DH, we think that it is important to remember that women have rights that should be respected and guaranteed every day.
With that, on March 26, in coordination with the General Assembly of the Town of San Dionisio del Mar, we commemorate the struggle of women all over the world who have come before us and ensured we have rights. However, we also gather to remember that many other rights are not guaranteed to us and that women play a very important role in continuing the demand for our rights.
We speak about the importance of naming March 8 as a commemoration, not a celebration, because we are remembering historical events that have not been easy, some of which have ended in repression, imprisonment, disappearances, and the deaths of women who have given everything to change the course of our stories.
In working groups, a brief recount of the rights of women was carried out, reflecting on why it is so difficult to respect our rights and what causes this to be so. We created a collage to express the diverse opinions and lives of women, some of whom decided to share their thoughts and reflections out loud. It was concluded that the existence of machismo and the patriarchy are two factors that have not allowed progress in terms of our rights.
To end the activities, we watched “Huachinango rojo” (Red Snapper) (2023), a documentary by Cynthia Lizbeth Toledo that tackles the topic of virginity as the highest virtue of women and the traditions that take place around it in the region of Istmo de Tehuantepec.
Most of the women present, especially the older women, identified with the documentary, sharing that these are traditions that continue to exist. Those who have lived through them have felt uncomfortable and humiliated to be on display in front of the whole community on such an intimate subject.
Some others said that they will never allow these customs to be passed down to their daughters, as they are free to make decisions about their own bodies. Attendees were invited to be informed and to not remain silent in the face of situations of violence that live in their home communities. They are no longer alone and must assert their rights.
Let respect for women’s rights be the norm!
