"Men like Epstein, Trump, or those who want to return to Francoism cannot decide for us."

BarcelonaWith the highest data of young people who despise feminism And amid the offensive of far-right rhetoric against equality policies, the 8M demonstration kicked off this Sunday in Barcelona – promptly at 11:30 a.m. – for International Women's Day. This year, the feminist movement sought to confront the reactionary wave and warn of the rise of the far right and conservatism, which sends messages contrary to human rights that until now were thought to be inviolable. "I'm out for the same reasons as always, but now it's more necessary than ever: the world, what has happened and what may happen, is frightening," explains Teresa, one of the 24,000 demonstrators – according to estimates by the Barcelona City Police – who took to the streets of Barcelona.

This year, International Women's Day falls on a Sunday, a day not particularly conducive to large mobilizations, and the turnout figures bear this out. Furthermore, rain threatened at the start of the day—although, apart from a few drops, it held off for the expected turnout—and, for the second year in a row, the group marched in two separate demonstrations due to differences on two issues: how to address prostitution (regulation or prohibition) and the legal recognition of individuals with disabilities. However, for many women, the demonstration served to send a message: the erosion of women's rights is a real and evident danger. Sara explains that she came for herself, but above all for her four-year-old daughter, Ainara. "What kind of world without rights do some people want our daughters to live in?" she asks, raising the hand that holds her daughter's. "March 8th has always been important to me, but now it's even more so, and not only because of the rights we still don't have, but because the far right threatens to erase everything our mothers and grandmothers achieved," she asserts.

Toñi and Xènia, also mother and daughter, marched from Passeig de Gràcia to Arc de Triomf and warned of the risks of younger generations, born and raised with "progressive ideas and values," uncritically accepting positions that contradict those of gender equality and trivializing sexist and sexual violence. "Now is not the time to stop: we must continue taking to the streets, and young women especially must do so, to demand and defend women's rights more than ever—those we already have, but above all, those we still lack," Toñi pointed out.

"We are living through a very complicated time. The Epstein files, Trump's behavior, and the way many men who want to return to Francoism talk about women and take advantage of them should bring us out into the streets and, above all, make us go out to vote when there are elections: we have to decide who is in charge, and these kinds of men cannot decide for us, women," she affirms. And she asks: "Where are the men who don't want the objectification of women, who don't resort to prostitution, and who stop and challenge sexist behavior? We need allies!"

For Raquel, who demonstrated with three friends, it seems that much progress has been made, but we are living in turbulent times and "there is still a long fight ahead": "Many women feel overwhelmed: we have an ongoing struggle at home over the tasks and caregiving that remain invisible, even though we are all the workers that men are." "Especially in light of the serious abuses against children that are occurring around the world," adds Laia, who also attended the demonstration with her daughter.

The echo of wars and the ICE

"You want us locked up at home, but we are women, feminists, and free," "Sexist attitudes kill, feminism protects," and "Tired of feeling the same? We're tired of repeating ourselves" are some of the slogans that could be read on the many banners carried by the participants. The demonstrators chanted slogans demanding responsibility from men and government bodies—many directly appealing to the European Union—on issues such as caregiving and housework—which in 90% of cases still fall on them—equal pay, and sexual consent, as well as messages of solidarity with the women of Iran and Gaza.

In fact, the demonstration's manifesto positioned itself against "Trump's immigration persecution and his criminal ICE; the brutal interventionism against Venezuela, Cuba, and Greenland; the escalation of the armed conflict in Ukraine; the genocide in Palestine, the Congo, Sudan, and Nigeria." "We call out loud and clear." No "To far-right policies, racism, hate speech, antifeminism, and LGBTQ+ phobia," stated the activists who read the manifesto, defending feminism as a space of resistance against the most conservative ideologies. The Minister of Equality and Ferminsos, who are antifeminist, have already achieved "real equality."

From the main demonstration, Menor admitted that there are still "many gaps and inequalities to overcome" and warned of the "risk" of backsliding on women's rights. Along similar lines, PSC spokesperson Lluïsa Moret called for restraint against "the sexist far right." In fact, representatives from all parties participated in this event, except for the PP, Vox, and Aliança Catalana. ERC Secretary General Elisenda Alamany championed feminism against the "alpha males" who make "testosterone-fueled decisions from their offices," and called for "courageous female politicians" equipped with the "necessary resources" to confront "hate speech against feminism." Her spokesperson, Su Moreno, called for combating the "imposed, sterile, and false debates" of the right and far right. Meanwhile, at an event in Castelldefels, PP MEP Dolors Montserrat accused Spanish President Pedro Sánchez of having pushed women "further into the pit, in the law of..." only yes means yes.

Double call

In Barcelona, ​​as was the case last year, there were two demonstrations. The largest (22,000 participants) was that of the 8M Assembly, which brings together a large and diverse number of women's organizations in favor of diversity of origin, race, sexual orientation, and class: it includes women with disabilities, mothers with dependent children, and migrant+ people. It also has the support of the Catalan Government and parties such as the PSC, Junts, ERC, Comuns, and the CUP.

The other demonstration was organized by the Feminist Movement, which opposes prostitution and the trans community. It departed from Plaça Catalunya at noon and featured a speech by survivors of prostitution. performance The Somos Ellas collective spoke about femicides, and read a manifesto to repeal trans laws. Approximately 1,400 people participated in this mobilization, chanting slogans such as "Being a woman is not a feeling," and distancing themselves from the unified mobilization.

In Tarragona, the demonstration also took place in the morning, but in this case it was a unified event (1,500 participants) and the central slogans were against racism and the far right. The same demands were voiced by the movement in Girona, which mobilized in the afternoon with 1,800 attendees.

As in Barcelona, ​​in other major cities in Spain the movement has held separate demonstrations, such as in Bilbao, Seville, and Madrid. In the Spanish capital, some 34,000 people mobilized, and it is the fifth consecutive year that issues such as prostitution, the trans law, and the use of the burka have divided the community, although in both cities they have demanded an end to gender-based and vicarious violence—there have been ten such demonstrations across Spain since January—as well as wage and educational inequality, and "No to war." In other European capitals there were no two separate demonstrations, although some individual events or rallies were held. For example, in London, Paris, and Rome there was only one demonstration, and all of them aimed to denounce the threat of fascism and the rise of the far right to women's freedoms and rights.