Feminisms resist the flood and fill the streets of Madrid

MadridMadrid has not been spared from the storm that has been affecting the State for days, but that has not been an impediment for thousands of people to fill the most central streets of the Spanish capital this Saturday, when 50 years of the Official Declaration of International Women's Day are commemorated. A little after 12 noon the demonstration organised by the 8-M Commission started. Umbrellas and raincoats have been the allies of the thousands of people, the vast majority women, to resist the rain that fell and that although it has made it difficult to start the march, it has not stopped it. Little by little, the demonstrators have gone up Paseo del Prado with slogans such as "We feminists are here" and have headed towards Plaza de Cibeles. Once there they have crossed Gran Via, one of the main arteries of the city, to be able to finish the demonstration in Plaza Espanya. According to the first calculations of the organisation, more than 80,000 people attended the demonstration. "Rain or snow, feminists move," was heard at one point during the demonstration.

Since the 1970s, the 8-M Commission has been able to flex its muscles thanks to the support of social groups and organizations from across the city, from those linked to housing to anti-racist entities. In fact, this year's motto is "Anti-racist feminists, in the streets. Our lives depend on it" and, as explained by the organization, it is framed in a context of growing questioning of fundamental rights - especially of racialized people - as a result of the rise of the extreme right. "Today, more than ever, we must demand an anti-racist feminism. A feminism that does not believe in rights only for a few. Today we demand that we want rights for all women regardless of their origin, condition, race or skin color," said Katty Solorzano, one of the organization's spokespeople, in a statement.

Despite the intensity of the rain, some groups of women have also dared to go out with instruments and sing some songs that have already become a symbol of this 8-M such as ""In the vague". There has also been no shortage of proclamations such as "No is No and only Yeah is Yeah"after a year in which the role of justice has once again been at the centre of the debate, particularly following the controversial questioning by the judge of Elisa Mouliaá, the accuser of Íñigo Errejón. Banners with images of Gisèle Pelicot, who has become an icon for her movement, have also been seen."

As usual, Madrid will once again have two demonstrations on March 8. This Saturday afternoon there will be a second demonstration, called by the Madrid Feminist Movement and which is the result of the divergences around norms such as the trans law –in this case they reject it– and also issues such as the abolition of sex work –which this organization supports–. Unlike the Spanish government, in which some of the members did attend the morning demonstration, as is the case of the Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, the Popular Party confirmed attendance at the afternoon demonstration.

This year, however, these divergences are not what are taking center stage. The March 8 demonstration comes after a year marked by cases such as Rubiales' forced kiss on Jennifer Hermoso; the complaint of alleged sexual assault by Íñigo Errejón, until recently the visible face of Sumar, against Elisa Mouliaá, and, more recently, the accusation of sexual abuse against Juan Carlos Monedero, the second founder of Podemos.

All this has not only opened a significant rift in politics in general and on the left in particular regarding the silences that have existed in certain situations, but has also strained the public debate around consent or media lynching.

Differences also in Catalonia

The division of feminism over issues such as the regularisation or abolition of prostitution and the rights of trans people has also marked 8-M in Barcelona, ​​​​where this year, and for the first time in history, two demonstrations are planned.

Unlike Madrid, however, the two mobilizations have been planned for the same time (6 pm) but at different points: the one expected to be more crowded, organized by the 8-M Assembly, will start from the Universitat square and end at Arc de Triomf, and the one called by the 8-M Feminist Coordinator will start in the 8-M Feminist Square and begin in the 8-M Company Square.