"A hole is a hole; for an afternoon it's fine": the poster of a bullfighting club that outrages Sagunto

Valencia"A hole is a hole; for an afternoon it's fine." This is the slogan for the municipal festivals chosen by a local group from the Valencian town of Sagunt on a poster showing the image of a woman being penetrated by a bull. The Feminist Coordinator of Camp de Morvedre has denounced the poster for being "clearly demeaning" and an attack "against women's rights".

Ainhoa Alberola, from the feminist organization, said that "the way women are represented is also very important" and stated that from the Coordinator they think that "this image of submission is in very poor taste".

"There are many ways to joke and laugh and have a good time without attacking women's rights," they lament. The organization calls for a review of the subsidies that the Sagunt City Council gives to local groups so that "public money is not given to groups that may be attacking women's rights": "We don't believe they didn't see it".

This image has not only been present on the poster, but has also been spread on social media and printed on t-shirts and bags distributed by the same local group. The Vox spokesperson in the Sagunt City Council took a photo showing off the t-shirt and the political party shared images with these arguments: "It is a pride to see how our neighbors keep alive the identity, effort, and union that characterize our municipality".

"We cannot normalize or justify images that reproduce sexist stereotypes"

From the Directorate General for Equality of the Generalitat Valenciana, in statements to elDiario.es, they have expressed their "absolute rejection of any representation that contributes to denigrating, objectifying or ridiculing women". They have asked the group to change the image: "In the 21st century, and after the significant advances achieved in equality between women and men thanks to the effort of the entire society, we cannot normalize or justify images that reproduce sexist stereotypes or that present women from a perspective of subordination or humiliation".

The Director General of Equality and head of the Valencian Institute of Women, Davinia Bono, has pointed out that "these types of demonstrations have no place in a society that aspires to be more egalitarian, respectful and free of discrimination". Bono has insisted that these festivities must be "spaces for coexistence, respect and shared celebration, where all people can feel represented and respected. Freedom of expression cannot become an argument for perpetuating messages that attack the dignity of women or that contribute to trivializing discriminatory attitudes".

For all these reasons, she asks the group to "reflect on the impact of the chosen image and proceed to its withdrawal or rectification as a show of responsibility and commitment to the values of equality and respect that must preside over our coexistence".

The Sagunt City Council regrets the events

From the council, they explain that on July 23, the municipal Department of Equality became "aware of the situation and warned that this image had to be removed as it was contrary to the principles of equality and citizen coexistence".

The request was channeled through the Department of Festivities, which contacted the responsible club. "The club explained that it was not a single poster, but that the image was on multiple elements and they needed time to find a solution".

For this reason, they explain that "a working group was established by consensus to prevent these images from being repeated in future editions, with the aim that the image presented at the festivities adheres to the principles of equality, respect for human dignity, and coexistence".

Regarding subsidies, the Sagunto City Council states that "there is no public money for the club". "There is a subsidy for the Federation of Clubs, which is a different entity responsible for organizing the different festival events. But this money does not reach the clubs individually. Each one manages itself with its own income," they detail from the council.