"The street belongs to those who walk it"
?Francesca Gargallo.
On a hot and dry afternoon in March, Mexico City was dyed purple and green. Thousands and thousands of young women ?and some not so much? they were twinned with the jacarandas in bloom.
With their centuries-old indignation on their backs, they flooded the streets and shouted "justice." The Paseo de la Reforma was packed from wall to wall, never before had it been so full of women.
Around one hundred thousand people went to march, to commemorate March 8, 2023, International Women's Day, which is not celebrated, as it is the commemoration of a tragic event. However, the women playfully jump, reminisce, shout, sing and dance.
The fall of patriarchy in the face of women's struggles is predicted. The decriminalization of abortion is demanded throughout the national territory and that the feminicides fall, fall. It is a celebration, yes, for life, for the life of women free of violence.
As the violence has increased, so has the anger and feminist struggle. "Not one more, not one more murdered." But it doesn't stop. The macho fury rapes and kills without respite. It has taken us half a century to achieve the authentic multitudinous generational change. This was our dream in the 70s of the last century, but the price has been very high. The revenge against the purple tsunami is fierce.
The great dream that we still have, however, is that of Rosa Luxemburg from more than a century ago: «For a world where we are socially equal, humanly different and totally free».
After a bright and vibrant afternoon, the abrupt darkness of the capital's zócalo came: the authorities turned off our lights. But the fight goes on and on.
You may be interested in: Photographic account of the 8M march in CDMX