International Women’s Day in Spain

The head of the demonstration

by Mara Ricoy Olariaga

”Feminists are divided,” I hear in the Spanish news pouring out as I’m travelling through Scotland trying to make my way to attend the demonstration that was taking place in Madrid on the 8th of March.

“Feminism is divided into two demonstrations once again, this year.” To my amusement the male presenter even claims to be saddened by the feminist split. I roll my eyes as I get on the train.

The demonstrations of the 8th of March in Spain have, at least over the last ten years, increased in their importance and size, but in more recent years this idea of the division of feminism has become more persistent. And this year is the second time that there are two demonstrations in Madrid with two different routes. 

The demonstration taken Atocha street in central Madrid

The demonstration organised by Movimiento Feminista de Madrid, which is the one I am attending, left no room for doubt in their press release about our position:

“The organisations that make up the Madrid Feminist Movement (MFM) point out that their call distances itself from those who usurp the name of feminism to execute neoliberal policies contrary to women's rights, and International Women's Day as an element of biased propaganda for their parties.”

So… let’s call it the “official one” (as it was the one attended by the Minister of Equality, Irene Montero) made it a festive event for all sort of causes to join, including equality with animals, “trans rights”, environmental causes and even promoting what they call “sex work”.

Meanwhile our demonstration was clearly upholding the feminist agenda, against all forms of exploitation of women, including prostitution and surrogacy, obviously in a more prominent way. We also manifested our opposition against the oppression of women through religious dogmas and against the self ID laws.

The feminist pro abortion and body autonomy hand symbol during the speeches at the end of the demonstration

And we weren’t only calling for the resignation of Irene Montero but also reclaiming and complaining about all of the following:

•   Breach of the promise of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, to advance in this legislature the abolition of prostitution. The legislative project developed by the women's organisations as the Organic Law Abolitionist of the Prostitution System was presented two years ago to society and the Government and is languishing in some ministerial drawer.

•   Failure to comply with the Agreement of the Coalition Government (point 7.6) in which it undertook to promote “a reinforced protection of minors to prevent access to pornography”.

•   Failure to comply with the Agreement of the Coalition Government (point 7.7) in which it undertook to act against agencies that offer the practice of reproductive exploitation and sale of babies (wombs for rent). The General Directorate of Registries and Notaries allows (through the Instruction of October 5, 2010) the importation of babies “à la carte” and, therefore, the exploitation of vulnerable women abroad, despite being an illegal practice in our country.

•   Non-compliance with the effective fight against sexist violence, with the increase in indicators of lack of protection for women: during the year 2022, 40% of the victims of partner or ex-partner femicides had spoken about their aggressor. The data reveals the very serious failure of the State in the protection of its citizens, in the detection and prevention of macho terrorism.

•   Failure to comply with the Equality Law, for the promotion of a fair representation of women in the fields of culture, business and others. A breach that in recent times has taken a postmodern turn with the promotion of the fair presence of women belittled as something “very binary”.

•   Failure to achieve the reduction of labour gaps and pensions, since income inequality between women and men has in fact increased post-pandemic.

•   The mess in the reform of the Penal Code that has led to downward revisions of sentences for hundreds of sexual offenders in our country, and even releases in some cases. The feminists demanded in the streets and in their writings to fight against impunity, not a reduction in penalties. Feminists warned of this and were not listened to. In addition, the exclusion of prostitution and pornography as forms of sexual violence in the new law for the comprehensive guarantee of sexual freedom establishes, de facto, the possibility of nullifying the protection against sexual violence with a simple ticket. The law leaves out of its protection precisely very vulnerable, impoverished women, the majority of whom have migrated and been violated from a very young age.

•   Newly created censoring laws, established in the misnamed state “trans law”, which reinstates administrative censorship in our country with the possibility of fines of up to 150,000 euros for feminist critical thought. Feminism has been eradicating sex roles and stereotypes associated with the sexes for the sake of women's freedom for 300 years. And it is equally opposed to the hormonal use of healthy minors by virtue of self-diagnosis.

(Text taken from the Movimiento Feminista de Madrid press release)

A placard reading “We women don’t have penises, Montero resign"

 However, in the days leading up to the 8th of March many messages on social media tried to ensure that women knew which demonstrations they were attending, as the fact that both started from the same place started to sound very misleading. And indeed, there were plenty of misleading messages to follow. Just one day before the demonstration a popular liberal “feminist” influencer posted a video on Twitter stating that their demonstration started from Atocha (the same starting point as ours) and if anyone got lost, they just had to look for the trans flag.

The tension was palpable, and on the day, as I was heading to Madrid, the viral images of some women, who happened to be my friends, boycotting an event with Irene Montero were everywhere. The event was in a theatre and I thought it looked a bit like a cult or a sect gathering, the main speakers together with a famous TV presenter seated at the main table, surrounded by teenagers wearing t-shirts that stated “fat”, “gypsy”, “faggot” – with what purpose? I am not sure. They also had a weird poster with all sorts of graphics that went from a sanitary towel to a butt plug (an anal sex toy).

The radical feminists confronted the minister Irene Montero by telling her that women are oppressed by sex. After a futile exchange with the crowd shouting at the radical feminists and some of them been removed by the police, Montero just repeated her political mantra: “We have to ensure that the human rights of trans people are respected and that this is a safe space.”

Ana Julia from Rad Fem Berlin with the same Labrys flag she took to Montero’s event that morning

With this sort of thing going on beforehand, including a photo, posted on social media in the early hours,  of a banner displayed on a bridge in Madrid stating: “Terf watch your back”,  I wasn’t quite sure what I was heading to. My plane was delayed so I had to jump in a cab and head straight from the airport to Atocha, right in the centre of Madrid, and also the starting point of the two demonstrations. I tried to figure out which demonstration was “mine” and finally found some friends. Our drums were already playing. We were all gathering and waiting, hugging, greeting, with lovely women saying, Hey, I follow you on Twitter.” But, despite the many opinions we have shared on Twitter, this was the real deal.

Not far from us was a group of protesters with red umbrellas. I learned that they called themselves “Afectados Abolición” (Affected by Abolition). They think that the abolition of prostitution is violence against women, yes, you might need to read that twice. We were chanting our abolitionist chants, such as, “No woman is born to be a whore,” and “John, even when you are paying you are still raping.”

But while it looked as if we were going to a battlefield and descend into a war, it didn’t, and I couldn’t help but think what would have happened if those two large groups of people with such opposing views had been men.

But that is a different debate.

Arriving to Plaza de la Provincia

 We finally started moving and split into our different routes. I can only speak about what happened in the radical march I was part of. And all I can say is that it was a lovely ambience;it felt as if it was a massive turn out, with more younger women attending this year as noted by the organisation. The large group of women with drums supported the entire walk of over a mile, which took us almost three hours.

Occasionally groups going to the other march would pass us by on the side streets and insulting us, and calling us “transphobes”. I confronted a couple but apart from some unintelligible sounds, no further arguments and no altercations took place. And as far as I know nothing major happened.

Our crowd was varied. I have to say I was disappointed that there were so many men were there and mixed with us. Traditionally in these marches, men are always asked to stay at the back or to support women in less visible ways.

When we arrived at our final destination, an improvised stage was ready in the square for members of the organisation to read their speeches.

One of the speakers addressed the women from Muslim backgrounds who were there with white masks to protect their identities: the masks had a black tape crossed over the mouth to represent imposed silence. The speech was read in Spanish and Arabic. Younger speakers spoke passionately against obstetric violence, surrogacy, self ID laws, prostitution and in more general terms against the disastrous government in coalition, PSOE/Podemos, and in particular against Irene Montero and her equality ministry.

A group of muslim women incognito protesting against religious impositions burning a veil

The legs of those of us who were older started to get tired and, after 10 p.m. when all the speeches were over, we went to eat some tapas and chat. The “comadres” of Contra el borrado (Against the Erasure) and some of the organisers from Movimiento Feminista kindly invited me to join them.

They told me about all the effort of organising the event, but despite their claims of tiredness, they all looked as if they were going to get ready for the next one, and they reminded me very much of us at FiLiA after ending a conference. I have learned that feminists can occasionally rest because feminism never does.

I read the reports the next day on my way back to Scotland. Our march had double participation from last year’s numbers while the official one had half them in comparison . Our march had an estimate of 25,000 while the official one had 17,000 however they calculated 700,000. I think the political interests behind each march were clear. For us it wasn’t about the numbers but rather the support, the growth and the objectives, which are the feminist agenda. But the new “official feminism” which answers to a despotic liberalism remains to be convinced regardless of reality.

A couple of demonstrators hug during the final speeches

 Once I was rested and back at home, I heard again the Mexican song “Sin Miedo” (Without fear) which was sung at the end of our march and I started crying. All the emotions of being with my sisters came back. We are so strong and powerful that it moves me every time we gather.

I particularly love the line “And let the Earth tremble to its core with sorority roaring love”.

Feminism is not divided; feminism is where it has always been regardless of popularity, trends or having everything against us, regardless of patriarchy dressing up as our movement.

And no one will stop us. We will keep shouting:

AQUÍ ESTAMOS LAS FEMINISTAS (Here we are, the feminists)

Mara Ricoy Olariaga with fellow feminists at the demonstration of the 8th of March in Madrid