Opinion

AR — Buenos Aires. On February 15, 2019, a radical feminist who started to speak at a women’s event was violently attacked by a male who identifies as a woman.

According to witnesses, radical feminists were barred from speaking at a rally being held by women in advance of International Women’s Day (March 8). Nonetheless, at one point a radical feminist managed to secure a microphone and began to speak about the harms of prostitution.

A male who identifies as a woman became very angry at this woman, and lunged towards her, grabbing her neck. Fortunately, a few others who were present intervened, thus preventing further harm.

However, many present at the rally supported the violent attack, based on an age-old misogynistic belief that when a male attacks a woman, the woman must have done something to provoke it. A group began chanting, “Fuera fachas, fuera!” (“Out, fascists, out!”) at the radical feminists. This was followed by many others chanting, “Aquí está la resistencia trans” (“This is the trans resistance”).

FRIA, Independent Radical Feminists of Argentina, issued the following statement regarding the incident:

We repudiate the silencing and violence against one of our comrades in a supposedly democratic assembly[…]. We demand the cessation of symbolic, political and ideological violence against us through the internet and including important media outlets. […] Enough of the defamation and distortions of our position. Theoretical differences should be discussed, not censored or resolved with violence.

After watching a video of the attack, a Twitter user who says she is a former radical feminist expressed a newfound distrust of including male transgender individuals in feminism. “I feel very sad. Sister, it’s over. I wanted them to be part of feminism, but with this, I see their true intentions. They came to our movement to attack. I’m afraid, friend.”

“Making a parody of what it is to be a woman, they have a voice in a feminist assembly, and on top of that, they respond with blows to silence a comrade,” a radical feminist commenter wrote on Facebook. “The assemblies are full of Buffalo Bills and pro-pimps, and they are really called feminists?”

“This is what neoliberalism has come to,” another radical feminist observed in a Facebook comment. “Women are no longer safe in our own spaces, and there is nothing more sad and humiliating than other women supporting this violence.”

Read more on this story Mujeres trans contra mujeres, se armó la rosca fuerte en una reunión feminista

Editor Platense

Una reciente asamblea feminista para definir temas concernientes a la marcha que se realizará el 8 de marzo en el marco del Dia internacional de la Mujer terminó mal en Capital Federal. Comunicado por las agresiones sufridas en la asamblea de Ni Una Menos

FRIA

Desde FRIA, Feministas Radicales Independientes de Argentina, repudiamos el silenciamiento y la violencia contra una de nuestras compañeras en una asamblea supuestamente democrática para la organización del paro del 8 de Marzo, “Día de la Mujer”.