Breathe
By Karen Alejandra del Valle Amezcua
This year I decided not to march on 8M. From previous years, I have the feeling that the march has been commodified. I am sure that this is true, and although this does not mean that we should stop marching, this year I invited myself to reflect on why I made this decision, which to tell the truth hurt me.
The commodification of social protest is not a new phenomenon, we know that capitalism is capable of absorbing everything and turning it to its advantage. I am trying to think a lot about this issue, about why so many friends who work on gender equality issues do not want to go out to march either. To cure this feeling of guilt, I have identified some elements that bother me about the commodification of protest.
First, some brands have adopted messages of empowerment and feminism in their advertising campaigns, creating products that encompass clothing, cosmetics, and more, taking advantage of the appeal of the movement to increase their sales. This starts to become very annoying when these brands get rich from causes that seek justice without having plans to redistribute profits or attention to causes with money for victims of violence against women.
The thing is, when capitalist interests commercialize March 8 by creating products, there is a risk of diverting attention away from the issues that seem to me to be central to feminism. It's no secret that people with more resources often influence the narrative and goals of movements.
Commodification, in my view, ends up overshadowing the organizations, victims and activists who work hard for gender equality, as fashion products may not represent the realities and demands of the most vulnerable women, who are often forgotten in these products. In this sense, some of the narratives and issues that often receive more attention compared to the issues faced by women in situations of greater vulnerability include:
- Empowerment and leadership, this often fails to consider the needs of those who face significant barriers to participation, such as women in poverty or those living in marginalized communities.
- Quotas and representation, of course representation in politics and business is important; however, often quotas and the inclusion of women in high positions leaves out many others who do not have the same educational or employment opportunities and who struggle to survive in contexts of violence and inequality.
- Equal pay, completely important and significant, but the truth is that it is usually presented from the perspective of women in privileged sectors or in positions of high power, without addressing the labor problems of women in the informal economy, where many lack labor rights and decent working conditions.
The visibility of these narratives is also related to media visibility, such as influencers. This tends to cause that the stories and figures highlighted are those with greater social and media capital, whichcan lead to overlooking less visible activists and victims; an example of this are the stories of indigenous women, Afro-descendants, migrants or in contexts of poverty.
Now, the idea that one can support a cause by buying a product promotes a culture of "consumer activism" where social action is reduced to transactions. This, I insist, is negative to the extent that it loses connection with the experiences and struggles of women who are more vulnerable. Furthermore, I believe that consumer activism can lead people to feel satisfied with their "support" for a cause through purchases, creating a false sense of progress without a real change in patriarchal structures.
Worse still may be that those who come to such activism to sell, once again, are not the victims who have the strongest needs, thus, people in rural areas or in less favored economies may have difficulty accessing other women with greater purchasing power to sell their products.
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Undoubtedly the feminist struggle encompasses a variety of causes that reflect the diversity of experiences and challenges faced by women in different contexts, each cause has its own importance and impact on our lives and I believe that recognizing the value and legitimacy of each struggle within feminism is fundamental to building a movement that is inclusive and effective; but, the urgency of the causes of the victims of feminicidal violence, forced disappearances and rape cannot be overlooked.
These causes cannot be relegated in the movement's discourse, much less should the victims not be listened to. Through mobilization, we can demand justice and seek policies that protect women in all aspects of their lives. While we march for individual causes, it is also crucial to find common ground that unites all struggles. Examples of this can include seeking access to comprehensive health services, support for survivors of violence, the promotion of human rights education and economic autonomy.
Equality and social justice are not a commodity. This movement transcends the superficiality of consumer activism; it is also about transforming the social, political and economic structures that perpetuate inequality and violence. It is critical that in addition to marching, we are in an ongoing, collective process of raising our voices and engaging every day.
*Human rights defender and specialist in Public Policy and Gender Justice.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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