Breathe
By Sandra Romandía
When we founded Opinión 51, we did so with the conviction that women needed a space where our voices would not only be heard, but also respected and, above all, influential. Now, three years later, we find ourselves at a historic moment: in just over a month, Mexico will have its first female president, and Opinión 51 stands as a beacon in times of change.
The road to this point has not been easy. When we started, we were aware that creating an exclusively women's media, in a country where 51% of the population is female but only 10% of the opinion columns are signed by women, would be a titanic mission. We faced doubts, not only from us, but also from those who looked at us with skepticism. But today, three years later, we have not only proved that we were right, but we have exceeded our own expectations.
Opinion 51 is not a media by women for women. It is a medium that, with its female pens, offers an essential perspective in a country that has been dominated by male voices for far too long. As Audre Lorde put it, "We will not be free as long as other women are not free, even if our chains seem different from theirs." We have broken chains and now we help others break theirs, through our columns, research and criticism.
In these three years, we have learned the value of community. Opinión 51 is more than a medium; it is a space where differences are respected and debated, where dissent enriches and strengthens. We have understood that a well-argued and well-structured opinion is a powerful tool for change, and we have won awards and recognitions, but the greatest gift has been the coexistence among us, the possibility of getting to know each other in depth and to expose what we do to influence public opinion.
On October 1, when Claudia Sheinbaum is sworn in as Mexico's first female president, the country's political landscape will change dramatically. But beyond that first time in the presidential chair, we will witness an unprecedented increase in the number of women in positions of power: governors, legislators, and even in the security forces. At Opinion 51, we assume this new era with a responsibility that fills us with pride and rigor. We are the only all-female media in a country that is on the verge of experiencing a predominantly female leadership, and it is our duty to monitor and criticize and acknowledge from this unique perspective.
Our platform has grown in these three years, and our team, I have had the satisfaction of seeing how the quality of the pens that participate with us has flourished. We are in a constant debate, not only to enrich each other, but to bring intellectual improvements among all of us. This exchange is what has made us stronger, and it is what will allow us to continue to be a bastion of freedom of expression and constructive criticism at a time when women are redefining the history of Mexico.
As Simone de Beauvoir said, "The day a woman can love not with her weakness but with her strength, not to escape from herself but to find herself, not to humiliate herself but to reaffirm herself, that day love will be for her, as for man, the source of life." In Opinion 51, we have learned to love each other with our strength, to find and reaffirm ourselves through the written word. And in this historic moment, when Mexico's first female president is about to take office, we are more prepared than ever to continue being the critical voice that this country needs.
Opinión 51 is not only a medium; it is a movement, a declaration of principles, a space where Mexican men and women can read and listen to opinions that reflect their reality and aspirations. We will continue to be that beacon in times of change, offering criticism and in-depth analysis of power in Mexico, and now that it will be feminine, even more so. Because as Mary Wollstonecraft said, "I do not wish women to have power over men, but over themselves."
This is just the beginning of a new era, and Opinion 51 is ready to continue leading the conversation.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
Comments ()