Women in a row, blindfolded and green scarves in necks and dolls, sang for the first time in Santiago de Chile at the end of 2019 the theme The rapist is you . The choreography of the feminist collective Las Tesis went viral and has since been repeated all over the world. This February 19, The Thesis led the handkerchief convened by the national campaign for the right to legal, safe and free abortion in Buenos Aires with a version adapted to the Argentine reality. The act marked the beginning of the campaign of Argentine feminism to achieve a term law that leaves behind the current norm, which punishes with penalties of up to four years in prison to pregnant women who voluntarily interrupt their pregnancy except in cases of rape or risk to your health.
"The patriarchy is a judge, / which forces us to give birth / and our punishment / is the violence that you already see. / It is femicide./ Maternity as a destination./ It is rape. / It is clandestine abortion," says the letter adapted with the collaboration of the Argentine writer Claudia Piñeiro. "The rapist is you, the oppressor is you. Abortion will be law, abortion will be law, abortion will be law," he continues. Thousands of people sang it on Wednesday in front of the Argentine Congress and then waved the green scarves, turned into a symbol of those who defend the voluntary interruption of pregnancy.
"Legal abortion is a debt of democracy. A claim of the feminist struggle that has marked the future of millions of young people in the region, who demand more rights, freedom and autonomy," La Campaña said in a statement that It encompasses more than 700 feminist, women's and sexual dissent organizations.
"Surviving an abortion is a class privilege", "Forcing to give birth is torture", "Right to decide", Much 'close your legs', little 'keep your dicks', could be read in some of the banners raised by women, mostly young people, who gathered in the square.The marches were repeated in dozens of cities across the country, such as Córdoba, Rosario, Mendoza, Santa Fe and Formosa, among others.
"This is a crucial year. We know it will be law, the issue is when. We are here to make the pressure felt because the lives of women and pregnant bodies are at stake," says writer Dolores Reyes, who attended to the mobilization of Buenos Aires accompanied by one of his daughters. "The president's statements (in favor of legal abortion) help, but they are not enough. It is Congress that has to vote for him," adds the author of 'Cometierra', a novel crossed by feminicides in Argentina.
"In Argentina the rights are conquered in the street. This 2020 abortion will be law," said Maria and Juana, two high school classmates hopeful that the legislative debate is reopened and there is a new vote.
The Government finalizes a bill to legalize abortion that is scheduled to be presented by Alberto Fernández at the opening of extraordinary sessions on March 1. "In Argentina, abortion is a crime. What is the problem? That all abortion becomes clandestine and in hiding the risk of life and health of women increases. The problem is more acute according to the social class of who practices the abortion. I am going to send a law that ends with the criminalization of the abortion and allows the attention of any abortion in any public center, "Fernandez said before university students in France.
It is the first time in the history of Argentina that a practicing president supports the voluntary termination of pregnancy. Even so, the approval of the law is in the hands of the two legislative chambers. In 2018, Deputies approved the legalization legislative project, but the Senate rejected it and left the country with current regulations, dating back to 1921.
The Congress was partially renewed in the general elections of last October, but many of the elected legislators have not yet spoken and it is unknown if there are enough votes to change the result of two years ago.
The conservative sectors have made it clear that they will also fight and on March 8 there will be two major opposing mobilizations. In Buenos Aires, the march for International Women's Day will once again have legal abortion as one of its top flags. In front of the basilica of Luján, the most important in the country, south of Buenos Aires, the Argentine Catholic Church will celebrate a Mass in defense of the unborn child and against legalizing that mothers can interrupt their pregnancy.
