The 36th Meeting of Feminisms in Bariloche opened with a massive demand for environmental care

He 36th Plurinational Meeting of Women, Lesbians, Transvestites, Trans, Bisexuals, Intersexuals and Non-Binaries It began with a massive call on Saturday, October 14 from 10 in the morning until noon. The start was not only massive, but it once again highlighted the importance of this unique event in the world and that, at the federal and popular level, the possibility of debating, listening to each other and marching is a milestone that is not diluted, but is reinvented and reinvigorated.

The organizers (who plan and coordinate the logistics, agenda and plot each year) welcomed Bariloche, which is also named Furilofche. “After countless efforts and debates we have become stronger and reached number 36, the largest, most massive and historic political event in the country.”

The speakers were Betiana Colhuan Nahuelmachi of the Mapuche people, of the Lafken Winkul Mapu community; Fernanda Neculman werken of the Coordinator of the Mapuche Tehuelche Parliament of Río Negro; Melisa Cabrapanfrom the Mapuche Confederation of Neuquén; María Luisa Wincaleufu, spiritual authority of the Lof Fentyuen Kiñun. The word of the indigenous women was celebrated, respected and listened to like in no other massive gathering in the country.

The Meeting reaffirmed its federal, plural, democratic, autonomous, horizontal, self-sustaining, self-convened and plurinational character. At the meeting Poverty, inflation, external debt, pollution, femicides and transvesticides, and obstetric violence were criticized.

Complaints were made about the poor condition of the streets and the harm caused to people in wheelchairs. The state of the schools in Bariloche, where most of the visitors sleep, was also criticized and it was requested that they be taken care of for the return to school on October 17. But in addition, care and hydration points were created and food was delivered so that attendees could have lunch before attending the more than 100 workshops scheduled for the afternoon.

“We will go through an austere meeting, but strengthened because it continues to be self-sustaining like 36 years ago. We are sure that it will be successful because despite the conditions we have to live in; “We organize it, we build it and we defend it together.”highlighted the spokespersons of the Bariloche Organizing Commission.

The Bariloche Meeting proved to be more massive than the last marches held in the City of Buenos Aires in an exhibition that the tradition of the Meeting calls for due to its horizontal and autonomous structure and that, contrary to prejudices, federal feminisms are more strengthened, solid and mobilized than those of Buenos Aires.

Although conservative sectors try to convey that feminisms have lost their strength, that strength is not lost in the root, or the backbone of Argentine feminism, which are the Meetings that have been held, since 1986, throughout the country and that They travel the territory carrying demands and echoing voices that are not heard outside their places of origin.

The mobilization, the permanent songs, the interest of the participants and the massiveness of the call in Bariloche They are a demonstration that feminisms are alives, are federal and popular and that their agenda is not co-opted by political parties, institutional structures and that the claims are not only against machismo, but in favor of a world that takes care of the earth and in which people have support to be able to care.

On the other hand, many union, political and social groups mobilize throughout the year to be able to reach the Meeting, such as the Buenos Aires Press Union (Sipreba); Municipalities of Rosario, Association of State Workers (ATE); Television Union (SATSAID), of Córdoba; Union Feminism and Trans and Non-Binary Men of Santa Fe, among other groups.

Among the attendees, the daughters’ revolution is felt with mothers and daughters walking hand in hand; The green scarves are reborn in a tide that also multiplies in violet and in the face of the denial of State terrorism, the white scarves are vindicated with the motto “Never again.”

But in addition to the slogans Barbie t-shirts appear among the militant flags and the colors that multiply in the photos in front of the lake; the Red Rescuers who support the use of misoprostol and mifepristone so that abortions are legal and generate less suffering in women who undergo a Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy.

Among the achievements of the women and diversities movement in Argentina, it was claimed the victory of legal, safe and free abortion; the trans Diana Sacayán and Lohana Berkins job quota and the international women’s strikes as a way of struggle. In relation to the economic crisis, it was requested that a food emergency be declared. In addition, the crisis of regional economies was criticized and the feminization of poverty. And it was claimed: “The debt is with us, let those who escaped pay it.”

On the other hand, it was highlighted that In Argentina, 175 femicides have already been committed so far this year and 4 transvesticides and that two women were murdered in Río Negro and that 25 of the murdered women had judicial protection that did not serve to protect them.

Besides was claimed for the appearance of Tehuel de la Torre with the question: “Where is Tehuel?” The attempted femicide against Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was also condemned. In relation to obstetric violence, it was requested that training be carried out on humanized childbirth regulations for health personnel. In addition, it was requested that access to retroviral medications be guaranteed for people living with HIV.

Regarding local conflicts, it was pointed out that in Bariloche there is a lack of ramps and public transportation accessible to people in wheelchairs. Community centers were also requested to address addiction and mental health problems.

The environmental agenda was the absolute protagonist, contrary to a campaign in which pollution and climate change are denied or little is said. In the opening speech, mega-mining and lithium extraction without environmental impact studies were rejected and the care of the Argentine Sea was called for. A plebiscite was also requested for the care of water.

The opening showed that the Gathering is alive and that the media agenda, electoral debates and social networks do not represent all the interests, demands and debts that seem silent until women and diversities come together, body to body, in a sky open to the words that hover, climb stairs and they go down to the lake where the truth of the cold, the sun, the lake and the mountain celebrate a reality that is neither virtual nor artificial. The power of presence is alive and walking.