Today, I left my apartment to take a walk outside.
At first, I figured to maybe go to Metro Refineria to enjoy Bicentenario Park.
One of my favorite parks that you can read about here.
However, I already went there yesterday and it was going to close in an hour anyhow.
So I figured to stop by Centro Historico to enjoy the vibrancy of that part of the city and maybe take a stop at Starbucks for some black tea.
Once I exited Metro Bellas Artes, I immediately noticed a protest happening outside.
Right away, I figured that this could’ve been a communist protest given some of the red flags had the hammer and sickle.
However, it quickly came to my attention that this is more of a feminist protest.
Initially, I thought of maybe following them and getting to know more about what they are protesting.
But black tea seemed more interesting.
Unfortunately though, after walking a tiny bit, I soon found the street that would lead me to the Starbucks closed.
And all of the banks with ATM machines are closed.
So I don’t like giving me card information to anyone or using it ever except to withdraw money.
At that point, I figured I might as well observe the protest since I had nothing else to do.
Here’s some initial photos.
How’d that go?
Heading Towards Zocalo
Right away, it seemed apparent to me that the protest was headed towards Zocalo.
For those who don’t know, it’s a very important area of Mexico City where plenty of historical spots are located and political events are held there all so often.
It’s also a place that, from what I’ve seen over the years here, plenty of protesters try taking their protest to eventually.
I guess it’s more symbolic for them to be in the Zocalo hosting their protest.
Right away, I noticed that the protest at large seemingly fairly peaceful.
I didn’t see any violent confrontations happen between protesters and police.
Though, as you can see in these videos here, such violent confrontations did happen before I showed up that day.
I was just fortunate enough to not be around during that part of this protest.
As you can imagine anyway, most of the protesters were women obviously.
I can’t recall seeing too many men marching with them.
Though there were plenty of men like me walking on the sidewalk beside the protesters to observe what is happening and take photos.
With the police and firefighters marching behind the protesters.
On the other side of the road was also a line of cops at one point guarding some buildings.
From what I could tell then and later, seemingly all of the cops with shields were women.
That’s one thing you notice at these feminist protests – they always use female cops to counter them.
Smart, isn’t it?
I could see maybe there being some demands for female cops to handle these protests as a way to “reduce violence” or some shit.
But, if we’re being honest, it’s really just a smart public relations move.
For one, it can make some of the female protesters look bad if they are protesting “violence against women” while kicking the shit out of female cops.
Second, it’d be a bad look if you had male cops fighting back against the female protesters when one of their concerns is violence against women.
Even if the male cops would be justified in self-defense (which, in numerous cases, they tend to be so).
The only adjustment I'd have is for both the female protesters and the female cops to duke it out in bikinis (assuming a healthy BMI per individual anyhow).
Stepping back from slightly offensive jokes anyhow, I'm not sure why they didn’t have any cops lined up on our side of the road anyhow but most businesses all around were closed with the door shut anyhow.
A few even being boarded up.
Along the march, the feminists also had their own little chant.
I forgot how it went exactly in Spanish but it was basically something like “for a Feminist Latin America!”
And also they kept chanting “Justicia!” over and over from time to time.
Curious about what exactly they are demanding, I also took a few fliers that they were passing around to folks like you can see here.
Anyway, as the walk continued, I kept taking photos along with maybe a tenth of the crowd watching.
Such as this photo here of some chicks who got killed.
You had a few professional news outlets with their fancy cameras filming and a lot of people taking photos with their phones.
I was one of them.
Initially, there were no issues with me taking photos.
At past protests in Mexico City, like this one here that involved a political party protesting the president, the protesters were very welcoming to me!
Sat down with me.
Took their time to explain their grievances.
Had no issues with me taking photos whatsoever.
Here's some other photos I took of this time.
Photos Allowed?
But, as you’ll see in Mexico City, feminist protesters HATE the camera.
From what I have seen, they have more tolerance for news programs and random women taking photos or recording.
If you got big tits with some pepperoni nipples, you can take photos all day!
Got a 17 incher though like me?
Fuck off! No photos!
Or, at least, some of the protesters hate it anyhow.
Almost nobody gave me shit about it nor confront me when I had the camera out taking pictures.
However, you had some in the crowd who hated it.
For example, as we were walking, I stopped in the road to take a picture of some dude selling this stuff here.
I found it funny how, in a time of serious protests, you had hustlers trying to make their buck here.
Can’t put away the hustle even for such a serious protest?
Nah man, he got rent to pay!
So I figured to take a picture of that dude when I heard some random voice behind me yell “no grbaes!”
It initially didn’t catch my attention because everyone is yelling around me I didn’t know it was directed at me.
Plus, only about one second later after hearing that, I hear the words “no grabes!” again as some petite white chick with black hair at about 5.5 in height tried knocking the phone out of my hand from behind me.
Thankfully, she wasn’t able to knock it to the floor but her touching me kinda pissed me off.
In that instant, I felt some “fight” response in me because I hate it when someone tries to fuck with me.
Immediately pushed her in front of me and she took a few steps forward as I snapped back “no me toques!”
“Don’t touch me.”
The chick immediately turned her ahead around and I was annoyed enough to brake her nose in if she attacked me.
Or at least that’s how aggressive I felt in response to her trying to break my phone.
If you fuck with me, I’ll fuck with you.
Which would be ironic given a large part of the protest was about “no violence against women>”
I’m all for that.
But I’m also for defending yourself.
Granted, she couldn’t have been much of a threat to be honest unless she had a weapon on her.
Which, given the nature of this protest, that very well could’ve been the case.
But, thankfully, her friend took a look at me and immediately grabbed her shoulder to take her along without any resistance.
And I’m thankful for that.
Being honest, I can let my response get carried away if I feel someone of any gender is trying to fuck with me.
But how would that have worked out?
Then I’d look like a real ass punching a chick who is punching me on a “no violence against women” protest.
Not to mention that the most likely result would have been one or both of the following.
First, a swarm of feminists all descend upon me like hornets to “defend the sister.”
Could I win such a fight?
Well, if it was me against 3 women who are just as petite and small as her without any weapons involved, then maybe.
Though, if it was much more than that, then probably not.
Especially if weapons are involved.
Some of these protesters have bats, shit that shoots out fire from what I’ve seen in videos, pepper spray probably, spray paint, etc.
I could see it already.
The first chick turns around to fuck with me.
I yell at her in English “WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT MOTHERFUCKER?!?”
She then does some tactic she learned from Youtube videos where she pokes my eyes out, twists my balls and hits my knees.
Some shit like that.
Immediately, I go into full fight mode and start choking the bitch before punching her nose in.
Maybe smash her head against the wall Joker style here.
Then, in the midst of an intense gringo-mexicana battle, the smokes clears and there’s a group of 30 feminist protesters who watched in horror.
Some with wet panties at the sight of a man “dominating” a woman.
But, wet or not, they all hear the battle cry from one of their sisters.
Some group organizer who yells out “MUERTE A MATT EL GRINGO MALDITO!!!”
They charge me together.
I immediately knock out the first two that come to me closest.
Then one of them hits my knees with a bat.
“COCKSUCKER!” I yell as I fall to the ground.
Then, similar to the scene in Casino here, I find myself being beaten by bats everywhere as I wither on the ground.
As a last stand, I tie the shoelaces of one of them with the shoelaces of another without them being aware.
They might have killed me but they’ll be tripping after!
Haha jaja haha jaja haha…
Then I blink.
Remembering the advice of a Canadian guy I knew years ago named Darrell who is older and has traveled a bit like me in which he once warned me to "never get involved in protests abroad in other countries."
Sorry Darrell, you are right but my male youth commands me otherwise!
And outside of getting wrecked by 30 protesters at once, the other frightening scenario would be that the chick chooses a physical confrontation with me and, after kicking her ass, a cop intervenes and takes me to jail.
And I join the ranks of gringos deported from Mexico this year.
Not very desirable.
Either way, the chick carried on as I said and we left each other alone.
And, thinking about it, I thought it was kinda dumb their anger against photos.
This is an event that is being filmed by over a hundred of people with film crew broadcasting this shit to millions on the big TV.
And, given their tolerance for women taking pictures, you can imagine that’ll only go on social media for millions to see also.
You ain’t stopping it.
The Walk Continues
Anyway, let’s move on!
We kept on walking and I kept on taking photos.
What I found funny also were the people enjoying the show on their balconies above.
“Oh darling, get over here and bring the popcorn! The peasants are out of control again!”
Then I took this picture here of some chick spray painting some stuff.
Tried to do it discreetly though so I don’t get some chick running at me to spray paint my face.
But being discrete is something I failed at that day.
Immediately, I noticed some cop walk up to me and warn me against “taking photos.”
This happened about 10 minutes after the mini confrontation with the chick from before so I’m not sure if the cop saw that or why he picked me out.
But, despite complete strangers standing only a few feet away from me and all over the place taking photos, he chose to warn me.
He was cordial about it and only said that, while it’s not illegal to do so, it’s recommended that I don’t “to avoid causing a confrontation with the protesters.”
“They’ll attack you” he said.
Figuring my luck was running out before said group of 30 protesters do descend upon me, I figured to put the phone away for about 10 minutes or so.
Initially, I was going to take the advice for the rest of my time here but some days I like a good risk.
What can I say?
Anyway, I kept on walking with the crowd.
The street got a bit crowded soon enough where it was difficult to keep on walking with so many people now walking the opposite direction.
Finally, we got to the Zocalo area.
I noticed a handful of other foreigners in the area.
Some Asian dudes speaking a language I had never heard before and some white American (or Canadian?) dudes speaking in English to each other.
But those were the only foreigners I saw.
The rest were Mexicans.
Discussing Property Damage at the Zocalo
Right away, I couldn’t help but sneak a few more photos in.
This is the surrounding area of the Zocalo as you can see.
And, as you can see, they have certain important areas blocked off for concerns regarding the protesters destroying shit.
It’s for the same reason they have other important areas of the city like Bellas Artes Museum and the Angel of Independence statue blocked off also.
For some reason, some of the protesters feel the need to destroy areas of immense cultural and historical value to Mexico.
I never understood the logic behind that.
Not only does it make more people hate your protest and disregard your concerns, you are also degrading areas of significant importance to your own nationality.
On top of that, if the police were not in the area and businesses were not boarded up, you’d have more destruction of businesses and touristy areas.
In short, you’d make the area look even uglier than it does beyond the spray painting while also reducing tourism value and causing more businesses to go under.
The economy suffers.
You know what happens when the economy suffers?
Less jobs for people like YOU.
For people like the protesters and everyone else in the area.
Causing more women specifically to be unemployed while forcing others to adjust accordingly.
In theory, crime could go up and maybe more women find themselves victims of violent crime as the area at large deteriorates into a shithole when businesses close.
And how exactly are you achieving your goals then?
As I said, more people will turn against you and vote in politicians that won’t work with your cause.
Or, at the very least, they’ll disregard what you say as I said before.
What’s funny is that they also tend to target metro stations also like Insurgentes, Bellas Artes and Zocalo.
So you wish to damage metro stations that working class people who don’t have cars have to use to get to work or visit their families?
Many of them are women too with children that they need to take somewhere and you are fucking up their only means of transportation.
None of it makes sense to me.
At any rate, what was happening at the Zocalo from what I saw?
A Call for Change in the Zocalo
As is typical for around this time by November in Mexico City, things get dark earlier as you expert.
It was around 6 PM by the time I got to the Zocalo and it wasn’t just dark yet but would in about thirty minutes.
Immediately, I’m looking around my surroundings.
Here’s a photo of many of the protesters near the front.
You had various other smaller groups of protesters hanging around doing their own thing.
Some group started a fire from what I could tell in the distance.
Others who spray painting stuff onto the ground.
Many were just sitting in groups on the ground discussing whatever topics with their friends.
Mostly women as I said with some men in attendance either taking photos, spending time with their girlfriends or observing alone the scene at large.
Way in front, I noticed this large crowd with some stage where some of the protesters were speaking into a microphone.
Initially, I had doubts about wondering over there in case I wouldn’t be accepted or targeted.
In other videos I had seen of feminist protests in Mexico City, some men find themselves the target of ire in which some of the female protesters get triggered at the sight of a man.
Immediately confronting the guy and demanding that he “get the fuck out of here!”
I remember citing it in one of my previous 600 articles. If I can find it, I'll cite it here but it's one of the few other examples you hear about when it comes to some sort of "anti-man" sentiment among some of the protesters.
Still, in about 10 minutes, I figured that it shouldn’t be a problem.
From the distance with my poor eyesight, I could make out what looked like to be a few men hanging over there.
Some journalist dude and a man holding the hand of his girlfriend.
Granted, maybe a man with a girl who verifies that he is “legit” wouldn’t be seen as threatening.
And, though I haven’t been to many protests, I would think that wouldn’t target a journalist.
That’d be bad PR, no?
Eh, that doesn’t stop protesters elsewhere but I figured the presence of someone with a 29 inch cock like myself shouldn’t trigger anyone.
So I walked on over to get a better feel for the scene.
Listening to Their Concerns
So what concerns do these folks have?
I began to listen since they finally began laying out what changes they want to see outside of just shouting their usual slogan of “a Feminist Latin America!”
Here you can see a photo I took up close.
When I took the photo, I made sure to do it when this chick with a black ski mask and a bat, who was standing some odd feet in front of me, was not looking over her shoulder.
Unfortunately, I didn’t bring my own bat to go to mortal combat with the Mexican feminist antifa lady.
Back to the stage anyway, they were basically passing the mic from one speaker to the next.
The first one that I listened to was seemingly giving out her list of demands for what she wants to see in Mexico.
She wants more sex education available for adolescents in school.
Would like to see a change in the legal system to better combat femicide.
Wants easier access to abortion in Mexico.
As I was listening to this, I couldn’t disagree with her.
Despite some of the protesters seeming bad shit insane, these concerns don’t seem bad!
When I was a teenager, sex education was useful.
Well, kinda, I didn’t pay much attention in class but I guess it has a purpose.
Decreasing the rate of femicide and bringing more justice to those who commit femicide?
Who could be against that?
I also think cancer should be eradicated and we eliminate world hunger.
Who could be against any of that?
Here’s a very serious negative in society and they oppose it.
Cool!
Easier access to abortion?
Well, my opinion on abortion is mixed.
All I will say is this – I’m not a medical expert and I don’t truly know when the fetus inside a woman is “living human being enough.”
I don’t believe that, the second I cum inside a woman, that she instantly has a baby inside her.
Nor do I believe that a woman minutes before going into labor only has “a bunch of cells” inside her.
It’s somewhere in between.
At what point then do I think it should be illegal?
How many weeks?
I truly have no idea.
Whatever medical experts say who understand the issue better than I do.
That’s where I leave it.
At any rate, the lady soon switched her mic over to someone else.
Before she did, I found it funny how her speech included A LOT of gendered language.
Saying things like “compañeros” instead of “compañeres.”
Didn’t I just get a flier talking about the need for gendered language?
Seems like folks on the left can never stick to the script on this issue.
Funny details aside, let’s get to the seriousness now of the speeches that the subsequent speakers gave.
Tales of Femicide
Look, you’d have to be a heartless prick to listen to a story that night and not sympathize with their cause.
While there are batshit feminists out there and some of the other ideologies that they support (like anarchism) are retarded, I also can feel for some of them.
Yes, you have some feminists out there who never had a hard day in their lives and are only riding on feminism to have identity or purpose in life.
You have others who use feminism as a stick against men to project their hatred of the opposite sex because dad left them as a kid or one too many men used them as cum dumpsters on a Tinder date that didn’t result in a real relationship that she desired later on.
"Los vatos no somos amigos?" 
Among many other characters!
But, among those other characters, includes women who truly seen some nasty shit.
Those who were raped or beaten by their husbands.
One chick I used to fuck around with, named Jovi, told stories of her last boyfriend putting a knife to her face and threatening to kill her many times.
He was also a cuck apparently who wanted to see other men fuck her apparently.
And, on the stage in front of me, you had other women give their stories.
All of the ones I heard anyway revolved around their daughters with pictures on display for those to see.
The first one that spoke was talking about how her daughter, who was an aspiring lawyer, was killed.
Then they brought another chick on to speak who had a slightly rougher accent for me to understand.
From what I think I understood anyway, she basically had a daughter and the mom was in a relationship with another man.
This man threatened both of them and was abusive.
She told the police.
The police, for 5 months, didn’t do jack shit.
Then she comes home one day and finds her daughter with marks around her neck.
Dead.
And, from what the police could tell, she was raped too.
That’s a story that hit the heart a little bit.
If you can’t understand at least why some of them are protesting after a story like that, then you’re an ideologue who just sees the word “feminist” and disregards all the concerns presented.
Yes, you have dipshit feminists who can be laughed at.
But, moving past all of the stupidity, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that the justice system in Mexico is shit and more could be done to punish sex offenders who molest daughters (or boys) and those who are violent against other members of society.
Plenty of people get away with crimes like these in Mexico and, putting aside any disagreements with other aspects of feminism, you’d have to at least understand the anger when listening to stories like those.
And, in listening to her story, even I felt a little pissed off.
The fucker got away? No prison time?
Then mix the details with the sensitivity in her voice and the apparent difficulty in describing what happened that day.
And you feel sorry for her. It does pull the heart strings.
And, at the end of her story, she explained how justice wasn’t served and the little shit ran off in hiding.
That’s some crazy ass shit.
While I was listening, I saw this homeless dude here seemingly on drugs or having some medical issue from the looks of it laying on the ground just some odd feet away from the stage.
"Queremos un Mexico mejor!"
OK, can someone start by helping this dude out or do we only help women?
As a side point, the moment was also symbolic of how, while addressing one issue in Mexican society, many other (but not entirely separate) issues are staring you in the face.
Anyway, another homeless dude walked up to him with a cup in his hand, laughed at him and spat on him.
Then began to lay on the ground mocking him while looking over to me for approval.
I just nodded away watching (with, at some point later when walking later, telling some cop dude about the guy since he seemed a bit distressed).
The first homeless dude took his hand to his face and leaned to his side to observe the second homeless dude.
All the while some seemingly non-homeless Mexican dude was laughing on at the episode.
Then I paid attention back to the speech against femicide.
The next mother began talking about how her daughter was killed also.
At this point, I had to get going.
The apartment I’m at won’t let any tenants have the keys to the building and I have to get back in time to collect some cash to get some spiced rum and food from the cash in my place before 9 PM.
As I began walking away, I’ll admit I found it difficult to do so.
I would stop and look back to listen to more of the stories coming out every so often along the walk towards the road I found myself originally.
The stories captivated your attention without question.
And, at the same time, you still had plenty of activity going on with mini explosions going off behind the stage of speakers.
Not sure what the point of the mini explosions were but you'd hear them from time to time while standing in the area.
Anyway, I carried on.
Messages Along the Walk Back
Along the walk back, I took numerous photos of the messages that they spray painted around.
Here are all the photos I took.
Let’s wrap this up anyway with some final thoughts based on this experience and of the messages I saw walking back.
Final Thoughts
First, I find it funny when gringos say that their reason for coming to Latin America is to get away from “feminists, ANTIFA, communists and leftism.”
Though I didn’t see any actual ANTIFA members here, I saw everything else – feminism, leftism and communism.
Literally people who believe in all three of the above marching!
It’s funny how, as I wrote here, gringos choose to escape to Latin America for political disagreements with “the left” or “the right” and find such ideologies exist down here also.
Though, as I’ll always say, this type of gringo either is blissfully unaware or doesn’t give a shit if such things exist down here.
He doesn’t speak Spanish to understand the news or what protesters are yelling about, lives a more privileged life where it’s easier to ignore it and likely doesn’t give a shit about these ideologies existing down here because he has no personal interest and stake in the society he moved to.
And, as the icing on the sky, he probably doesn’t care as much about politics back home and is only using it as an excuse to cover up his real reason for being here: cheap cost of living and easier pussy.
Well, not all have the last characteristic, but as I wrote here, many gringos do give you the laundry list of bullshit reasons for why they live here as to not discuss their true motivations.
Second, the protest I saw today was typical of the Historic Center of Mexico City.
I actually saw another protest in that area the same day where you had some folks bringing attention to some massacre of some indigenous people in some faraway rural area of Mexico.
I would’ve spent time there also but I was tired already by the time I got around to them and had to get back to my place.
Still, it’s a point to be made: the Historic Center of Mexico City has A LOT of protests happening compared to the rest of the city.
When I lived there for only like 2 months, I could count on two hands the amount of protests I saw.
Whereas, when living in any other area of the city, protests were a rarer occurrence with only a few spots like the area around Angel of Independence having some.
In fact, I saw more protests during those 2 months than I have in my entire 4.5 years in Mexico.
I even wrote about one I visited that you can read here.
The point being that, if you like protests, then the Historic Center is for you.
I see the appeal of being close to them to be honest.
I genuinely do enjoy learning about political activity in Latin America of both the left and right.
Interesting to me to learn about what normal people are fighting for.
What’s the story?
Still, I can see why some would find it annoying to be around such activity.
Or how they can find it worrisome whenever they get violent.
Fair points.
Third, as I said, I don’t agree with the violent aspect of the protests and it hurts their cause in numerous ways as mentioned before.
Fourth, it’s always funny to me how they choose to only have female police officers fight off the violent protesters.
And how, despite being against violence against women, they choose to be violent against women!
Smart move on Mexico’s choice to have female cops handle this.
Fifth, there were some things that caught my attention in those messages spray painted above. The first one that comes to mind is this one here about “muerte al estado.”
Yes, the Mexican government isn’t perfect and there’s plenty of room to criticize the state in what happened to the 43 students.
My problem though with “muerte al estado” is that it implies, at least to me, some form of anarchist ideology.
While I get plenty of anarchists see the state as oppressive, I have my doubts that eliminiating it and adopting an anarchist political model for society would be beneficial to the cause of feminism.
At least in regards to combating femicide.
While you do have examples of the police in Mexico who work with the cartels in killing women and other heinous acts, that’s all in Mexico.
In various countries around the world, you have less corrupt cops where they aren’t committing femicide.
Not to mention that not every cop in Mexico is killing women or doing other bad shit (though, given it is Mexico, you have more of that here).
But the point being that, if you improved the police force and the judicial system, you could combat femicide, reduce corruption and other illegal activities among cops and keep the state to enforce all that.
Emphasis on the word “enforce.”
In an anarchist society, are things better for women?
I guess it depends on what anarchist society you are looking at.
In Mexico, you have a group called the Zapatistas that follows certain ideologies that some of these protesters might approve of.
You don’t have the Mexican police operating in their territory.
You don’t really have “top-down” decision making.
Yet, while women might have more power against abusive men in such a society, it’s still a society that is easily walked over by more powerful forces like the Mexican federal government or neighbouring paramilitary groups.
Not to turn this article into a discussion on political theory and what is the best system for any particular society..
But, at least in my opinion, an anarchist society or one that has anarchist influences, is less capable of efficiently pulling together financial and military resources to expand and protect its territory and welfare of its people.
Thus, said society is more likely to get walked all over by other societies.
And, if you were to eliminate (kill) the Mexican state, who governs Mexico?
You really think the feminists stand a chance against cartel groups that have billions of extra revenue and more manpower to overrun them?
Yes, they’re connected with the Mexican government but, take away the Mexican government, and they still exist.
Not to mention other armed groups that would spring in a power vacuum where “the state” is killed.
Therefore, you have more violence, instability, less financial opportunities and probably more femicide.
Anyway, that’s a rough summary of how I feel on that but, as I said, let’s move on before I actually dig into what I said and turn this into a political theory article.
Sixth, you have this message here about “girl power” and this one here on “ACAB” or “all cops are bastards.”
I think there’s one or two messages way above that are in English.
One of them saying, while upside down, something like “love”, "peace" and whatever else.
As I wrote here, sometimes Latinos will spread their messaging in English to primarily appeal to foreigners watching these protests in other countries.
Spread the message as English is the international language and all that.
That’s my guess anyway as to why I’ve seen messages in English.
Outside of that, it also could've been either one of the following:
A gringa who felt the need to violate Article 33 of Mexico's constitution about participating in domestic politics.
"Foreigners may not in any way participate in the political affairs of the country."
Or an upper class Mexican who wanted to come across as MUY EDUCADA to her peers by being able to put out a message in English.
Though, when it comes to ACAB, there’s one other thing to mention.
Seventh, the spreading of political ideas?
When I was in college about 5 years ago almost, I think, in my Latin American history class, that the US Revolution somehow influenced the revolutions for independence in Latin America?
Don’t quote me on that – it’s been years since I took that class.
But the point being is that you do have examples in history where political ideas and ideologies spread across borders and influence other societies.
Obviously, Mexicans in Mexico didn’t invent the term “ACAB.”
And I saw “ACAB” spray painted quite a bit.
While feminist Mexican protesters might’ve always had a problem with the police for various reasons, it’s interesting anyway to see such a politically loaded message in English from my country become semi-popularized among activists down here.
Just something to take note of.
Eighth, as I said, not all protesters are the same.
Some have legitimate concerns and others just want an identity to feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.
Part of me wonders if the person who wrote here that “they are afraid of us” is some romantic who idealizes herself to be part of a real revolution in between taking photos for Instagram and lecturing her cleaning lady in Condesa on “how the bathroom wasn’t cleaned very well last week.”
Ninth, there are numerous messages that I agree with. While a few people do lie about sexual assault, most don’t statistically speaking. So a message like “yes, I believe you” is obviously not bad.
Tenth, we have this message here basically asking why do men only feel empathy for women if they know another woman?
Like why do men feel or believe women when they have daughters for example?
My response would be this.
For one, most people don’t even think about you.
There’s 7.4 billion people on this planet and we all have our own issues in life.
Maybe childhood shit or trying to pay rent with 2 jobs or whatever the fuck else.
Even if someone isn’t struggling, they’re not likely to think about you unless your story goes viral.
And even then, in a 24/7 news cycle, your story gets drowned out quickly anyhow.
So don’t take it personally if your own story of femicide of someone you knew doesn’t cross the minds of many for too long.
Next, in a place like Mexico where more sad stories happen more frequently, one could argue that people become more desensitized to it and don’t feel as much empathy every time.
Finally, at least some men do care?
The truth is that, for plenty of men, they feel alone and like nobody gives a fuck about them.
Take your own protest for example.
You all talk a lot about sex crimes and acts of violence committed against specific women.
Though, at the same time, plenty of men have experienced sexual abuse when they were kids with about 1 in 6 men having experienced sexual abuse at some point in their lives in the US as you can see here.
Is that statistic true for Mexico also? I couldn’t find any information on that in English or Spanish but I imagine it’s not insanely different and there’s plenty of young boys who go through the same shit down here also.
And so do any of you GIVE A FUCK about them?
Or how, as you can see here, many more men were KILLED than women in Mexico in 2015 (and how many other years has it been like that?).
“En el hogar hay más asesinatos de mujeres y en el espacio común de varones; es un hecho invisibilizado: investigadores; 88 por ciento de homicidios en 2015, fue contra varones”
Like the homeless man who was being spat on by another homeless man and laying in waste while women were talking into a microphone above him about their own issues.
It’s all symbolic, isn’t it?
Did anyone else give a fuck about him?
No.
I guarantee you that the person who put up that poster questioning men’s empathy doesn’t, for not even one second, think about the shit men go through, are statistically likely to suffer more from than women or would even care to see a homeless dude having some issue on the ground.
So shut the fuck up.
While it’s not a pissing contest and the life experiences and issues of both men and women are valid as you can see here.
“El nivel de homicidios de mujeres registrado en el lapso enero-junio del 2020 implicó que ese semestre ha sido el más violento al menos de los últimos 30 años (se recuperan estos datos desde el 1990).”
At least plenty of men can say that they do care.
And I’d be willing to bet 5 bucks that we show more caring for women then they ever do for men on average.
Of course, the sympathy that men show isn’t always honest.
Like the man who holds the hand of his girlfriend at this protest only being there because he hopes to get pussy later that night.
Fair point!
But, outside of that, I will stand up in saying that at least men care more than women do about the opposite gender.
Not something to gripe about too much.
As men, we just learn to deal with it.
Reminds me anyway of this mini documentary of a feminist woman in the US “pretending to be a man in disguise” and learning just a tiny bit of what male issues can be in society.
Well, at least one chick cares, I suppose.
Eleventh, it’s always been my opinion that these feminist protests need to expand their messaging to be more appealing to men also.
After all, they make up half of the population.
Not all women agree with their tactics (at least the violent ones) or their messaging.
Not all men do either but plenty do.
Though, above all, I think everyone agrees that violence, be it a femicide or not, is an issue that effects everyone.
Along with the fucked up and limp dick judicial system that doesn’t always serve the people properly.
If you were to simply adjust your messaging a little bit to focus on fighting crime and having a better judicial system to hold criminals accountable, then you’d have more justice for women (and men).
It’s the same issue I have with the feminist movement that seems to largely frame these issues (sexual abuse on minors or homicides) as only or largely female issues.
Why limit yourself?
You have plenty of people on the opposite gender who have experienced or know someone who has experienced that.
And the solutions needed would be beneficial to both genders.
Meanwhile, if you adjust the messaging, you get more supporters.
Therefore, more political power to make change through legislation.
Twelfth, it should be mentioned any movement as broad as “feminism” will likely have people who, despite being joined together by certain common beliefs, will still have other beliefs that contradict each other.
Like how, if I had to guess, not every feminist there believed in “killing the state” or anarchism.
And how not every feminist there likely believed in “gendered language” while others did.
Not everyone had man hating problems while others very well might’ve!
Thirteenth, shout out to the cop who was just trying to help me. He saw a foreigner who he perhaps thought was “out of place” and just wanted to give a little warning to be careful in not doing anything that could trigger more folks.
Finally, here’s another last minute long video of the events that day for those curious.
But that’s all I got to say
Anyway, if you have anything to add, drop a comment below in the comment section.
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Enjoy this last photo I took of Bellas Artes as I made my way back to the museum.
Thanks for reading.
Best regards,
Matt