Feminists in Mexico share mixed reactions to the election of Claudia Sheinbaum and the impact her presidency may have on the existing misogynistic culture.
On 1 October, Claudia Sheinbaum will be inaugurated as Mexico’s first female president after winning 60 per cent of the vote in the recent elections. But while Sheinbaum’s victory is a significant milestone for gender equality in Mexico, not all Mexican feminists are celebrating.
Arussi Unda, a feminist activist and spokeswoman for the Las Brujas del Mar feminist movement, has bitter recollections of Sheinbaum’s actions as mayor of Mexico City during a wave of feminist protests in 2020 “We can clearly recall her position towards the feminist movement, which included sending police to tear gas protestors,” she says “For some of us, criminal investigations were even opened.”
Mexico has long struggled with appalling levels of violence against women – a recent report revealed that ten women are murdered every day. When Sheinbaum became the first female mayor of Mexico City in 2018, a nascent feminist movement was already mobilising in the city, as various independent organisations began to rally and organise events to demand a change. Unda’s group, Las Brujas del Mar, was one of the groups fighting for women’s equality.
On 9 March 2020 – the day after International Women’s Day – the movement suddenly took off, as Las Brujas del Mar called a spontaneous day of protest with their “Day without Women”. Triggered by the murder of two women, the movement called for women to not attend work and school. “Two femicide cases caused female indignation to reach a boiling point, leading women to mobilise,” Unda says.
As a result of the mass protests, feminists gained significant visibility, not only in Mexico City but also nationally. Ana Elena Contreras is a feminist activist and the president of the feminist group Las del Aquelarre. Following the 2020 protests, she attended numerous meetings where feminist movements presented proposals to the government to address gender violence.
In Unda’s view, Sheinbaum represents the continuation of the project started by current president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (known as “AMLO”) which successfully increased the number of women in top government jobs.
In 2022 AMLO’s government increased the number of women in positions of power. For example, government cabinets are now required to be gender-balanced, as Deputy of Mexico City’s Equality Cabinet, Ana Francis Mor, notes.
“Mexico ranks as the fourth country with the highest level of equality in government positions. [AMLO] appointed women to crucial positions such as the Secretary of Economy, Energy, and even the Secretary of State,” Mor adds.
However, Unda disagrees with Mor on how far these changes have impacted women in Mexico. “There is still a long road ahead when it comes to the participation of women in politics. Female politicians still face unfair criticisms, for example, on the basis of their appearance.”
And as Contreras notes, Sheinbaum is not universally popular with Mexican women. “I think that there will be those who completely identify with her, but there will also be other women who, from more privileged backgrounds, consider that Sheinbaum does not represent them,” she says.
It’s also unclear what Sheinbaum will do once in power to continue advocating for women in Mexico and enhancing their inclusion in the Mexican government. She is expected these next few days to appoint her cabinet.
Regardless of the policies she does pursue, Unda says that she will likely face harsher criticism simply by virtue of being a woman: “There will be people looking for any excuse to say, ‘A woman can’t be in office,’ because that is how sexism manifests in our region,” she explains.
“Mexico arrived late,” Contreras remarks. “In Latin America, there were already several female presidents.” Brazil and Honduras had female presidents previously, however, Mexico will still have its first female president before the United States.
Sheinbaum’s victory may not by itself be a solution to the problems faced by Mexican women, but Mor is nevertheless keen to emphasize its historical significance. “A week ago, I was watching Claudia at a conference, and I started thinking, I can’t believe what I’m experiencing. I never thought I was going to see a female president in my country,” she says.
Feature Image: Feminist march in Morelia, Morelos. Photo credit: Andrea P.