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The Women and Supporters of Colombia Humana, participants in the elaboration of the Protocol Against Gender Violence, sent a letter to our editorial director rejecting the X-tian cartoon published in our web edition on Thursday, November 19, which we published to continuation:
Response of the women of Colombia Humana to the X-tian cartoon
Bogotá DC, November 19, 2020
Mr. Alejandro Pino
Director of the newspaper Publimetro
Respected Mr. Pino,
The women of the Colombia Humana movement and those of us who have been invited to participate in the “Dialogues for the elaboration of the protocol against gender violence” of this movement, come before you to express our rejection of the cartoon of yesterday, November 19, 2020 entitled “Non-Inquisitive Cartoon” by author X-Tian published by the newspaper you run. The foregoing, because we consider that this cartoon constitutes not only an attack on our dignity, but also a manifestation of political violence that in a democratic society of the 21st century we consider inadmissible.
The cartoon in question carries an implicit discriminatory message, it not only misrepresents and completely blurs the work that academics, women leaders and activists from different territories have undertaken with great enthusiasm, as representatives of that ethnic and racial diversity that proudly constitutes Colombia. Rather, in a vulgar way, clumsily seeking to make a political criticism, it feeds the prejudices that women have historically had to endure, regarding our lack of capacity, criteria and independence to act in the political sphere.
The foregoing is aggravated, if one takes into account that the person representing the submissive woman, who is in a chair, fulfilling the task and following the orders that the leaders of the movement are giving her in a disrespectful way, is an Afro-descendant woman. The image embodied in that cartoon not only constitutes political violence, but also feeds the prejudices of a society that has very normalized racist, discriminatory and sexist expressions and stereotypes, judging by the excessive tolerance of public opinion regarding demonstrations like this.
So, with a constructive spirit, we want to invite the cartoonist and those who shared that message without any filter, invite them to overcome prejudices and join us in this challenge that we have undertaken, stopping to appreciate the knowledge, dignity, diversity, character and disposition of women that in the elaboration of the protocol we will be participating, such as inviting them to soak up the knowledge, mutual recognition and great learning, which we will be contributing throughout these dialogues. The fight against gender-based violence is intrinsically linked to the fight for equity, which in a progressive movement constitutes a fundamental pillar and not a circumstantial political banner.
The opening event to dialogue for the construction of a protocol against gender violence in Human Colombia is just the beginning of a fruitful journey, in which all women sympathizers of our movement and men interested in making Colombia a less violent, inclusive and egalitarian society, they will be welcome. We are grateful, Mr. Director, for the possibility of expressing ourselves in conditions of equity by publishing this letter.
Cordially,
Women and Supporters of Colombia Humana, participants in the elaboration of the Protocol Against Gender Violence.
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