Judith Butler discusses feminist movements in Mexico, Latin America, and the world

Philosopher Judith Butler

is a world reference when it comes to gender studies, feminism, queer theory . On June 13, the philosopher and academic dictated a conference at Mexico's National Autonomous University , where she discussed feminist movements, discrimination, democracy, politics, laughter, tears, pain, and her experience as a queer woman .

The philosopher is considered as one of the most important thinkers and academics of the 21st century.

In regards to Mexico and Latin America , she explained that the Me Too movement was born as a cluster of individual stories , while “ Ni una menos” has its origin in a collective experience and that this movement that emerged in Argentina also includes the fight for abortion and the gender gap .

“ 'Ni una menos ' isn't centered around individual stories , this is, it is not one story after the other, it is a collective demand, it is the collective opposition against sexual violence and it works in such a way that we can identify in the institutions, in the government and in economy, it doesn't look to point at an individual, it wants to change a social structure in a more radical level. I don't know if Me Too can be considered as a movement because it is a series of individual stories, can these stories derive into something collective? I don't know. I don't mean to say that the movements are opposed but 'Ni una menos' takes something collective as a starting point and I wonder if this can work with the Me Too movemen t.”

Furthermore, she said that societies should find to cure the deep wounds inflicted by violence but without strengthening the prison system . “This is a very complex issue but I want feminism to ask these questions, we are all against harassment, violence , and all atrocities and we want to end these practices but then, do we resort to the law or nor? Do we reject the prison system ? What do we do? Are there ways to change social and violence structures ? Let's think about femicide , are we going to prosecute every person that commits a crime ? It is necessary but the individuals who perpetrate this type of crimes will continue reproducing unless we get to the root of the social structures , this is what we need to do desperately, we need a different opposition movement that opposes against violence in society at any level,” Butler said.

Also, she acknowledged that the law sides with the aggressors but said that it was worrying that anonymous accusations were being made.

She lamented that in the face of harassment , there are many feminists who feel disillusioned with the due process and that it is understandable. “The due process is always of the side of the harasser , of the one who committed a crime, then we really are facing a puzzle. Nevertheless, do we really want the media to become tribunals ? If we make anonymous accusations , how is this accusation going to be attributed? We can hurt the woman's reputation but can we establish the guilt of a person. It is something quite complicated.”

You can watch the full conference here:

The feminist movement is taking over Mexico

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