Women reporters covering topics related to gender in Argentina are facing a surge of harmful threats. While some are standing up against this, others are choosing to stay out of the spotlight and one has even left the country for her own protection.
Luciana Peker, an author, journalist, and activist, expressed her experience as a “witch-hunt” from the extreme right. Due to the severity of threats against her, Peker made the decision to leave Argentina for an undisclosed location.
In 2020, Argentina passed a law legalizing abortion, making it the largest Latin American country to do so. However, their recently elected president, Javier Milei, who identifies as far-right and libertarian, promised to reverse the law and even proposed holding a referendum on the issue if needed.
The #NiUnaMenos (“not one less”) protests that started in 2015 have made Argentina a leader in the fight for women’s and gender rights in Latin America.
However, the libertarian movement which aided Milei’s rise to power last month seemed to specifically focus on targeting feminists when initially gaining followers in 2018.
According to Peker, the feminist movement in Argentina has played a crucial role in advocating for women’s rights throughout Latin America. This is why it is imperative for the extreme right-wing groups to attempt to control and suppress Argentinian women.
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Giselle Leclercq, a journalist, stated that they were embarking on a similar mission to those in multiple western nations who oppose any progress made by movements, particularly feminism.
Leclercq, a journalist who reported on Argentina’s emerging libertarian movement for the independent news agency Perfil, faced numerous attacks after exposing the targeting of feminist journalists.
Leclercq informed the Guardian that her personal address was publicly shared online and she received a direct message from a libertarian threatening to come to her workplace and consume her liver.
Several other female reporters have shared similar experiences of mistreatment.
According to Claudia Piñeiro, a highly accomplished author in Argentina, she faces constant threats and offensive messages whenever she checks her social media platforms because of her feminist beliefs.
She stated that they claim to have my phone number and knowledge of my preferred café, and they constantly send me numerous images of erect penises while also insulting me as an old woman.
In 2022, Piñeiro was a finalist for the international Booker prize and stated that the attacks on feminists are a deliberate effort. She also shared that she had to seek medical help due to the impact on her well-being.
Leclercq stated that Milei appealed to a demographic that is “extremely frustrated with the progression of gender equality, resentful of feminism, and resentful of young male students who were challenged and empowered by their female peers”.
Milei’s supporters were mainly made up of unemployed young men in a country where 1/3 of voters are between the ages of 16 and 29.
According to Peker, young men relate to Milei because he embodies their struggles and insecurities, and gives them a sense of power through fear. Peker also expresses her fear of speaking out, which is a common experience for women due to the dominance of machismo – a culture that prioritizes and glorifies masculinity. She believes that the rise of this macho-sphere, represented by Milei and other men who reject and suppress women, only serves to limit the freedom of women.
Prior to last year’s national election in the country, Periodistas Argentinas, a group of 220 female journalists focused on press freedom and feminism, released a statement expressing concern about the increasing amount of hate speech directed towards them and the fact that their voices are often ignored or silenced by media outlets that prioritize protecting their staff.
Claudia Acuña, the founder of the group, expressed concern about how to continue reporting while feeling afraid. She emphasized the need for unity and collaboration in protecting ourselves, as there is no one else to do it for us.
Source: theguardian.com
