This 28th of June we used the motto created by the trans* movement to recognize its essential contribution in the construction of a radical and plural feminism and to make that idea our own.
As a result of COVID-19, once again, we have realized our vulnerability and our interdependence. Inevitably, it leads us to compare ourselves to other pandemics: The HIV crisis (dissidents of hegemonic sexuality and gender rule that hit and criminalized marginal bodies); the Ebola epidemic that strongly impacts Africa; killed by precariousness, machismo or the LGTB pandemic…
All this leads us to ask ourselves what the emergency measures, the phases proposed or the responsibilities required are. In other words, to reflect on who is affected in every pandemic. In fact, it is clear that this latest socio-sanitary crisis has not hit us in the same way, because we are here, people confined to families full of LGTBphobia, precarious lives to the limit, stigmatized racist bodies…
"The social distance of confinement is another example of policies whose purpose and axis is order based on nuclear families (and monogamy), that is, to limit our hug and physical closeness only to those within the walls of the house"
However, it did not come as a surprise to us, as we live in a social model that normalizes transphobic aggressions, lesbophobia, the heteronormative family, harassment of unregulated bodies… The COVID-19 crisis has only increased those previously existing violence. The social distance of confinement is but another example of policies whose purpose and axis is order based on nuclear families (and monogamy), that is, to limit ourselves to sharing our hug and physical closeness only with those inside the walls of the house. A new normality that repeats itself in the old.
Police of all colors have been the tool that has made us penetrate fear and threat to the bone marrow. That's why we say that the only wrong body is the police force.
In recent months we have seen videos and ads from the Ertzaintza, Foral Police, National or Municipal Police. They wanted to wash themselves. To do so, women have been placed in the front line, animated by words and dances and, meanwhile, have extended repression through the streets. Let us not forget, however: they are the same people who have assaulted us and attacked us for the second time against women, boleros, transos and sex workers. We will be on the front line to deal with the health crisis, but we will never be on the front line to suppress repression!
Today we want to go further, because it is not enough for official police forces to establish control of bodies. Heteronormative is applied in the health system, family plans, education departments and budgets. In addition, in order to survive, she needs a gender-based policeman who is inside of us. We refer to that judge who watches on balconies, in the park when we do sports, at work, on the beach and at meetings, and constantly points to gender dissent. It is a view that still excludes other bodies in order to obtain power quotas. So starting with us, we don't need policemen or policemen to be free.
"We have recovered the streets and nights with disobedience and we have broken all the closets that choke us. We will therefore be dressed in disobedience even in the coming difficult times"
June 28 is a day of struggle. Dissidents have also politicized our day to day and made it a battlefield. The voice of those of us outside the general rule is increasing. We are causing explosions in all kinds of areas and we are increasingly the bodies, practices and relationships that we have chosen to continue fighting to live free from heteronorms. Together and with pleasure.
Let us not fit into your frameworks and categories, let us not fit into the empty speeches of your diversity. We are political subjects and we are swirling the hegemonic sexuality and the neoliberal system that supports it. We are sowing bodies, pleasures and lands to build a feminist people.
We've learned not to obey the rules of survival. We have recovered the streets and nights with disobedience and broken the closets that choke us. We will therefore be dressed in disobedience even in the hard times that come. In every street action, in every scream, in every kiss, in every corner, we will overcome the fear, we will crush the hetero-rule! And we will do it with pleasure!