If I look at myself, I recognize that I haven't always been a feminist. Since I've become aware, I've been on the left, yeah. At that age, when I was 15, I was also born with nationalism. And although it had an inescapable basis for human rights, it saw abuses in feminism, it thought very extreme approaches were being made; that is, it saw other struggles more successful than feminism. Over time I've been changing. I've been discovering feminism by reading texts, articles, interviews … The people next to me helped me do it. And today feminism seems to me to be an essential starting point for social change, fundamental. I have learned, and what I have learned has brought me wealth; I believe that the discourse of feminism has given me a more appropriate and enriching perspective.

Returning to the Alarde de Hondarribia, I see it clear that with the motto “El Alarde Always” the “of always” is defended: Protagonism “of always”, role sharing “of always”, public space “of always” … to match with the festivities of Vitoria-Gasteiz can be clarifying. For me Celedón has been “forever” at parties, I’ve known him since I was young. But for those who are fifteen years older than me, Celedon was a “new” moment, it wasn’t “forever.” Now, Celedon is a tradition. When I was a kid, all blouses were men. That was “the usual thing.” But it's changed, nowadays the blouses and the girls go on crews, and so the parties get rich and fit for everyone. Because tradition needs to be revitalized, because it's not a fossil, and in addition, parties need to be extended for everyone's participation.

Given the insults and obstacles that each year the members of the Jaizkibel Company suffer during the Alarde, Cristina Uriarte has not shown with her attitude the values that the Department of Education should promote: equality between men and women, the need to guarantee the presence of women in the public space, mutual respect … This may be enough to request their resignation. The truth is that I have many other reasons to ask for the resignation of Uriarte. I will just make a recommendation to the head of education: read about feminism, listen carefully to feminists, open the ears and head, and perhaps understand that the request for resignation is grounded.

This opinion text has been published by Hala Bedi and we have brought it to ARGIA thanks to the CC-by-sa license.