"The process we are proposing is for each one to analyse the different phases of their cycle. In fact, at each stage we have a way of being in the world," Ara!Gorputza members conclude from their observations. Therefore, they explain that the encounter with cyclicity is a "milestone" in life: "The appropriation of cyclicity involves connecting with your own body and knowing what your needs are, because capitalism has also embraced our needs. We have incorporated the culture of menstruation into our daily lives, and that gives us the keys to doing collective self-care in another way." They say that a world that disregards phases can be "violent": "Society leads us to be in a way, it seems that it is the only way of being the one that is worth and it is not," he added.

You've remembered that science is made for men, "and our proposal is to reconstruct all of that, from women to women, analyzing our hormonal cycles. For example, it's not the same to give an aspirin to a non-cyclical linear person as to us who are cyclical. It's not the same, and all the research is done around the normative body."

Steps derived from daily needs

"All the steps we have taken have been put in place from the day to day of our people. For us, it is important to accompany close people in gynecological processes. Many times we live hard, hidden, embarrassed processes, with very little information... for example, we have realized that in the workshops where the mothers are there they have a great need to talk about childbirth and there are no spaces for it. Our dream is to create a network that talks about these issues at the level of Euskal Herria. We always forget our bodies and live above the neck."

Sovereignty of bodies

"It's the bodies that support everyone," they stressed from the Capitol. "We can't start other economies if we don't work our bodily processes. This approach gives another importance to emotiveness, to health processes by disease, to the different moments of care in life... also gathers the reproductive sovereignty. The body is our medium and our space for enjoyment.”

They know that the dissemination of knowledge based on collective observation is not the most convenient proposal in this society, and that is why they are aware that the path must be slow. "We don't dedicate all the time we want to this project," they recognized, but having a long-term project is a beautiful thing, and their bet is not to smoke along the way. And gradually, it's making its way.

Workshops in feminist groups and educational centers

The first working session took place in the gaztetxe Lakaxita de Irun, in the Bulbahizpak group: "We shared the practices and ideas of gynecology managed by the group and saw that there was a need to socialize this issue, and we became a partnership," he added.

Since then, they offer self-managed gynecology workshops: "We see what needs are in feminist associations and what they ask of us, and we try to respond to them," he added.

A couple of years ago, the feminist economy began to work, seeing that the economy is going through everything. Today, one of the feminist economics schools that the Mundubat Foundation has set up throughout the Basque Country is being dynamised in Oiartzun: during the whole course there are sessions of fifteen hours a day, questioning various issues of the everyday economy, such as water.

Last year the program "monthly in schools" was carried out: "We think that cultivating that knowledge in these kids can be the key to living otherwise," he said.

FICHE

Ara!Gorputza Association

What it does: It offers formations to put bodies in the center, using the culture of menstruation and the paths of self-managed gynecology. The Feminist Economy process and the Drag King workshop.

Workers or partners: 2nd

Created: In 2018.

Residence: Irun.

Contact: aragorputz@riseup.net