"The exchange of letters helps us break isolation and collectivize pain and struggle"
- Naiara Perea, member of the assembly of transfeminist days against prisons to be held this Saturday in Vitoria-Gasteiz, spoke about the social consequences of the criminal justice system.
Genes, tattoos, massages, vegetable food, berts and lectures. There will be all day June 1 in the gaztetxe of Vitoria. From 10 a.m. to night they have organised a full day programme in the transfeminist days against prisons. We will discuss the context of the prisons of the South, the instruments of daily practice of the struggle and the colonial and cis-heteropatriarchal system. At the center of the conference there will be a court at 13:00 to go together to meet for sex work. Naiara Perea, member of the assembly, explains the details of the days.
The conference is based on Tatto Circus. What are the Tatto Circus?
Tatto Circusa was born many years ago in Rome. At this time, some people from the anarchist movement operating between the tattoo joined, gathered and used their ability to tattoo. Ateneo Occupato organized conventions or days in which the benefits they received from tattoos, concerts and other things were used to cover the legal expenses of prisoners and their members. It emerged as a response to the momentary need, and since then the benefits obtained in the days are for prisoners, former inmates and collective protection.
What does the organization of the transfeminist view contribute?
Especially from the transfeminist perspective, because in everyday life we articulate ourselves from transfeminism. What does this mean? That both in the days and in the assemblies the participants will be dissident genres and women, and that the benefits will be destined to prisoners, ex-prisoners and protection groups that personify these identities.
"Increasingly oppressed or marginalized people are particularly affected by the consequences of the sanctioning system. An example is not just prisons."
Besides getting money, do you want it to be a space for reflection?
One of our goals is to rethink how the criminal justice system affects society. Prison causes enormous damage to society, but above all, increasingly repressed or marginalized people suffer especially the consequences of the criminal system. An example is not just prisons: There are also detention centres for foreigners, psychiatric and zoos. We want to reflect on this in order to seek alternatives beyond this system based on collective protection.
How does the sanctioning system affect?
It is a phrase that is said many times, but it is completely real. In the case of prison, it is said to be a mirror of society. This means that the oppression that exists today is magnified in prison. Thus, racist people, dissident identities, women, disc [disabled] people and others suffer very violently from the idea of this criminal system.
Do you think that the days can serve to review the ways of coping with the conflicts that arise in daily life?
The criminal justice system is fully integrated into our society, and so is our society. It is time to look inwards and review each other's attitudes, behaviors and way of thinking. This violence is also present in our spaces and relationships. It can therefore help to move away from the criminal system and to create increasingly healthy ways of relating, undoing the way of acting and creating networks of other kinds.
You organize an all-day program, in which, among other things, there will be a txoko to write letters. Why is it an important tool?
There are people who have no exchange of letters, but it is very important for those who want to receive them. The exchange of letters helps us break the isolation and collectivize the pain and lucha.Es a way out of individualism and solidarity with the prisoners we have next to us and miles away.
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