You educate a woman; you educate a generation

Mexico City has always been unsafe, especially for women. It is common for a woman to think twice about the clothes she will wear if she goes out on the street for fear of being harassed, even though in the end, no matter what she wears, someone will whistle at her or shout some unpleasant \"compliment\" at her too. 

Similarly, when a woman walks down the street at night, she is usually looking back, making sure that no one is following her, or carrying an object with which to strike in case the situation arises. Likewise, she tries to walk in the opposite direction to cars and not pay attention to the phone or use headphones if she walks down the street to be completely aware of her surroundings.

The danger, however, does not end indoors. In the six months from January to June 2021 in Mexico City alone, during the confinement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection reported 41,620 emergency calls related to incidents of domestic violence. Surely there were thousands more who did not dare to denounce.

What, then, does the Mexico I imagine after the 2020 pandemic look like?

I imagine a Mexico aware that men and women are not opposites, but complementary. A Mexico where women can walk down the street at any time without fear of being harassed, stalked, abused, or even murdered. Likewise, I imagine a Mexico where men take care of us and protect us, but also where they recognize our essential role in society and allow us to raise our voices in favor of our rights. A Mexico where women have important roles in politics, in universities, in business, a Mexico that does not see women as inferior, but as equal in dignity, in capabilities, and opportunities.

I imagine a Mexico where men do not dare to hurt a woman, a Mexico where violence is never the answer, a Mexico where women are not afraid to go out on the streets or to return home, safe in the knowledge that they will receive the affection of their families and the rest they so desperately need. I imagine a Mexico where there is true freedom of transit, freedom of thought, and, above all, a Mexico where everyone's right to live a life free of violence is respected.

How, then, can we make this Mexico a reality?

The problem lies, in large part, in the vision that men have of women and their role in society and themselves and their role in society. Taking care of and protecting women is not the same as limiting them and wanting to subordinate them to the will of men. 

It is, therefore, essential that, on the one hand, men be educated about the essential role of women in society and in their own lives and how, if she is not there, there is a social void that cannot be truly fulfilled. 

Men must also be trained in the healthy expression of their emotions. The conception that men should always remain firm, impassive, and without showing their feelings should be set aside, because it is for this reason that, in the face of any displeasure, they end up exploding.

On the contrary, women should be trained in self-esteem and, in some way, in self-defense, not only physically but also psychologically. Women cannot continue to be taught that they must remain silent and that they must obey men to get ahead. She must be taught, from an early age, about limits and consent, and also about the phenomena to which she must be attentive to be able to identify violence in all its expressions.

Finally, as women, we must encourage companionship and support among all of us. No one is exempt from suffering this violence; we must, therefore, always be ready to protect each other, to help each other, and, especially, not to judge each other.  We must understand once and for all that the victim is never to blame.

Let's remember this great quote by Brigham Young: “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” That is how important the role of women is in society.