Mujeres Creando is an anarcha-feminist group based in bolivia, which was founded by María Galindo, Mónica Mendoza and Julieta Paredes in 1992 and members including two of Bolivia’s only openly lesbian activists. The group publishes a regular newspaper, produces a regular radio show since 2007 and maintains two cultural cafés named “Virgen de los deseos” (Eng: Virgin of Desires) in the centre of La Paz and another one in Santa Cruz. In La Paz, there is as well a assistance with information for “women searching for justice” to support women affected and struggling by male violence. In their library they present and distribute not only feminist issues, but also wider social issues like queer-gay-lesbian, poverty and the politics of the Evo Morales regime and its contradictions. In their centre in La Paz is as well located a restaurant and a hostel, the one in Santa Cruz we did not visit.
Beneath that, Mujeres Creando are very visible in the bigger cities of bolivia by graffity paintings against sexism, naming violence against women and criticizing the political machismo in bolivian society. They did and do not hesitate to name the homophoby and authoritarianism of the traditional left. As well they are involved in social struggles, especially via direct actions and street theatre.
“my body – my territory” Grafitty in the streets of La Paz
the “Virgen de los deseos” in La Paz
One important issue is like everywhere in latin america the right to abort. Professional politicians of the right like of the left are against a right to abort and the influence of evangelical and catholic churches are strong in society, in bolivia less than in other surrounding countries, but visible. The issue is often mentioned in their publications and actions in the sense of “my body, my choice”, latest at the 8th of march with street theatre and music in La Paz. Another important topic for the anarchists is sexual education and information via their media. While the socialist government of Evo Morales invented the military service, the mujeres creando object it and link militarism to domestic violence:
“These days military service is obligatory for men, and the gender technocracy has motivated the creation of voluntary military service for women, giving power to one of the densest nuclei of patriarchal culture in our society. Military service in Bolivia has constituted itself as the school of macho virility and the mechanism for the acquisition of manliness. That is why the young men who come back from military service acquire authority in their communities and are celebrated for it.”
(“Evo Morales and the Phallic Decolonization of the Bolivian State”, http://www.mujerescreando.com/pag/articulos/2006/arti_evodesconolizacioningles.htm)
One point which differs from a lot of european feminist groups is their atttraction for nude femen-actions, which are criticized for good reason. Why they are supportive to these actions and do them, is probably difficult to guess, related to the society they live in, but we are also not shure the discussions about this topic that happen elsewhere are visible in bolivia. In general this is the anarchist group most visible in bolivia and a strong counterpart to the left mainstream.
more information in spanish and contact: http://www.mujerescreando.com
