🔗 Share this article

Male chauvinism in the nation is so pervasive that not even the president is protected,” declared a professor and feminist, expressing a sentiment shared by numerous women across the country. This follows after a viral video showed a drunk man groping Claudia Sheinbaum as she walked from the presidential residence to the department of education. Sheinbaum, who has pressed charges against the assailant, commented at a media conference: “If they do this to the leader, what happens to every other women in the nation?”

Unprecedented Position Highlights on Pervasive Gender-Based Violence

Sheinbaum’s historic position has made this a learning opportunity in a society where sexual harassment and assault on streets and buses and trains are frequently accepted and dismissed. At the same time, political opponents have claimed the assault was staged to shift focus from the recent murder of a local mayor, Carlos Manzo. Yet, the majority of women know that sexual violence doesn’t need manufactured—studies indicate that half of Mexican women have faced it at one time or another in their lives.

Navigating Accessibility and Safety

Sheinbaum, like her preceding leader, is recognized for wading into crowds, greeting people, and taking photos. She was such an encounter that she was groped. “This is a delicate equilibrium between being safe and maintaining proximity to the public,” noted Ishtar Cardona. As a woman leader, it’s a stark reminder that frequently can’t win.

“For people raised in a very traditional manner where male-dominated systems are accepted, a female leader like Sheinbaum, who is a academic and a leftist, represents everything traditional males in the country hate,” the sociologist explained.

Shared Experiences of Violation and Fighting Back

Gender-based violence is not unique to this nation, naturally. Discussing the president’s ordeal opened a flood of memories and exchanged accounts among women. As Cardona mentioned urging her pupils not to freeze when groped, she learned about personal experiences, such as one where a individual was violated on two occasions during a religious pilgrimage. In a similar vein, accounts of fighting back—like beating up a groper in a club—highlight a increasing global movement of females rejecting to remain passive.

Breaking Taboos and Channeling Outrage

Maybe this incident will represent a turning point for Mexican women. “We have been breaking the taboo, but it’s very tough,” the sociologist remarked. “A lot of women feel ashamed, but today we can discuss it with more freedom.” She routinely shares with her students the measures she employs when leaving home, such as thinking about clothing to prevent harassment. She poses a query to her male pupils: “Did you ever thought about that?” The answer is invariably no.

Now, after the leader’s assault recorded on video and viewed worldwide, can Mexican men start to think differently? The sociologist encourages everyone: “You have to harness the outrage!”

A key point is clear: The individuals who resist make their assailants remember.