Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Un Día Sin Nosotras: The Mexican Women’s Strike
Published 2 weeks, 1 day ago
Description
On this day, 9 March 2020, tens of thousands of women across Mexico went on strike in protest at gender-based violence which kills thousands of women each year in the country.
Transport, banking, education and retail were amongst the industries affected by women either staying at home or taking to the streets, under the slogan "Un Día Sin Nosotras" ("A Day without Us").
One worker, Isaura Miranda, a biologist, told the New York Times why she took part: “I just realised I had to do something… I can’t carry on with this feeling of rage and impotence over so many deaths that are cruel, without dignity… Also, I don’t want my daughter to go out one day and never come back again."
Support for the action was so widespread that many large corporations and government departments were pressured into agreeing not to discipline women who took part in the action.
Mexico's left-wing president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, blamed "past neoliberal policies" for endemic violence against women, 10 of whom are murdered each day, and accused right-wing opponents of helping organise the strike.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10925/mexico-women's-strike
Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
Transport, banking, education and retail were amongst the industries affected by women either staying at home or taking to the streets, under the slogan "Un Día Sin Nosotras" ("A Day without Us").
One worker, Isaura Miranda, a biologist, told the New York Times why she took part: “I just realised I had to do something… I can’t carry on with this feeling of rage and impotence over so many deaths that are cruel, without dignity… Also, I don’t want my daughter to go out one day and never come back again."
Support for the action was so widespread that many large corporations and government departments were pressured into agreeing not to discipline women who took part in the action.
Mexico's left-wing president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, blamed "past neoliberal policies" for endemic violence against women, 10 of whom are murdered each day, and accused right-wing opponents of helping organise the strike.
More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10925/mexico-women's-strike
Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.
- See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/today
- Browse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/date
- Check out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.com
- Check out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com
- If you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History