Pussy Pride Parades resist Prosecution by Catholic Church

02/03/16 18:33 ·  “When they hurt one of us, they hurt us all” they yelled at the doors of the Court of Instruction No. 10 Sevilla. The trial had just begun. A banner in support of the Rebel Pussy fluttered over the crowd.

Three women were accused by the Association of Christian Lawyers Seville and had to testify. ( This in Sevilla, the same capital where  young puppeteers were jailed for ”glorifying terrorism” in their show….)

“Freedom of expression is at stake,” says one of the representatives of ‘Women Survivors’, an association for assistance to victims of gender violence. However, it was not until a week later that Antonia Avalos, a spokesman for the Rebel Pussy Support Platform , told her story; a story that is the voice of many others.

Antonia Avalos has a PhD in gender studies and is cofounder of social assistance program ‘Women Survivors’. He came over ten years ago to Spain in search of a life after escaping violence in her native country (Mexico). Since then she has not stopped fighting for the defense of women’s rights.

Antonia Avalos was charged, along with other colleagues also identified by police after the demonstration on May 1, 2014 called by the General Confederation of Labour (CGT). The feminist collective procession through Sevilla carried the Vagina in defense of sexual and reproductive rights of women.

Antonia Avalos Torres Estudiosa de la problemática que viven las mujeres y las niñas. Feminista.Coautora de MODELO de atención a Mujeres víctimas y SUPERVIVIENTES de violencia de género.Profesora y aprendiz de los saberes que nos ayuden a transformar el mundo, por uno más justo, igualitario, donde tengan cabida la ternura, el amor, la paz, la negociación,  la esperanza y un mundo otro, habitado por mujeres y hombres conviviendo en respeto, cordialidad e IGUALDAD.Madre de dos hijos, Superviviente de violencia y Doctorada en Estudios de Género.

They were accused of a crime of incitement to discrimination, hatred and violence on grounds relating to religion. The Association of Catholic Lawyers asked four years in prison for these women, wearing mantillas and hoods of Nazarenes, in procession to the sinister rhythm of a tamborada protesting the ‘holy burial of social and labour rights ‘.

However, on Friday 26 February, the city of Seville City Council had approved a support motion by councillors of IU and PSOE (2 leftwing parties) in support of the accused women. “carrying the gigantic vagina is a way of appropriating our pussy, pleasure and eroticism. It is also a symbolic representation of our right to decide.

We respect religious beliefs , perhaps we are inventing ways that are not aesthetically positive for them, but we are protesting murder, rape, sexual exploitation, prostitution and insecurity, “says spokeswoman Antonia Avalos.

The feminist movement began to gain strength in Seville after the national women’s march against the reform of the Abortion Act by Gallardon in 2012.  ( The campaign was a huge success, the Bill was defeated and Gallardón forced to resign).  “It was a pretty creative movement that led to a network of participation between women of different generations. We developed new ways of thinking very different to the movement that preceded us in  discourse and aesthetics “.

15M and Our Bodies as Central

However the origin of this activism comes after the seizure of space by social movements in the 15M uprising. A scenario that marks a turning point in popular belief in the credibility of institutions. “We started putting our bodies at the center of all battles of the patriarchal system.” a national dialogue where new forms of expression and communication of feminism through representations disseminated through social networks started, strengthening the community.

For example, the Sisterhood of the Holy Vagina of all Orgasms in Madrid…… Traditionally this movement has shouted from the streets ..and has always been a marginalized issue on the political agenda until recently …… In that sense, Antonia Avalos said that the PSOE women have achieved many laws towards equality. Although also they mediatized other libertarian expressions.

“There are many types of feminisms and we are at street level and do not want to compete, but to seek allies to combat inequalities like the wage gap, the glass ceiling in business, gender violence, access to employment or housing that’s worth it, but always twinning “.

“We are aware that everything we do as feminist women will always be a provocation”

The association has engaged in dialogue with the institutions, acknowledging that they should pay more attention to the experts in gender violence but many feminist movements work at street level and have a better understand the needs of this reality.

Of all women murdered in 2015, only 20% had made a complaint beforehand. So there is a problem of credibility in the judicial system of this country, and budget cuts in prevention and awareness on gender violence.Devil forgiven?..at CGT anarchist support demo for accused in Rebel Vagina Parade, Sevilla.2016

The feminist movement has grown in recent years, so much so that last November 7 the Spanish capital hosted a march demanding that gender violence is a matter of state.  Antonia, says they will continue fighting despite the criticism, working for the defense of human rights from a feminist perspective. “We are not criminals, we do not like to be identified or charged, but will not stop fighting against gender violence”.

TheRebel Pussy Parade has aroused conflicting opinions in Seville society, although the group claims to have received a lot of support at national and international level. “We are aware that everything we do as feminist women will always be a provocation..

To say ‘this body is mine’,  is a provocation; ‘I do not want to have children’,  is a provocation; ‘I want a living wage’, is also a provocation; ‘Do not beat me anymore’, is another provocation. Whatever women do, there will always be many men who feel threatened. But we will not remain silent because we believe we are citizens as subjects and not objects serving anyone. “

Feminism means equality, she adds, and learning to live together as men and women . “I came fleeing gender violence in my country. I reported the agressions, but the level of corruption is appalling, yet here I found a lot of love, wonderful people ..”. When she arrived in Spain she worked as domestic help despite her qualifications, but never stopped supporting women who recognize themselves in the reflection of their own history.

“This case has filled me again with fears of violence because it reminds me of what I already had in my country. We already have a struggle, but this is a form of structural violence that threatens our freedom of expression. I felt harassed and violated again, but I have dignity, a network of sisterhood that supports me and an Indian in my heart that pumps courage at every step, “concludes Antonia Avalos.

Archivada la causa del ‘coño insumiso’