Does Broncano’s question raise awareness or trivialize machismo? Experts analyze Paz Vega’s reflection in ‘La Revuelta’

What would you answer if they asked you if you are more racist or more sexist? It seems that the question has become one of the topics of the week and is already part of the classic questions posed by David Broncano in The Revolt. Like almost everything that happens in the program, the new question has generated a wave of reactions and debates, from uncomfortable laughter to the most thorny reflection.

In a humorous context, it seems that the question clearly unsettles and provokes, at the same time that it brings out some uncomfortable truths that underlie our society. Why are there those who feel more comfortable admitting sexist attitudes than racist ones? What does this say about what we consider ‘normal’ and what we prefer to hide?

The debate – which has been revived with Paz Vega’s response during her visit this Monday–, beyond the anecdotal, places us in front of a mirror where some biases that we often prefer to ignore, and invites us to reflect on the way in which, in any case, both patriarchy and colonialism continue to shape everyday reality.

Trivialization or a channel to reach more people?

For some people, like Lidia Núñez, member of Ideas en Guerra, the fact that this question was asked on a comedy show It is not necessarily negative. The political scientist argues that, although comedy may seem like a somewhat controversial space to expose these types of debates, it can also be a vehicle to reach a broader audience. “Avoid reserving it to serious and intellectual places can make more people feel challenged and ask questions“, comments Núñez in a conversation with Public.

In his opinion, this approach can make it easier for the audience to question their own attitudes. beyond the individual and contribute to the identification of the problem as something structural. Furthermore, she adds, “it could generate a rapprochement with those who have seen the advances of feminism as a grievance or an attack.” Seeing that “you’re not the only sexist,” for example, can make you “feel less ashamed and, thus, less attacked“.

However, Carmen Ruiz Repullosociologist and expert in coeducation, warns about the trap that formulating the question itself can imply. Asking if someone is “more sexist or more racist” introduces a problematic hierarchy, as if one attitude were more acceptable than the other (a position in line with what Paz Vega commented). “It seems that one can be more one thing than another and, when it is stated like this, it is because one is more permitted than the other,” he points out. In this sense, He questions the idea that these issues are in conflict, “when both should be decisively rejected.” For Ruiz Repullo, humor, in this case, can end up trivializing topics that require a deep approach.

The difference in how society perceives machismo and racism is central to this debate. Is machismo more normalized than racism? Or, on the other hand, has the push of feminism managed to make sexist behavior ugly to a greater extent and is racism more difficult to recognize? The answer, of course, is not simple. In fact, if both specialists agree on something, it is that misogynistic and xenophobic comments are heard more than they should and are tolerated quite comfortably. Although, luckily, less and less.

This brings us to another of the most relevant questions: the importance of recognize that all people, to a greater or lesser extent, have attitudes that reflect these discriminatory structures. In this sense, Lidia Núñez emphasizes that accepting this reality “does not mean blaming the individual, but rather understanding that machismo and racism are social problems that need systemic change.” “Even the most feminist woman has sexist attitudes“, he points out, highlighting the need to assume this self-criticism without falling into self-flagellation, but without trivializing the problem. Awareness is the first step to change, and self-criticism allows people to make more committed decisions about their actions.

The role of education

The education, Consequently, it will be one of the main protagonists in the formation of these perceptions. Understood in a broad sense, not only in the school environment, but also in media and entertainment spaces, says Carmen Ruiz Repullo, it can contribute to a more conscious society committed to equality for all. That is to say, that Recognizing our own attitudes is the first step towards real and lasting change, but it is essential that this recognition occurs in an environment that promotes reflection.

At the same time, these types of questions force us to reflect on the limits of humor and the responsibility of the media in the way they address such sensitive issues. Although the debate is complex, what seems to be clear is that any progress requires, first, the recognition of our own contradictions and the willingness to change them.