You can’t say anything anymore. For example, you can’t write a song in which a 47-year-old guy flirts with a 25-year-old girl. Or one in which a guy keeps sending messages online to a girl who barely responds to him. Or well, yes you can, only now those songs, those columns, those opinions or books have a response that can be heard. That is to say, yes you can, but those who write or sing them have to – the poor – have to put up with people telling them what they think or criticizing them. Let them exercise their own freedom of expression, wow.
For example, Dani Martín, the former singer of the group El canto del loco, was able to compose a song a few months ago in which a 47-year-old guy tries to flirt with a 25-year-old girl (Ester Exposito is called, because it is dedicated to the actress). Now, he has launched one in which a guy continues to send messages on social networks to a girl who barely responds: “What can I do so that one day/ You pay attention to me/And let me come pick you up/And to be my girlfriend and jump into the void?”
His songs have brought some criticism. And neither he, nor Pablo Motos, who interviewed him this Thursday in El Hormiguero, understand it. Not only that, but they claim that we now live in an “invisible mode of forbidden things” and that an artist should not “feel coerced.”
If Pablo Motos treats his guests questionably or if Dani Martín writes lyrics that normalize male insistence on women, this is freedom of expression. If we say what we think, we are coercing them
In 2019, Lucía Lijtmaer published Ofendiditos (Anagrama), an essay that could well serve to explain those four minutes of conversation between the singer and the presenter, but that serves much more: the writer reflects on whether we really live in a climate of neopuritanism and censorship, and analyzes where the real threats to freedom of expression currently come from. The conclusion is exactly the opposite of what scandalizes Motos and Martín. The climate of the ‘offended’ – encouraged by political and economic powers now disguised as freedom – seeks, rather, to criminalize protest, to point out those who now have the possibility of pointing and responding and of being heard and read.
That is to say, those who present themselves to the world as champions of freedom of expression, paradoxically, promote the idea that feminists, LGTBI groups, minorities or, simply, people who point out stale or discriminatory practices, ideas or customs, go too far. .in their freedom of expression. If Pablo Motos treats his guests questionably or if Dani Martín writes lyrics that normalize male insistence on women, this is freedom of expression. If we say what we think or talk about their biases – and they don’t like it – then we are not using our freedom of expression, but we are coercing them.
From Virginia Woolf to Toy Story
Lijtmaer delves into the attacks on freedom of expression that we are experiencing and that come from political and legislative powers. As recent examples (although there are more) we have the plays that municipalities governed by PP and Vox have censored. In Valdemorillo (Madrid), the city council vetoed Orlando, by Virginia Woolf, starring a character who transitions gender. In Bezana, Cantabria, the Department of Culture removed the cartoon film from the summer film programming Lightyear (from the saga toy story) because a lesbian couple appears.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo explained that true feminism “does not use politically” women and children who are victims of sexist violence and seeks to ensure that “there is no resentment” or confrontation between women and men. His party forms or supports governments that have eliminated equality councils and applauded Milei’s victory
If we look at other latitudes, the government of Javier Milei in Argentina has joined a campaign (initiated by an ultra foundation) against several authors in the country whose works they consider immoral and pornographic. For this reason, they intend to remove them from the institutes. This week, dozens of writers and journalists came together to do a collective reading of these authors, and bookstores and publishers have launched a wave of support.
‘Real’ feminism
This invisible state of prohibited things and the coercion that Motos and Martín spoke of does not seem, however, to point towards these facts that do represent a clear attack on freedom of expression and creation. They also shelter themselves in their supposed feminism, a “real” feminism. Dani Martín openly stated during the interview that she considers herself “super feminist” and that she had been raised “in the most feminist education in the world.” What is a feminist education? There would be a lot to think and say about that question, but a couple of things seem clear: a feminist education should make those who receive it aware that ‘deconstruction’ never ends and that self-criticism is always necessary.
What they cannot continue to pretend is to live in silence, in the comfort of being the only ones authorized to speak, compose, sing, write, define or criticize.
“However, with Joseph’s mother Nothing was said” or “I can only flirt with 40-year-old ladies” were other phrases of the singer (47 years old) during the interview. The topic you are talking about came out into the world in 2003 and in these 21 years, Dani Martín, many things have happened. Maybe at that time that song that delved into the stereotype of the kid crazy about a friend’s mother didn’t cause a stir or maybe the critics didn’t have the loudspeaker they would have today. Neither in 2003 did we have a Law against Gender Violence, nor had we experienced two feminist strikes, nor did we know what #MeToo was, nor had Jenni Hermoso and her colleagues said #It’s Over, domestic workers did not even have the right to unemployment, and We had not questioned power relations and their relationship with age or job position as we do now.
Added to this combo is the event of the Popular Party to commemorate the Day against Gender Violence, in which they chose to talk about “real feminism” and “real feminism.” Alberto Núñez Feijóo explained that true feminism “does not use politically” women and children who are victims of sexist violence and seeks to ensure that “there is no resentment” or confrontation between women and men. Let us now remember that his party forms or supports the governments that have censored plays, eliminated equality councils and applauded Milei’s victory.
Pablo Motos can continue drooling at his interviewees, Dani Martín can continue composing lyrics full of clichés, Alberto Núñez Feijóo can talk about real feminism without blushing. What they cannot continue to pretend is to live in silence, in the comfort of being the only ones authorized to speak, compose, sing, write, define or criticize. They can be sexists. And we can affirm it. Not to coerce or censor anyone, but to try to change things.
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