IWD AND WOMEN THROUGH TIME: FROM EVE TO EMANCIPATION

From the dawn of time, we have been told the story of Eve, the first lady of humanity, whose curiosity was as demonized as the apple she bit. Eve, a transgressor, or a pioneer of critical thinking? History has taught us to see her as the culprit of all our evils, but perhaps, in her audacity, Eve was the first to question, the first to choose.

Let's move forward in time, towards the figure of Mary Magdalene. In sacred texts, her image oscillates between that of a penitent sinner and a devout follower of Christ. But, isn't it curious how history enjoys linking the image of women with sin and redemption? Mary Magdalene, a woman of multiple faces, relegated to a mere secondary role in the narrative of the powerful.

Throughout the centuries, the image of women has been like a canvas in constant reinvention. The Celtic female druids, branded as heretical and demonic witches, were nothing more than women who dared to know, dared to feel, dared to seek knowledge. We were told they were dangerous, but wasn't their only danger in their freedom and wisdom?

Moving forward in history, we arrive at the era of social revolutions, where women went from being mere spectators to protagonists in the search for rights and freedoms. From Olympe de Gouges, who wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen in 1791, to the American suffragists, who from the 19th century fought not only for women's suffrage but for the dignity and recognition of women as human beings capable of deciding the future of their own country.

The 20th century brought waves of change, with women who challenged the status quo in every sphere. From Rosie the Riveter, symbol of women's labor participation in the war industry, to the voices of the feminist movement of the 60s and 70s, who cried out for sexual liberation and reproductive rights. They, our predecessors, not only dreamed of a different world; they rolled up their sleeves to build it for us.

Today, in the 21st century, women continue their unstoppable march. Technology and social media have given voice to those who were previously silenced. Today's women, of all ages, colors, origins, biologies, and sexual preferences, are redefining what it means to be a woman. We see them leading countries, directing companies, inspiring movements, and, most importantly, supporting each other in a global sisterhood.

However, let's not deceive ourselves, the battle is still not won. Society still tries to box women into outdated stereotypes and predetermined roles. But, you know what? Today's women, like Eve, have the curiosity and courage to keep questioning, to keep fighting.

What would Eve say if she saw us now? She would probably smile, with the certainty of someone who knows that, despite the obstacles, we have advanced and nothing stops us. We have learned to cut and bite our own apples without asking anyone's permission, and to write our own stories. Because, at the end of the day, we are not someone's rib, we are the entire body, intelligent and independent, perhaps that's the best part of all: we have become the total owners of our bodies and our minds.

The history of women is a story of resilience and strength, a perpetual dispute between being defined by others or claiming the right to define ourselves. Each woman carries within her a fascinating mix of Eve and Mary Magdalene, of witch and revolutionary, of worker and leader. We are a mosaic of all who came before, and a promise and commitment to those women who will come after.

And here we are, in this whirlwind of modern times, in this wild hurricane of technological advances, in a world open to possibilities, in which we have to question again who we are, facing the future. We will continue to write our history. Sorry, I should correct that: we will continue to write HISTORY, one where we will no longer be secondary characters, but protagonists, heroines, authors. Because, in the end, the story of women should no longer be a story of subjugation but of victory, a victory that we will actively build every day not with words, but with our actions, our lives, our choices, and yes, with our unbreakable will to decide what we are, and how we will exist.

Isis Estrada, March 8, 2024.