3:14 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Justice|mexico|Women · 2 Comments
2 Feb 2007
Mexican president Felipe Calderón announced yesterday that he will be “unstoppable before the issue of gender violence”, as he declared the passage of the first federal domestic violence legislation for the country:
The law — enacted with its publication in the federal register — does not drastically change how violators are currently punished. But it symbolically underscores the government’s recognition of a scourge that is widespread but often ignored in this traditionally macho society.Officially, the law is the first federal measure combatting domestic violence and other abuse against women, though similar statues were already on the books in many cities and states.
11:31 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Controversia|Latin America|Nicaragua|Women · 1 Comment
27 Oct 2006
A follow-up to Mala’s post from a couple of weeks ago.
In a giant leap backwards, the Nicaraguan parliament has yielded to the pressures of religious groups and the Nicaraguan president himself and moved to make therapeutic abortion (abortion to save a mother’s life) illegal and punishable by law in the coutry.
The parliament has left the current sentence for those who practice the abortions in place — six years in prison — in spite of the fact that President Enrique Bolaños was pushing for a much harsher sentence of 20 to 30 years.
Meanwhile, according to Spain’s 20 Minutos, the United Nations and the European Union are “worried”. You see, it’s no coincidence that this is being debated now…election day is just over a week away.
The measure was approved with the help from the left in an attempt to bolster favor for their candidate Daniel Ortega.
According to 20 Minutos, in a joint statement the United Nations and the European Union said:
“given that this is a highly sensitive issue that affects the life, health, and judicial safety of Nicaraguan women,” this issue should not be discussed so close to the November 5th elections.
Reuters reports that hundreds of women protested the passing of the measure outside of the National Assembly Wednesday night, many calling the decision a “death sentence” for pregnant women and a “violation of human rights”.
Via / 20 Minutos and Reuters
4:25 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Family|society|Spain · Comments Off
20 Oct 2006
The Spanish city of León is opening up Spain’s first shelter for male victims of domestic violence, and “positive discrimination” (affirmative action), according to 20 Minutos. The center will also house men who are separated or divorced and having a hard time making it:
The first center will open in León, and the project has a budget of 1.5 million euros.There are also plans to open other similar centers in Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Madrid, Murcia, Cádiz and Sevilla, depending on projects supported by various support groups for separated fathers throughout Spain.
According to the Centristas group, the organization in charge of the shelter, the centers will provide housing, legal help, professional development programs and a business center for residents.
Earlier this month, Spain’s constitutional tribunal admitted debate on whether or not domestic violence laws in the country discriminate against men.
A few Spanish sites are popping up on the internet which claim to support abused men and denounce feminism.
Meanwhile, to date, 59 women have died in Spain at the hands of their partner or ex partner this year.
Via / 20 Minutos and Instituto de la Mujer
8:57 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · children|Movies|race|Women · Comments Off
23 Aug 2006
One of the reasons I love VL is because our readers pass us such great info. Yesterday we were informed of a film that impacted me as a Latina mami and mujer. The short film, A Girl Like Me, explores the standards of beauty and the messages that society is sending to black girls. The 7 minute piece directed by Kiri Davis and featured at the last Tribeca Film Festival features interviews with black girls talking honestly about their skin color and hair texture and what they were taught was beautiful compared what they thought themselves to be. While watching children all shades of brown choosing a white baby doll as good and a darker baby doll as bad and identifying with the darker doll was sad and horrifying it wasn’t surprising.
5:51 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Events|Internet|VivirLatino|Women · 3 Comments
23 Jun 2006
We all knew that Mamita Mala (otherwise known as VL’s very own Maegan Ortiz) was hot, but it was high time we got some third party validation. Well, folks, that day has come, as la Mala herself has been chosen as one of the REAL hot 100.
The REAL hot 100 is:
The REAL hot 100 is a list featuring young women from around the country who are breaking barriers, fighting stereotypes, and making a difference in their communities or the nation.This project will not only combat the popular notion that all young women have to offer is their ability to appeal to men, but it will also highlight the important — but often overlooked — work young women are doing.
That’s right, folks. Being “hot” goes way beyond the surface and our Mala is all that and a bag-o-papas. From the REAL hot 100 site:
Who is she?
Maegan Elizabeth Ortiz aka “la Mala”, 28, Rego Park, NY
5:10 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities|Controversia|mexico|Women · 2 Comments
20 Jun 2006
Tiziano Ferro, the guy who started a firestorm when he said all Mexican women had moustaches, says he’s VERY sorry about those comments. I guess my comment on the fact that without countries like Mexico, dumb pop stars like him wouldn’t have a career was true — he’s effectively lost his following in Mexico and he’s feeling quite bad about it — especially since he’s got a new album out.
According to People en Español, he points to his own “insecurity” as the motivation for the comments:
“The truth is there is no justification for what I did”, Ferro told Televisa Espectáculos. “[What I said] was because I am immature and insecure. The pressure of the live program made me feel very timid and I started to act like a clown so people would laugh because I’m very insecure”, explained the singer, who will release his new album Nadie está solo on June 27.
Cough. Ahem. Ah…his new album coincidentally comes out next week.
7:53 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Internet|New York City|Women · 4 Comments
19 May 2006
Oye mami. Yeah you. I wanna hit that. Psst. Why don’t you look back? Ay you ain’t that pretty anyway. As soon as the temperatures begin to rise into skirt and sandalia season, the brain cells and self-control of some men seem to disappear. Yes, it’s piropo season. While I am not against being given a well placed compliment, there is a fine line between a passing “You look nice today” and “I wanna lick you up and down” that men here on the streets of NYC cross. Well some mujeres aren’t taking it anymore and are fighting back, with their cameras.
5:37 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Celebrities|children|Events|houston · 1 Comment
25 Apr 2006
Remember “Maria” from Sesame Street? Well her name is Sonia Manzano and she’s back on the scene to promote Catalina, a new magazine for Latinas and an event called “Essence of Latinas”:
Known by millions of children and adults as “Maria” on Sesame Street, Sonia Manzano will join Catalina, the only national lifestyle magazine for “the mind, body, and soul of today’s Latina,” for two days of events celebrating Latinas. One event is open to the public, and the other is invite-only.On May 7, Sonia will join the Catalina book club event at the Houston Latino Book & Family Festival. The Latina star will address a crowd of more than 600 and read from her highly acclaimed children’s book, NO DOGS ALLOWED. The reading, which is open to the public and includes an introduction by Cathy Areu, Catalina’s publisher and the author of the new book Latino Wisdom, will be held at 2:30 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Houston Community College Central.
More on Hispanic PRWire (Photo Hispanic PRWire)
8:50 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Events|Justice|Latin America · Comments Off
8 Mar 2006
Today is International Working Women’s Day, a day to recognize the struggles of mujeres, our histories, our struggles, and our victories. While we, as a society, should always acknowledge the trabajo done and trabajo that still needs to be done by our mothers, hijas, hermanas, abuelas, tías, and amigas, it’s always positive to take a step back and look where we have come from, where we are going and where we need to go. There is a saying that those who do not know their history are bound to repeat mistakes of the past so today I would like to acknowledge some mujeres de ayer y de hoy who are luchadoras, not just for Latinas, but for women as a whole. Stay tuned and join us as I look as influential Latina women.
5:44 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Culture|Lifestyle|society|World · Comments Off
6 Mar 2006
A few weeks ago we were embroiled in an entertaining debate about the meaning of the word “Latino”. We never denied that people from Latin America are tied in origin to the people of “Latin” Europe — the mediterranean countries whose influence is most certainly evident in some Latin American customs and cultural idiosyncrasies.
So what does it mean when Spaniards and Italians are ranked as the laziest in the world (okay, in Europe) with regard to housework?
Italian men spend the least number of hours on housework (only 1.35 hours). But not for this reason are Italian households more messy; their female partnersare the Europeans that spend the most hours on housework, up to 5.20 hours.
VivirLatino is a daily publication published by Mamita Mala Media, dedicated to featuring all the latest politics, culture, entertainment of interest to the diverse Latin@ diaspora.
About | Advertise with us | Contact | Twitter