Condemnation of hate messages at lesbian-feminist venue in Rosario
The building vandalized with hate messages is a space that Las Safinas has maintained for 20 years in Rosario, where they provide workshops, assistance, and support to women and gender-diverse individuals. Activists are calling for reflection on the rise of these types of attacks.
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ROSARIO, Santa Fe. The headquarters of the lesbian-feminist organization Las Safinas in Rosario was vandalized with hate messages on August 31. La Vulvería—as the space is called—was attacked with violent messages—"Die," "All whores," and "Dirty fat woman"—as well as swastikas. The attacks included covering up a plaque recognizing their valuable work, and defacing the words "lesbian" and "feminist" from the mural at the entrance to the building where Las Safinas provides training courses, support, and various forms of assistance to women and gender-diverse individuals in Rosario (Santa Fe) and the surrounding area.
Third attack on the lesbian-feminist cultural center
María Eugenia Sarrías is the president of the organization that was recognized this year as the first lesbian-feminist cultural center in Rosario , with 20 years of work in the area. In an interview with Presentes, she contextualized the attack within the escalating violence and right-wing advance that the country is currently experiencing.
“This is the third time they’ve vandalized the facade, and for us, it’s a pattern,” she said. She explained that the previous attacks were in 2019 and 2022, though she acknowledged that the hatred behind the actions is escalating. “The first time they wrote ‘kid killers’ and ‘feminazis.’ The second time, ‘Christ conquers’ and a swastika. Now they’ve covered up the plaque recognizing the space; where it says ‘Lesbian Feminist Library,’ they’ve crossed it out. They’ve also covered up the portrait of an Indigenous woman that we painted on the facade, which represents diversity. They’ve added fatphobic slogans and are now telling us to ‘die.’”
Sarrías believes there is a mastermind behind the attack and that these actions are related to the current situation in the country. “There are many reasons in the current context that could lead to this,” she says, highlighting another case that occurred in the last few hours: “When I told the group of people who come to pick up the food what had happened, one of the women, an artist, told me that just yesterday they had opened an art exhibit and that shortly after they finished setting it up, one of the works, which explicitly addresses the LGBTQ+ community, disappeared.”
“The message is one of repudiation of feminism and sexual diversity.”
“What I mean is that it’s not against Las Safinas because we are Las Safinas. It’s because we are a space that truly responds to the LGBTI community and because we are visibly part of the LGBTI community ,” she concluded.
The organization brings together more than 200 people through its workshops and support services. Over the years, Las Safinas has incorporated initiatives aimed at empowering women and gender-diverse individuals and creating opportunities for them to develop independent life projects. In Rosario and its surrounding area, it is one of the most visible and longest-standing organizations.
“When state institutions close, social organizations are the ones that remain open. During the pandemic, we were the ones who were there. So yes, they are going against these rights, and the message is one of repudiation of the advance of feminism and sexual diversity. We cannot lose sight of the fact that behind all of this there are economic issues, economic interests,” she told Presentes.
"They want to shut down public policies for women and diverse groups."
She continued: “There are people and organizations here, political entities, whose only aim is to shut down public policies that address the needs of women and diverse groups. And, furthermore, they also oppose the recognition of Indigenous lands. I believe La Vulvería represents this cross-cutting approach, and that's why they attacked it.”
Since this is the third attack on the NGO's headquarters, the intention is to add this new attack to the case file investigating the previous ones. As a first step, a report was filed at the Territorial Complaints Center (CTD) No. 1 in the city of Rosario.
Last Friday, a symbolic embrace was held at the building located at 1158 Simeoni Passage. A thorough investigation into the attack was demanded.
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