While sparking a public conversation about misogyny and violence has been key to changing cultural attitudes, the current presidential race has also offered a rare opportunity to convert public enthusiasm into institutional change, avoiding the gradual fade-out suffered by most ‘hashtag activism’.
#NiUnaMenos presented a series of five pledges for fighting violence against women, asking each of the candidates to sign their names to them. Crucially, they did it over Twitter and copied each Tweet onto their website. “We now all have access to these promises,” notes Etcheves, “and the pressure really is very strong. It’s going to be very difficult for them not to follow through. I think it’ll be more difficult not to follow through than to do so.”
Candidates from across the political spectrum not only accepted the movement’s request, but fervently embraced it – Etcheves points out that “several candidates used the slogan ‘#NiUnaMenos’ directly in their campaign ads.”
While to some this may smell of political opportunism, for Beck, Correa, and Etcheves it was important to have the participation of politicians and public figures from both sides of Argentina’s famous ‘grieta’ (gap) – the division between those who oppose the government and those who support it.
“In recent years it’s been very difficult to do marches that weren’t read as either government or opposition-led,” notes Correa. “We wanted to close the gap.” explains Correa. “We fought very hard to ensure that everyone could be there. Every man, every woman. You didn’t have to be a militant feminist to join the march. We didn’t ask for an admission certificate! We understand that the change has to come from everyone, so everyone has to participate.”