Racism in Mexico

When I was going to the British Council today, I saw a Yale pant’s advertisement in the subway showing 5 black men practicing Capoeira and dressed properly to perform that martial art. Among them, a white man was wearing pants. Something that picked my attention was that someone had written in the advertisement with a marker: disgusting blacks, and pointed to the blacks. I was not surprise by that, since I consider Mexico a very racist country.

Source: Yale Pants. http://www.yale.com.mx/campanas.html

*I am not going to talk about racism against blacks, given the low proportion of blacks in Mexico (not Afro-Americans since they were born and raised in Mexico and do not have anything to do with Africa).

In Mexico, when speaking about racist countries it comes to the mind of many people the image of United States, and if they know more about universal history France, Germany and South Africa (let’s face it, there are plenty of racist countries in the world, but these countries just happened to be more known for their practices, projection and importance). The Government’s ideology that Mexico is composed by mestizos only has bolstered the belief that in Mexico there is no such a thing as racism. The people who admit Mexico is a racist country generally focus on the conflicts between indigenous and non-indigenous groups, and rarely discuss the issues arising from differences in the color skin among Mexicans. What is more perceived and acknowledged as a problem is the classism.

According to the last census carried out by the National Institute for Statistics and Geography (INEGI), there are 6.6 millions of people who speak an indigenous language in Mexico, they represent around 5.9 percent of the total population, and roughly 15 percent of those do not speak Spanish.  Out of the 89 existing languages, Náhuatl (1.6 millions), Maya (0.8 millions) and Mixteca dialects (0.5 millions) remained the most spoken in Mexico. The states with the highest proportion of population speaking indigenous languages are Oaxaca with 33.8 percent of its  total population; Yucatán, with 29.6, and Chiapas, with 27.3. An interesting question in the 2010 Census was do you consider yourself as an indigenous? Around 15.7 millions responded positively, being Yucatán, Oaxaca and Quintana Roo (where the Cancún Resort is located) the states with the highest proportion. As you can see by the numbers, indigenous groups are not identified by phenotypical differences, but more by cultural features. Many indigenous would be indistinguishable from other Mexicans if it were not for cultural traits like dressing and language.

Despite this strong indigenous racial component (which used to be absent in the northern states until migration patterns changed), there are many Mexicans who make racist comments about others in reference of ethnic features. “Indio” (lit. Indian) is one of the most common and preferred insults by Mexicans, or other phrases enunciating social characteristics of indigenous. For example, when someone does not know how a technological device operates some Mexicans say “Ash, these Indians!” or “Looks like you were dragged down from the mountains” (in reference to the fact that many indigenous groups are located in the mountains).

It also happens that people who had European or American great-great-…-grandparents, make remarks about their foreign ancestors when it is completely unnecessary like a presentation “I am Mexican, but all my family is from Spain”. Or even tell foreigners they are also foreigners (Spaniards, Americans, Argentinean or any white country) just because they have a [insert here any allegedly white and developed state] passport due to their relation with one familiar, even when they were born, raised and have spent most of their life in Mexico, speak Spanish like Mexicans and are more Mexican than the enchiladas. Someone might guess that only happens with ignorant people who put such a high value in not belonging to an indigenous race, but no, that also happens with very well educated people.  In the opinion of some fellows, making that kind of remarks in Mexico (unlike United States) is like saying “in this country of Indians, I am better because I have blood from a cool (usually European) country”.

Another pejorative word is “naco” which means “Indian”, but it is used by many Mexicans to refer things or to describe other people or situations as poor, insignificant, ignorant, etc. It is applied to anyone regardless their race (I’ve heard many people to assign that word to whites and indigenous), and it is not really offensive.

Academics

A study conducted by Rosario Aguilar Pariente, a scholar from the leading academic Center for Research and Teaching in Economics, has shown that Mexicans have different perceptions and assumptions when they only have information on ethnic matters. Her study (click here to read it in English) discusses the different perception that Mexicans have about race and politics, it indicates that positive views are associated with European-looking and Mestizo individuals, and more negative views are associated with indigenous looking individuals. These results comes as no surprise, since most indigenous groups are out of the development processes in Mexico and there is a correlation between belonging to an indigenous group and poverty.

Due to the development of traditionally indigenous populated zones like the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico, Merida (in Yucatán), Quintana Roo, among others, the correlation that existed during the colonial period that European looking persona and wealthy has eroded, but not so much the belief that being white is better than being indigenous-looking, as Rosario’s study has proven. Also, it appears that the upper classes are whiter than the middle and low classes; since the share of European-looking Mexicans is around 9-15 in general, but (I guess) it is higher in the upper classes, not overwhelming, just much higher.

A country whose language is plagued with racial remarks and which equals whiteness to beauty could not be consider just a classist country, but also a racist one.

Sources:

INEGI. Census 2010.

Social and Political Consequences of Stereotypes Related to Racial Phenotypes in Mexico , 2011 , CIDE , México , 230 .

Who is Isabel Miranda de Wallace?

A few days ago, in the midst of economic uncertainty, of polls indicating a minor decline in Peña Nieto's popularity and the announcement of Heritage Foundation that Mexican's economy is less free than last year, the conservative National Action Party (PAN) declared officially that Isabel Miranda de Wallace was going to run for the Governorship of Mexico City. There were several reactions from political actors: from Demetrio Sodi, current major of one of the Federal District demarcations, stating Isabel's nomination was unfair to the other pre-candidates, to Beatriz Paredes, disqualifying her as a capable candidate for her lack of government experience.

Who is Isabel Miranda de Wallace?

She is a Mexican activist and president of the non-governmental organization Alto al Secuestro (lit. stop the kidnap); she was awarded the National Human Rights Prize 2010. In July 11 of 2005, her son, the businessman Hugo Alberto Wallace Miranda was kidnapped and killed. Instead of lamenting her misfortune, she started to look for information about her son's murderers, and even mounted billboards prompting the denouncement of the kidnappers. As a result, she has succeded in incarcerating 5 out of 6 of the murderers and founded the NGO Alto al secuestro. Her case was widely publicized by national and international media and she was recognized by her tenacity and determination. Her influence grew so large that she was able to participate in the elaboration of the law for protection of the victims of kidnaps.

In this picture: "Jacobo Tagle Dobin, Kidnapper, Wanted $250,000 (13.4 pesos=1 USD)".

She is regarded as one of the strongest and most persevering citizens in Mexico. She serves as a good example for what citizens can achieve. Because of that, the National Action Party, lacking competitive candidates to win or even to put up a good fight, decided to think outside of the box and do something completely innovative: postulate a very respected and popular social activist. This may appear like a common practice in advanced democracies, but it has no parallel in Mexico.

Given that politicians from Institutional Revolution Party (PRI), the party that retained the presidency for 71 years, and the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), the leftist party currently in power in Mexico City, have criticized Miranda de Wallace's candidacy, PAN's strategy may have made them nervous.

Clearly, Beatriz Paredes, the virtual candidate of the antidemocratic PRI, should win the capital: she has served as governor in the neighboring Tlaxcala state, has been president of her party, Senator, Deputy, ambassador, etc. She is the most capable politician aspiring to govern Mexico City. Alejandra Barrales has a good chance of getting the PRD's nomination; nevertheless, she is not as experienced as Beatriz Paredes.

Despite knowing all of this, voting for an exemplar citizen seems more attractive than doing it for more experienced politicians. In the unlikely case that Miranda de Wallace wins the governorship, she will be surrounded by PAN politicans and very capable advisors; voting for her is not irresponsible, but it is something that may annoy PRI and PRD, guilty of not approving the needed structural reforms to improve Mexico's economic growth prospectives.

Sources:

Alto al secuestro. http://www.altoalsecuestro.com.mx/ley%20antisecuestro.htm

Public Transportation

Right now, the world is absorbed in what is currently happening in Europe. Is the euro going to survive? Are we all going to die after the EU collapses? Are some of the questions most specialists are replying these days. Some economists highlight the increasing relevance of developing countries in saving the advanced and indebted European states. This sense of urgency might have unexpected bad consequences. In this entry, I would like to talk about public transportation.

For many countries, Mexico included, automobile exports are key for stimulating its economies, and since sales are plunging abroad, automakers are turning to the domestic market to compensate the decrease in sales. However, there is a point in which car’s density could result in causing more problems than those by lower revenue in the automobile industry.

Some months ago, IBM presented its Global Commuter Pain Survey, which did a research on 20 economically important cities around the world regarding commuting habits. The index measures 10 aspects, among them were: commuting time, time stuck in traffic, agreement on the statement that gas is very expensive, traffic has gotten worse, start-stop traffic is a problem, driving causes stress or anger, etc. Only two out of the first ten places were urbanizations in developed countries, Milan and Singapore, which spatial growth is completely constrained by natural barriers, and their scores were less than half of those in the first two places. The others were cities in emerging economies: Mexico City, Shenzen, Beijing, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Bangalore, New Delhi and Moscow. In sum, traffic –surprise, not just drug traffic– is a pain in the ass in Mexico.

Despite this information, there are several projects throughout Mexico that have the goal to increase the number of public transportation users. Particularly, because of its huge cost and visibility, we can see projects in Mexico City: the construction of the new subway (the line 12) and, to a lesser degree, the construction of the fourth line of the Metrobús, a bus rapid transit system. Also, other smaller cities have plans to modernize their transportations: in the states of Chihuahua, Baja California and Nuevo Leon Bus Rapid Transit projects had been authorized and there are plans in Acapulco and Tijuana to install BRT systems; the Municipal Plan for Climate Change (PACMUN) that, among other things, projects to install sustainable public transportation system in seven municipalities: Guadalajara (the second most populated Mexican city with around 4.4 million of habitants), Aguascalientes, Cintalapa, Cozumel (a Caribbean resort), Culiacan, Puebla (the fourth biggest conurbation with more than 2.5 million of habitants), San Nicolas de los Garza (the county with the highest GDP per capita in Mexico) and Xalapa; also in Guadalajara Metropolitan Zone is the possibility of constructing a tram in Zapopan, and there are other smaller plans in other states.

These projects seem promising for its potential to reduce contaminants and the commuting time. Still local governments are also promoting urban highways: the Supervia Poniente, the Second Floor of the Periferico and Viaducto Bicentenario in Mexico City, Vía Express in Guadalajara, and Plan de Ayala in Puebla.  In the case these urban highways were built, let’s hope they do not exacerbate the current mobility problems they were supposed to solve, like it happened in United States several decades ago.

Sources

-http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/transportation/10-worst-cities-for-commuting-2011-edition/892

-http://www.animalpolitico.com/blogueros-el-blog-de-anca/2011/01/12/autopistas-urbanas-la-historia-como-farsa-y-tragedia/

Sexism in Korea:

Some weeks ago, there was a Japanese TV show in which famous female athletes competed against Japanese male comedians and entertainers. For the martial arts portion, a South Korean fighter agreed to face off against 3 middle aged comedians in three rounds of three-minutes. Since she was a professional Muai Thai fighter, she was not allowed to wear protective gear, despite being injured. The comedians wore head gear and knee protectors when fighting Lim Su Jeong. To the surprise of Lim Sujeong, the comedians had backgrounds in martial arts (one of them even tried to become a K-1 fighter in 2007).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCXqg-CUj1I

Here is the link of the same program, but the men are fighting a Japanese female fighter, who was very fierce by the way and was once defeated by Lim Soo Jeong, which implies how the latter injuries precluded her from beating them.

The reaction of Korean netizens was one of anger. Some of the comments in youtube videos censure the fight, not because of the lack protective gear, neither for the fact that it was fight three versus one, but for the sex of the fighter. Some people even posted on Facebook that they did not want to "hate on Japanese", but these acts made it difficult.


The anger, coming from straight and gay Korean men, help me to better understand how sexism operates in Korea. I know historic rivalries play a key role in the reaction of Koreans, but this occasion seems like the perfect excuse to talk about sexism in Korean media.

As a leader in many fields, Korea resembled more and more to the advanced countries. However, in some aspects, Korea was still developing. According to the Economic World Forum, South Korea is ranked 107th in the Global Gender Gap Index of 2011 (last year was 104), which quantifies the gender-based disparities among 135 countries for this year. Some of the countries that have similar levels of sexism are Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Suriname and Zambia. Japan is above in the 98th position. Click here to go to the report.

Despite current advances and government efforts, Korea can be classified as a country where sexism is pervasive. As some of you might have guessed, sexism is also a constant in the entertainment industry. In a popular drama named City Hunter, which featured Lee Min Ho as Lee Yoon Sung, a kind of hero who targets corrupt politicians, and Park Min Young as Kim Na Na, a competent bodyguard, as the main characters, there were many questionable scenes. Despite being very strong and a professional bodyguard, Kim Na Na always ended up being saved by Yoon Sung or being taken hostage by a fat, old and short politician. I know Yoon Sung was very strong and agile, but writers portrayed Na Na as a complete incompetent girl who was unable to take care of herself instead of what she was: a bodyguard with martial arts experience.

There are other examples of sexism in Korean dramas (like domestic violence in Personal Taste), but I have not watched many shows lately.

It seems like men in many countries see women as defenseless creatures disregarding anything that could prove the contrary: economic independence or, something more extreme, mastery of martial arts. Lim Soo Jeong, Kim Na Na and Rena are not poor and weak “damsels in distress", they are killing machines and it is their job to be that way; the mere fact they are fighting well men proves their value as fighters; men and women should feel proud of them because they are making a point: women are not weak.

The situation in Mexico is similar, it is ranked in the 89^th position of the index, but given the huge cultural differences, the vast territory (compared to Korea) and regional cultures it is not possible to speak about national features of sexism. There are more conservative areas of the country that most likely would be on pair with Saudi Arabia (131) and others that would fare better in the list.