What Amando de Miguel called “sociological Francoism” and that we believed banished with the socialist victory in 1982, returns strongly after the first quarter of the 21st century. Same wolf, different skin, is the new awakening of ultra-nationalist, ultra-conservative, and ultramontane Spanish conservatism. As a person but, above all, as a woman, the words of Vox deputy in the Murcia Assembly Antonio Martínez Nieto make me tremble. From the institutional podium, remnants more typical of the fiery outbursts of Manuel Fraga Iribarne than of the 21st century resonate again. Abortion, a “moral aberration,” a part of “the culture of death” for him, is a right acquired with blood, sweat, and tears thanks to a feminist movement that fought tirelessly. As in fashion, the old returns. Ladies, let’s start packing our bags to visit London in case we want to exercise our rights. In Spain, if it were up to characters of this ilk, the only “culture of death” allowed would be that represented by Millán Astray. Hair-raising.
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Nuria Félez Castañé. Granada
The death of an innocent
The other day, I read how a quarrel between two drivers on the M-30 ended with the life of Dr. Juan López, a person unrelated to the incident who was returning home after a day of work. All because two fools got into a fight behind the wheel. I believe this news has received less media attention than it deserved, as it perfectly illustrates the values of today’s society. Mutual respect has been lost, the ability to put ourselves in others’ shoes and, above all, to introspect or reflect on our actions. We live in a bubble of constant validation where we consider ourselves the most important. Now I read that one of them fled by not showing up to the trial. We should not be surprised. When society produces immature and spoiled children, they are not used to being held accountable for their actions.
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Daniel Requena Gili. Barcelona
Wage gap
The latest report leaves a figure that cannot go unnoticed: women earn on average in Spain 5,158 euros less per year than men, with a gross salary of 25,958 euros compared to 31,116 euros for men. That 20% difference has stagnated. The union estimates that it would take more than two decades to close it, even with effective public policies. This is not an isolated figure and reflects a persistent inequality stemming from part-time work that many women accept out of family necessity and from salary supplements that rarely reach their paychecks. Equality is not measured by counting how many women are in an institutional photo, but by whether they can earn the same as a man for the same work, without having to prove twice as much. A country that prides itself on equality cannot accept that women need two more decades to catch up. The wage gap is an injustice that perpetuates inequalities in all areas. It must be corrected now.
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Elena Ruiz Arroyo. Madrid
