Several civil society organizations, feminists, and human rights defenders filed a formal complaint this Thursday morning with the Ministry of the Interior regarding alleged irregularities surrounding the organization of the Fearless Masculinities Congress, which will be held from April 17 to 19 in a religious venue known as the Sanctuary of the Mexican Martyrs, in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
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The event will bring together speakers such as the controversial Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson, religious YouTuber Álvaro Quesada, far-right Eduardo Verástegui, and conservative influencer Sarab Rey. The most high-profile act of the event includes the presentation of former FC Barcelona and Spanish national team footballer Carles Puyol as the main speaker. Tickets range from 1,450 to 7,490 pesos, and attendees belonging to the clergy or religious order receive a 1,000 peso discount in some areas, according to the event page.
The congress was born, according to its organizers, out of the concern of a group of young people linked to religious missions who claim to have personally experienced what they describe as “an attack on masculinity.” Their proposal, they say, is to “recover virtuous men, as they were designed by God.”
In a statement, various human rights organizations have pointed out that public funds should not be used to promote messages against human rights or that encourage gender-based violence. “No public resource should be allocated to initiatives that reproduce hate speech and narratives that deny rights and foster violence and discrimination based on gender prejudices and stereotypes,” states the position of more than 140 groups.
Among the signatory organizations are Catholics for the Right to Decide Mexico, Balance Promotion for Development and Youth A.C., Simone de Beauvoir Leadership Institute – Redefine Mexico, GENDES, Gender Equity Citizenship Work and Family, and the Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Mexico (Ddeser).
On March 27, local media reported that the Guadalajara city council authorized the “donation” of 400,000 pesos for the Masculinities Congress. The controversy over the use of public resources forced both the state government and Zapopan’s government to distance themselves and withdraw the sponsorship they had previously committed to.
The organizations point out that the funding granted, as well as the use of a religious venue considered a national asset, constitutes a violation of the Constitution and the Law of Religious Associations and Public Worship. They argue that these actions imply preferential treatment towards a religious denomination and compromise the secular nature of the State.
Furthermore, they have asserted that the participation of ministers of worship in the event — including the Archbishop of Guadalajara, Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega — as well as representatives of the Vatican and priests from various congregations reinforces the religious character of the congress. The organizations demand an investigation into the origin of the resources used and that the State assume responsibility for promoting gender equality and non-violence against women.
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