Give your opinion

The following publication is at position by several members of the Opinion section: Rodrigo Fernández de Mesa, Miren Estruch Santamaría, Ana Patricia García Pastrana and Irene Lambán, who join their voices to talk about women's topic . To do so, they pose the following question: Has there been a female renaissance?

Women in culture

Tell me more: Rodrigo María Fernández De Mesa Torrente
3rd of Philology Hispanic

"Literature is that difficult thing to define, where everyone tells something you didn't know, hadn't thought of, or had simply forgotten. That's how I see it.

Mothers. Mothers are the greatest thing in this world. That's how I see it.

Mothers are women. Let's see who denies it.

I like reading, among a thousand other things, because of that " tell me something" thing. I don't know what my first contact with books was like, but it must have been something like that, in a low voice and perhaps with some distrust, towards that first book. That first book of our lives that very few will remember. That initial excitement of tell-me-something accelerated another moment, another crucial moment of my degree program: that little instant when I whispered to the next book, in a leave voice but this time somewhat more confidently, a simple tell-me-more. And there I lost myself. That's where I started.

We like to read, to a great extent, for that reason: for what they can tell us, for what is new, for the "but what a damned genius" that comes out when you read C.S. Lewis. It doesn't matter if it is fiction or autobiographical; the point is that the author speaks to us. We can get something out of it or not.

This is where mothers come in. What mothers can tell you about how to live is very difficult for someone else to tell you. And the amazing thing is that they don't need a piece of paper (not all mothers write, although they all could); it is enough for them to be with you, day by day, in every call, in every reprimand, in every everything.

Women's renaissance? I believe that it has never declined, at least in this sense. If it has declined, it will be the fault of some, they say. I am thinking of apologizing for something that has had nothing to do with me, as is becoming more and more fashionable, but I don't think so. I am who I am, in part, because of a writer. If you don't believe me, you are Muggles, and that I assure you is not my fault."

Recognizing women: Miren Estruch Santamaría
2nd year Literature and Creative Writing (LEC)

"What do we mean by rebirth? I don't think you can speak of rebirth, because there is no point from which one can be reborn. Woman has not been reborn, just as man has not been reborn. In any case, woman has recognized that being a woman does not mean being a woman under a male mandate. Being a woman should mean the same as being a man: having the same rights and the same opportunities."

The Feminine Change: Ana García Pastrana
2nd year Literature and Creative Writing (LEC)

"If today's image of women is compared to what it was a century ago, women have had a renaissance. It is a historical fact that women now have many more opportunities in life and rights in society than before. It is debatable whether we women have reached the point of having the same opportunities as men and being viewed with the same level of intellectual and physical ability, but I think that, in general, we can say that the figure of women has changed dramatically."

The voice that grows stronger :Irene Rubio Lambán
4th of Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

"During this last century, women have taken a more visible position, both socially and in educational, cultural and political spheres. However, I do not believe that we are currently witnessing a female renaissance; what is taking place is a greater equality of opportunity and visibility. If we were to consider this social and political phenomenon simply as a renaissance, we would be halfway there, for we would fail to recognize the hidden importance that women have had throughout history, and what it has taken to fight to get to where we are today. At the same time, just because women now have a stronger voice in all aspects of human society does not mean that all that is needed has been achieved. Therefore, I believe that work should continue to be done to strengthen women's voices, both historically and today."

Do you think there has been a female renaissance? It's certainly no small matter. We would be delighted to receive your opinions on the matter.

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