The Other Destape: Feminists, Gay and Lesbian Activists, and the Fight for Sexual Rights

Overview

Author: Natalia Milanesio
Source: Destape: Sex, Democracy, and Freedom in Postdictatorial Argentina, University of Pittsburgh Press, 2019.
Published on: Project MUSE (2025-01-07 16:58 GMT)

Historical Context

Argentine Feminism and Gay Activism (1970s)
- Growth of feminist and gay movements in Argentina primarily during the early 1970s.
- Key organizations:
- Unión Feminista Argentina (UFA) - Founded in 1970.
- Movimiento de Liberación Feminista (MLF) - Founded in 1973.
- Frente de Liberación Homosexual (FLH) - Founded in 1971.
- Challenges: Organizations faced increasing repression under Isabel Perón's administration, limiting their capacity to operate and mobilize.
- Activism Focus: Central issues included access to contraception, sexual freedom, and abortion, which became vital points of discussion in feminist and gay publications, meetings, and consciousness-raising efforts.

Grupo de Política Sexual (GPS)

Formed by members of UFA, MLF, and FLH to discuss readings, organize events focused on sexual liberation.
Critique: Despite being centered on sexuality, LGBTQ issues, particularly around lesbianism, were largely overlooked.
Impact of Repression: Groups were significantly weakened and eventually dissolved after the military coup of 1976, leading to a period of silenced activism.

Activism in the Post-Dictatorship Era (1980s)

Resurgence: With the return of democracy, feminist and gay activism experienced renewed vigor and visibility.
Emergence of Lesbian Advocacy: Late 1980s marked an increase in recognized lesbian activism, challenging historical invisibility.
Advocacy Component: Sexual rights included broader definitions of citizenship, emphasizing pleasure, identity, and relationship rights.
Sociologist Diane Richardson's Framework: Sexual rights framed around practices, identities, and relationships.

Feminist Responses to Destape

Destape Definition: The term refers to the airing of sexual themes and previously taboo topics in public discourse, often linked to a hypermasculine culture and objectification of women.
Feminist Critique: Feminists described commercial representations in media as reinforcing misogyny; they argued these depictions commodified women's bodies and perpetuated patriarchal norms.
Cultural Response: Organized various events criticizing the representation of women in media and advocating for better portrayals of women.

Impact of Media on Feminist Perspectives

Influence of Commercial Media: The feminist perspective highlighted the portrayal of women in popular culture, particularly through magazines featuring hypersexualized images that undermined women's agency.
Quinto Encuentro Feminista Latinoamericano y del Caribe (1990): Addressed media portrayals, leading to the Latin American Day of Women’s Image in the Media.

Feminist Media as an Alternative

Emergence of Feminist Publications: Publications like Mujer 10 criticized existing media representations and sought to reclaim the narrative around women’s sexuality as a source of empowerment.
Television and Art as Platforms: Programs like La Cigarra showcased women’s issues from a more respectful perspective, though short-lived due to lack of support.
Artistic Movements: Events such as the Mitominas art exhibit featured women artists critiquing traditional femininity and discussing broader societal issues.

The Role of Activists and Scholars

María Luisa Bemberg: A significant feminist voice in filmmaking focused on women's experiences and sexual agency, breaking traditional storytelling molds of the time.
Cinematic Works: Her films like Camila and Yo, la peor de todas emphasized characters taking control of their sexuality, resisting patriarchal expectations.

Sexuality and Feminism

Sexuality was a central theme in feminist discussion, often encompassing themes like the right to pleasure, sexual violence, and agency around motherhood.
Educational and Activist Strategies: Feminists integrated sex education and activism into their work, emphasizing comprehensive understandings of women's sexual rights.

Legal and Social Struggles Around Abortion

Abortion emerged as a contentious issue, often deprioritized in favor of more broadly acceptable feminist causes but gaining ground in feminist discussions later in the decade.
Context of Abortion Legislation: Abortion faced stringent legal restrictions, and awareness around safe practices became a rallying point for feminists, especially in light of high rates of illegal abortions.

Lesbian Activism and Visibility

Initial Silence: After democracy, lesbians faced invisibility within both feminist and gay movements due to societal stigmas.
Emergence of Independent Groups: Growing visibility led to independent activism, with figures such as Ilse Fuskova advocating for acknowledgment and rights for lesbian women.
Collaboration and Solidarity: The LGBTQ movement saw intersectionality grow as activists began to recognize overlapping struggles among all sexual minorities.

Conclusion

Comprehensive Advocacy for Sexual Rights: The unification of feminist activism and LGBTQ rights in the late 20th century revealed a changing landscape in Argentina where intimate citizenship was reevaluated in the context of political and personal freedoms.
Legacy: The combined efforts created a foundation for ongoing struggles for sexual rights, which has continued to evolve in contemporary Argentina and beyond.

Based on the provided notes, the main themes explored are:

The Evolution of Feminist and Gay Activism in Argentina: This includes the emergence and challenges of movements like the Unión Feminista Argentina (UFA), Movimiento de Liberación Feminista (MLF), and Frente de Liberación Homosexual (FLH) in the 1970s, their suppression during the military dictatorship, and their resurgence in the post-dictatorship era of the 1980s.
The Struggle for Sexual Rights and Liberation: A central theme is the advocacy for sexual freedom, access to contraception, abortion rights, the right to pleasure, and recognition of diverse sexual identities and relationships.
Feminist Critique of "Destape" Culture and Media Representation: The notes detail how feminists critically engaged with the public airing of sexual themes ("Destape") in commercial media, arguing against the objectification and commodification of women, and actively seeking alternative, empowering portrayals through their own publications, art, and filmmaking.
Lesbian Activism and the Fight for Visibility: This theme highlights the initial invisibility and marginalization of lesbian issues within broader feminist and gay movements after the return to democracy, and the eventual emergence of independent lesbian advocacy and the growing recognition of intersectional struggles.
The Impact of Political Context on Social Movements: The notes demonstrate how political repression under Isabel Perón and the military coup of 1976 severely curtailed activist efforts, while the subsequent return to democracy provided renewed space and vigor for these movements to pursue their goals.