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Framing Abortion Rights in Argentina's Encuentros Nacionales de Mujeres

2013; Feminist Studies; Volume: 39; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1353/fem.2013.0016

2153-3873

Bárbara Sutton, Elizabeth Borland,

Feminist Theory and Gender Studies

FramingAbortion Rights in Argentina's EncuentrosNacionales de Mujeres Barbara Suttonand Elizabeth Borland A recent television broadcast in Argentina showed a remarkable scene that highlights the inroads made by Argentine abortion rights activists in the last few years.1 Fifty or so legislators across gender and party lines endorsed a bill to legalize abortion, with a number of them participating in a 2012 press conference announcing the initiative.2 Bright green campaign symbols stood out in the packed room, most notably on a large banner and the kerchiefs that activists wore around their necks; they were the symbols of a broad coalition that spear headed the bill, the Campaña Nacional por el Derecho al Aborto Legal, Seguro y Gratuito (National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe, and Free Abortion).3 Perhaps most surprising of all was that legisla tors, and not only activists, made these symbols their own by don ning the green scarves. To fully make sense of this scene, it is necessary to frame it in a broader historical context. Abortion has been long criminalized in Argentina, despite a vocal campaign to make it accessible. From the streets to the Argentine Congress, the struggle to legalize abortion in Argentina has featured tireless activist interventions in multiple arenas. A particular women's movement space deserves special attention: the annual Encuentro Nacional de Mujeres or National Women's Meet ing (hereafter, Encuentro). Many of the strategies, organizations, and FeministStudies39, no. 1. © 2013 by Feminist Studies, Inc. 194 Barbara Sutton and Elizabeth Borland 195 arguments for abortion rights in Argentina emerged and developed there. In fact, it was at the 2003 Encuentro in the city of Rosario that women in the Encuentro's traditional march first wore the green ker chiefs as a symbol of their support for abortion rights, and increasing numbers have donned them in years since, reflecting the expansion of the demand for abortion rights in Argentina. What are the Encuentros? Every year starting in 1986, thousands of women in Argentina have come together to hold this major activ ist event. Initiated by women concerned with gender injustice, and starting with around one thousand participants, this event has grown steadily in size and has expanded to represent a wide range of groups and perspectives. Recent Encuentros have brought together up to thirty thousand women from all walks of life, both unaffiliated indi viduals and members of organizations, including feminist collectives, poor people's movements, indigenous groups, labor unions, politi cal parties, neighborhood assemblies, rural women's groups, home makers organizations, student associations, and many others.4 The Encuentros are spaces where women of different ages, social classes, ethnoracial backgrounds, and histories meet, network, organize, reflect on their lives, and discuss the critical issues of the day.5 Each year's Encuentro is held in a different province, promoting the inclusion of women from all over Argentina and shining a spotlight on local issues.6 With openness and growth also comes conflict, particularly because groups with institutional power, such as those representing the Catholic Church, have targeted the Encuentros as important bat tlegrounds to advance their politics.7 One such area of controversy at the Encuentros is the struggle to legalize abortion in Argentina. Theme-based discussions at the Encuentros are compiled in published documents, called conclusiones (conclusions), that summa rize participants' exchanges. These documents constitute fascinating and rich sources of data; they chart the varied interests, perspectives, and conflicts within the women's movement in Argentina in relation to national and international events. The ebb and flow of themes in these documents offeran intriguing gauge of Argentina's political life and the challenges faced by women's rights activists. Our analysis in this article of over twenty years of conclusiones identifies moments when concerns emerged or disappeared and when interest in themes rose or fell. We examine discourse in support of abortion rights, an 196 Barbara Sutton and Elizabeth Borland issue that has inspired increasing activist mobilization in Argentina and the rest of Latin America. We track how reproductive rights have registered a growing presence in the conclusiones over time. In particular, we analyze movement frames or "interpretative schemajs]" for abortion rights: distinctive claims for the legalization...