The voting hand. Visuality and affect in a transnational symbol of abortion rights movement in Latin America's Southern Cone

Authors

Keywords:

abortion, Latin America’s Southern Cone, affect, images, feminist movements.

Abstract

This article presents a study on the first transnational symbol of the movement for abortion rights in Latin America’s Southern Cone: the “voting hand” for legal abortion. The emblem emerged in Uruguay at the beginning of the 2000s. Around 2010, the symbol turned green and was adopted by the National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe and Free Abortion in Argentina. As of 2015, the voting hand also accompanied the process that led to the legalization of abortion on three cases in Chile. The analysis focuses on the role of symbols and affects in the activism for abortion rights. The voting hand was central for the construction of a collective identity and political sintony in the movement. This emblem also magnetized hopes associated with democracy and a deep sense of political willfulness. Results are based in documentary research in various archives and in conversations with key informants from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.

Author Biography

Nayla Luz Vacarezza, Instituto de Investigaciones Gino Germani, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Buenos Aires.

Nayla Luz Vacarezza es Licenciada y Profesora en Sociología por la Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), donde también obtuvo el título de Doctora en Ciencias Sociales. Se desempeña como Investigadora del Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas de Argentina, con sede de trabajo en el Instituto de Investigaciones Gino Germani (UBA). También se desempeña como docente en la Carrera de Sociología (UBA). Integra el Seminario sobre Género, Afectos y Política (SEGAP) y forma parte de la colectiva asesora del Programa de Memorias Políticas Feministas y Sexogenéricas (CeDInCi-UNSAM). Actualmente investiga el rol político de los afectos en las producciones visuales que surgen de las luchas por el derecho al aborto en el Cono Sur. Participó como oradora en el debate parlamentario sobre la Ley de Interrupción Voluntaria del Embarazo en Argentina. Es coautora de dos libros: La intemperie y lo intempestivo. Experiencias del aborto voluntario en el relato de mujeres y varones (Marea, 2011) y El aborto con medicamentos en el segundo trimestre de embarazo. Una investigación socorrista feminista (La Parte Maldita, 2018).

Downloads

Published

2020-09-17

Issue

No. 35 (2020)

Section

Articles

License

The authors keep the copyright, and they grant to the magazine the right of publication. The reproduction of the texts published on SEXUALITY, HEALTH AND SOCIETY - A LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL on other publications, even partially, shall state the first issue on this magazine.

 

SEXUALITY, HEALTH AND SOCIETY - A LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.