Theater of the Oppressed

  "Woman" by Adi

International Women's Day was celebrated in Oaxaca without parades or fireworks.  In the Government Palace, several women were awarded medals, and the pedestrian street leading to Santo Domingo Church, was decorated with colorful cutouts of women (http://casitacolibri.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/women-on-the-alcala/).
What struck me, is that throughout the day, women were greeted, and greeted each other, with "Felicidades" (Congratulations).  A gesture of respect and solidarity.

A small and quaint neighborhood, not far from the city center, decided to amplify that note of solidarity.  They set up an outdoor stage in the middle of the street, and invited all to an event of music, poetry and Theater of the oppressed, a style developed by the Brazilian Agosto Boal in the 1960's.

Several women skilfully performed a skit in which a pregnant mother-of-three is seeking help to terminate her pregnancy.  Her drunk husband does not care; her aunt is a church goer, and thinks abortion is a sin; and at the government clinic, her scheduled appointment is so late, that it would make an abortion impossible.

This is where the skit ended, and the audience was asked for solutions to the problem.  One woman, raised her hand and offered a suggestion.  The moderator asked that she go on the stage and act out her suggestion.  It was surprising how a member of the audience, with very little hesitation, transformed herself into an actor.  She joined the other characters on the scene, and with an assertive behavior, and some physical force, shoved the derelict husband out the door, presumably to seek employment.  More women offered suggestions and all agreed to act them out.  One man in the audience asked to play the husband, and he quickly transformed the character to a caring, responsible person.  The moderator was quick to point out that this is unrealistic, and that we should not expect the oppressors to change their behavior.  It is the oppressed who must take matters into their own hands.

I was moved by the courage, skill, and emotion demonstrated by the audience.  Maybe, this kind of theater can play a part in improving the harsh conditions and low status of women in Mexico.