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- Identity: the
building blocks of
2. Literature
and philosophy
3. Art and
architecture
4. Performing
arts
5. Cinema
and fashion
6. Media and
communications
7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
the details of
Women’s movement: changing gender roles
Women were second class citizens under Franco.
By law – the infamouspermiso marital–theycouldn’t
take a job or even open a bank account without hubby’s
say-so. Locked up for adultery while philandering men
weren’t even questioned, they were prized as baby
makers and harassed in the streets as per the worst
traits of Spanishmachista(chauvinism). When the
Transicióncame, the role of women became the most
radically redefined area of everyday life. Divorce was
legalised in 1981 and abortion in 1985, and equal
opportunities measures were pushed through the
Cortes. Women flooded into the workplace.The family
structure began to modify accordingly, even if women
still found themselves doing the chores.Today, women
comprise around half the labour market in most sectors,
while over half of Spain’s students are female.
There is still some way to go. Women are absent from
most of the top jobs, they’re still paid less than men
and sexism hasn’t just magically dissolved. Many
men retain outmoded views on gender and domestic
violence against women isn’t decreasing. In rural areas,
particularly in the south, the old stereotypes remain hard
to shift. But don’t get too maudlin; equality between
the sexes is accepted as the norm by most young
Spaniards, a situation unimaginable 30 years ago.
Ties that no longer bind
Cutting free from the
spouse became a lot
easier in Spain in 2005
with the introduction of
a fast track divorce law.
The number of divorces
rose in the following year
by 51 per cent. The
measure came in the
same bout of reformist
legislation that legalised
same sex marriage and
adoption by gay couples.
The Catholic Church made
loud their disapproval.
Since 2006 Spanish
transsexuals have been
allowed to change their
gender on their birth
certificates without having
to undergo surgery.
The handkerchief test
Among certain portions of
society, women’s lib
seems a long way off.
Some gypsy communities
still test a bride’s virginity
on her wedding day.
In 2005 the televised
wedding offlamenco
dancer Farruquito drew
outrage when his teenage
bride was given the
‘test of the handkerchief’.
The return of the
handkerchief to the church
marked with blood was
taken as confirmation that
her purity was intact.
