Si Evita Vivera

Presented by:Antonia Murray

About The Essay• Written by Nancy Caro Hollander• Published in Latin American

Perspectives in 1974

Women And Fascism• Peronism has been stated as being

fascism, when it truly isn’t. This can be seen by looking at the role that women in the peronist movement played and compare to other fascist countries.

• Most of the time it is the elite women that support fascism not the working class women.

• Women do not hold policy making positions, only do service level work (charities).

• Most of the time women experience decline in status and opportunities available to them.

Germany (Nazi) / Argentina (Peronist)• Women never

represented more that 3 percent of the party membership.

• In 1936 women were forbidden to hold any office in courts.

• Women were dismissed from jobs and sent home.

• Professional women were moved to lower paying jobs.

• Women were given the right to vote.

• Held public offices for the first time.

• Women represented 31.37% of the capital industrial workers. In general there was an increase in employment for women.

Peronism And Women• It provides women with the opportunity

to participate in national liberation efforts.

• Unlike other feminist groups, Peronism was able to appeal to the masses of Argentine women.

• It improved the working standards for women and gave them equality with men.

• Women are organized within peronism through the peronist women’s movement.

• Peronist ideology always gave equal political, economic and social rights to women as it does men.

• Peron himself is stated of saying the participation of women is essential for Argentina to realize its greatness.

Women Under The First Peronist Regime

• By 1950’s women were 21.89% of salaried workers in the whole of Argentina and 31.87% in the capital. This was 78.63% greater than it was in the 1930’s. In comparison to men, whose increased by only 31.05% during this time.

• Improvement in working conditions were put to place.

• Equal pay for equal work for both men and women was implemented

• Minimum wage regulation was put into place for women who worked at home for employers.

• In 1949 women working in the textile industry were given the right to equal wages with men.

• During this time women workers earned an average of 7 to 15 percent less than men. It was one of the lowest in the non-socialist world at that time.

Women Under The First Peronist Regime

• Civil status was also improved during this time, women gained equality in marriage and equal authority over offspring.

• Congress passed a new family code which gave women the right to a divorce.

• Women gained the right to be elected to public office.

Evita And The Women’s Movement

• She identified herself with the working class

• Earned women the right to express themselves as full and equal citizens.

• She was able to motivate women in a way no other before her had done.

• The women’s vote that went to Peron in the elections ranged from 83% (probably in the capital) to 53% (in the interior), all due to her many efforts.

• 7 female senators and 24 female deputies were elected to office, they were all Peronist.

Evita And The Women’s Movement

• Delia de Parodi was elected as vice president of the congress in 1953. She became the first woman to achieve this, in the history of Argentina.

• Peronist women developed the Inidades basicas for women all over the country.

• Eva Started the Peronist Women’s Party, in 1949.

Unidades Basicas• There was one in every 4 or 5 blocks in

middle class and working class neighborhoods.

• They provided a social meeting place for women.

• Offered free legal and medical aid• Day care centers for the children of the

women• Offered class in language skills,

painting, sewing, etc• They provided conferences and a

platform for the women to talk about issues that were affecting them.

• They provided a warm environment in which women could freely discuss personal and political issues.

Peronist Women’s Party

• Started on July 26, 1949.• Eva Peron was the head.• Eva strongly believed that only

women could bring their own salvation.

• This was the women’s branch of the Peronist party and it had equal stature as the male branch.

• The formation of this party gave women the opportunity to freely develop their ideas in their own way.

• Women were able to feel as if they had political involvement that was not restricted to being supportive to their husbands.

Contradictions of the Peronist Feminist

Ideology• Due to the patriarchal society of Argentina, women were never truly free.

• Despite economical and political advances, women were to be passive, because their main roles were still wife and mother.

• Political rights and duties for women, were taught to be carried out for the happiness of others.

• The women’s party was independent, but at the same time very dependent on the men’s party.

• Even Eva herself always stressed that for women to be Peronist they must be loyal to Juan Peron. No matter how much she spoke of the women’s accomplishments, she always reminded them to show gratitude to Juan.

The Peronist Youth SongMale Version/ Female

Version• The Peronist youth• All united we will

triumph• And as always we

will give• A cry from the

heart:• Viva Peron! Viva

Peron!• For that great

Argentine• Who knew how to

conquer• The great masses

of people• Combating the

capital class

• The Peronist young women

• With Evita we will triumph

• And with her we will offer

• Our life for Peron• Viva Peron! Viva

Peron!• For Peron and for

Evita• We want to give

our lives• For captain Evita• And for general

Peron

Evita As Political Activist

• In the beginning her confidence seemed to have lie in Juan

• She eventually started to break way from the shadows of Juan, as she gained confidence in herself and her abilities.

• She was described by many of having great intensity and determination.

• Because of her humble beginnings she was able to relate to the masses and worked hard to provide them with things that only the aristocrats had access to.