The University of La Laguna has withdrawn an artwork from the ‘Moments of Feminism’ exhibition, following accusations of “transphobia” from LGBTIQA+ organisations. “We recognise that trans women are women in their own right, and their participation in feminist and social movements strengthens our society,” the university explains.
“The University of La Laguna deems any message that, either explicitly or implicitly, endorses discriminatory or exclusionary rhetoric towards any group as unacceptable. Specifically, we denounce any content that undermines or disregards the rights of trans individuals and the LGTBIQA+ community,” it highlights in an official statement.
Nevertheless, they also condemned any act of vandalism “that threatens the tangible and intangible heritage of our university, along with the members of our community.”
For this reason, they have decided to “remove the specified poster from the exhibition to mitigate any further negative impact on university harmony” and announced plans to host a forum for dialogue and comprehensive, plural debate in which the entire university community and social groups can share their views and work towards a more inclusive campus.
Additionally, the ULL asserts that the processes for organising exhibitions and cultural activities will be reassessed “to avert situations that might question the values of respect and diversity we uphold.”
The university also promises to promote awareness and educational initiatives. Training sessions and workshops aimed at the entire university community will be fostered to reflect on the challenges surrounding diversity and the respect of human rights.
The LGBTIQA+ associations of Tenerife stated this Wednesday “the explicit transphobia encapsulated in the Moments of Feminism exhibition.” The groups highlighted that the content of the poster contains statements such as: “in recent years, in certain countries, legislation has been enacted allowing any man to ‘self-identify’ as a woman with only his word as the required procedure,” or “We, as feminists, cannot permit gender to be included in laws as an identity while being prioritised above the category of sex.”
They emphasise in their statement that these remarks “openly deny trans identities and propagate an exclusionary discourse that ignores the experiences and rights of trans individuals, particularly those of trans women who endure double discrimination.”
In its defence, the Feministas Canarias collective has asserted in a statement that the exhibition provides “an essential exploration of the history of feminism, from the French Revolution to the present.” Curators Olivia Blanco Corujo and Santiago Arroyo Serrano expressed their views, highlighting “the necessity of understanding the history of women’s struggles and feminist lineage.” They further insisted that the exhibition was created “with considerable diligence, ensuring the aesthetics of the images and text were carefully considered. The creator understands that choosing the right language is vital, and this is reflected in every poster.”
Among the artworks, they specifically advocate for the one that refers to the erasure of women and condemned that this Tuesday, “a group of students stormed the building, threatening to remove the panel if action was not taken.” They also warned that “the sign was vandalised, and a video was posted on social media demanding the immediate removal of the panel.”
LGTBI organisations have denounced the acts of vandalism, as has the ULL, but that artwork has been withdrawn, reinforcing that discriminatory narratives should not be sustained.
