Single Mothers in Mexico: The Plague of Prejudice Mariana Roca - Animal Politico
go to original July 27, 2015

It has been many years since I decided to stop arguing with those who think differently than I do. But even so, it makes my stomach turn to see that others, like the Archbishop of Xalapa [capital of Veracruz], are unable to do the same. To him, we single mothers were first a plague, and are now an epidemic.

We all have the right to stand before whoever wants to hear us and say what we want, whatever comes out of our mind, our heart or our behind. But we don't all have a captive audience. We don't all have a ton of believers who open their minds and their heads to what comes out of us. We don't all have the power of influence that the Archbishop of Xalapa has, and because of that, we don't all bear such responsibility.

During his mass on Sunday, the 21st of June, Archbishop Hipólito Reyes Larios said before the parishioners at his church (who, from what I understand, are not a small number) that "single mothers are becoming a plague" and, making the most of it being Father's Day, explained that they cannot be both mom and dad.

I don't know the position of the other single mothers in Mexico but, personally, I have never tried to be dad. The roles I play as a woman, mother, employee, colleague, friend, daughter, sister, student, housewife and Mexican citizen are more than enough to try to be dad too.

But the real reason I am alarmed that the Archbishop of Xalapa would say what he said has to do with faith, ignorance, public health and punishing guilt.

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

Translated by Sally Seward

Mexico Voices is a blogging endeavor aimed at raising the awareness of U.S. citizens regarding the destructive impact of the U.S. economic policy and the War on Drugs on Mexico — on its people, their economic and physical security and their human rights, on the nation’s dysfunctional justice system, and on the rule of law and Mexico’s fragile democracy. Visit the website at MexicoVoices.blogspot.mx

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