Women’s bodies in festivity spaces: feminist resistance to gender violence at traditional celebrations

Abstract

Inequality and gender violence in the cultural sphere have become the focus of media attention in recent years. Moreover, the centrality of traditional festivities as areas which produce and reproduce male power and sexism have objectified women’s bodies. In Spain, cases such as the Sanfermines festival in Pamplona–Iruña or the Alardes in Irun–Hondarribia, are clear examples of the extent of the inequality and gender violence often expressed, especially in terms of the roles assigned to women within traditional festive spaces. Here, we analyse the way symbolic violence is exercised against women when they decide to participate in such celebrations in non-traditional female roles. We also explore the Alardes and Sanfermines as examples of feminist resistance that have revealed and partly reverted the masculine social domination and symbolic violence directed towards female bodies during traditional festivities in Spain.