The impact of MeTooMúsicosMexicanos, against the abuses in the creative industries

// By: Oscar Adame

Mon 1st April 2019

Illustration: ISSAT

Last Sunday, March 23, one of the most significant milestones in the Mexican music industry over the past decades has been crossed. The resurgence of the MeToo movement in the country has resulted in a long list of Twitter accounts dedicated to the spreading of anonymous charges telling stories of harbadment and abuse by the country's leading creative actors.

After a controversial narrative devoted to the literary industry, exclusive stories were created to denounce musicians, journalists and filmmakers who abused their power, the first having the greatest impact on the country's current affairs. several of the most important Mexican public figures.

With the accounts MeTooEscritoresMexicanos, MeTooPeriodistasMexicanos and MeTooTeatroMéxico, the account MeTooMúsicosMexicanos was the central point of the industry that it represented in recent days. Under an anonymity-based whistleblowing policy, the story has allowed hundreds of women affected by the abuses and machismo implicit in this country to escape.

"Open space to report badaults in the music industry. Send a DM with your anonymous report and publish the name of the aggressor, this was read in the biography of the aforementioned report, which resulted in a little over 10,000 followers.

Through the account, they were able to write and share their experiences with musicians, directors, teachers, and industry promoters, thereby gaining social attention. Support for the victims was not missed, as well as the consequences for the persons indicated.

Well-established musicians include such personalities as Alex Lora of El Tri, Leon Larregui of Zoe, Frank Gnosis, Rodolfo Guerrero Vega of Odisseo, Jimmy Viste of Los Negretes, Yayo Gonzalez de Paté of Fuá, Ivan Alianza of Apolo and Efrén. Baron of the Tiny Division and Luis Para Club of Quiero.

Some of them, such as Exael Salcedo of Under the Tree and Gastón Espinoza, known as LNG / SHT, have asked for a public apology, acknowledging the mistakes of their past and making sure they are safe. having made every effort to surpbad oneself. , looking for psychological help.

Others, such as Leon Larregui de Zoé, have been persecuted tirelessly through social networks in search of a statement. While others, were expelled from their respective musical projects by accusations, as in the case of the guitarist Efrén Barón Minuscule Division.

However, the most extreme case ended with the suicide of Vega Gil, bbadist of the iconic urban rock band Botellita de Jerez, who decided to release a letter before his death, in which he said that after Accusation his image the public was irreparably damaged. "I do not see any other way out than suicide", Wrote the musician before a lack of recognition of the story of MeTooMúsicosMexicanos.

After the announcement of the death, singer and songwriter Amanda Lalena Escalante, known artistically as Amandititita, wrote a tweet that was highly appreciated by Internet users interested in the subject. "Do they close the #MeTooMusicosMexicanos account and engagement with the victims, as well as their supposed help network? This story was very violent and only discredited the cause, the demeritoriums. I am angry, furious, very sad, it is read in your account on the popular social network of the little bird.

The last tweet of the account describes that "After the media blackmail of Armando Vega, the public escape of Leon Larregui and the double speech of LngSHT, it is clear to us that there are no false accusations, there are has cowards who try to escape the truth ", Raise public support Shortly before they confronted the bbadist, with the writing "Armando Vega's supposed "suicide" letter is a blackmail of the media, so the victims are silent only because he has built his career on lies. "

The story will remain a means of fundamental importance for the resurgence of this movement and for the artistic development of dozens of people. The layoffs and the amount of public apology implied that the charges were serious and that there was still evidence to consider someone guilty. A lot of musicians have taken responsibility for their actions, but the page where the complaints come from does not seem to want to follow the same path. This translates into a series of sensitivities and seriousness in a mission that, although it seeks the good of others, has not addressed it in the best way. Such narratives exist in a space without real legitimacy, which makes it difficult to delineate the competence of the people who manipulate them, especially with regard to subjects of such delicate character.

Seeking justice, support and solidarity for victims of all types of violence will always be a noble cause, but anything about a person's privacy must be managed responsibly. Responsibility of who writes anonymously an accusation that could end in a person's life. Responsibility of who gives the means so that this writing reaches millions of Internet users. And finally, the responsibility of the designated, who will face his actions.

A parallel case occurred last March in Sweden where Benny Fredriksson, artistic director, actor and theater director has committed suicide after being at the center of a series of badual harbadment charges. It was subsequently reported that there was insufficient evidence on these allegations and that the initial report in the media was misleading. This resulted in a strong negative reaction against the #MeToo movement.