The Brown Women Who Blend In

Desert Blood, a novel, made the real life situation of the Juarez femicides more available to people in the United States and elsewhere to read in a narrative form. Several weeks ago a fictional movie about the femicides called “Backyard” premiered in theaters in Mexico. Following the release, two weeks ago, a meeting between the Mexican president and several international celebrities occurred to cast public attention on the murders. Is the in-depth narrative a work of fiction can provide what is needed to motivate the international public to call for a widespread investigation into the “labyrinth of silence” regarding the femicides and the secondary status of women in Mexican culture?
In Enloe’s article “Beyond the Global Victim”, she says “the need to create links and coalitions across national and cultural boundaries remains paramount” (496). These links will help the people of different countries focus on the “meaningful connections” (496) between people instead of the differences. It is these connections that will raise empathy for the families of the victims of the femicides that will motivate people of other countries to call for justice. The women in Mexico live under a patriarchal culture that demeans them into second class citizens, contributing to the violence against women. News articles or reports are taken with a grain of indifference in today’s society, jaded the constant barrage in which they come. Works of fiction are taken singularly. The in depth stories that they portray let people connect emotionally. With this connection comes a degree of empathy and a stronger sense to correct the wrong rather than being informed about the facts, the reader/viewer is immersed in the situation. It is this immersion that is needed to motivate justice for the victims of the Juarez femicides and help for the women of Mexico.

In Desert Blood the character Ximeyna notes that no one cares about the "brown women" down South. Our CAP project aims to change that. We want to make sure that no woman blends into the background solely based on appearance.