In a Country Where Women Were Often Ignored, San Miguel de Allende Emerged as One of The First Places That Allowed Women to Pursue Their Dreams
By the time you get to town, you’re going to realize that this is a rather
special place. San Miguel de Allende began as a sanctuary for Mexican women:
they could find opportunity and independence here in ways they couldn’t
elsewhere. The earliest women to arrive here in the 1600s were nuns, who
established themselves as influential figures in the community through the
maintenance of a school and hospital. Their hospital attracted General
Allende’s attention, drawing him over from San Luis Potosi.
Today San Miguel is still one of Mexico’s centers for female empowerment.
You’ll find an abundance of female entrepreneurs running businesses like
restaurants, shops, and hotels or teaching yoga.
The Nuns at The Elite all Female School Colegio Santa Maria de El Pilar focused on The Practical
The nuns at the elite all-female school Colegio Santa Maria de El Pilar
focused on the practical: they taught their students how to sew, cook, and
clean. But they also taught them how to think, speak and write. They taught
them how to be independent, to be leaders, and take up space. They taught them
how to be women.
In the classroom, “the teachers were always telling us about politics
and art,” says Laura Zambrano, a veterinarian who graduated from the
school in 1984. She recently became a member of its board of directors a
the position she attained without needing anyone’s permission or approval despite
being married with three kids and a full-time job.
Women Who Worked at The School Grew up to Become Leaders in Government, Business, and The Arts
Women who attended the school grew up to become influential leaders in
government, business, and the arts. Those women say that teachers at the school
encouraged them to pursue their dreams. Today, the leaders of this community
are mostly men, but women are gaining ground as more girls grow up attending
the good schools built by parents who wanted better for their children.
Many of The Women Who Attended The School Went on to Get High-Profile Jobs, Becoming Lawyers and Even Mayors
In the past 7 years, the number of female lawmakers and mayors in San Miguel
has increased by a staggering 50 percent, according to the Mexican government.
In all professions, women have become more prominent than ever in this city
increasing overtime professional occupations the number of women working as
doctors, lawyers, engineers, and teachers have risen from 15 to nearly 40
percent in the last 30 years.
The women of San Miguel are independent, strong, and rising to the occasion.
They’re taking charge of their families and communities, and they’re seizing
their futures. These women are holding down the fort at home and on the farm.
When they harvest beans or corn, they sell them to support their families. The
crops they grow provide food for their children and income for other needs. And
they earn even more by selling bread baked with cornmeal from those crops even
in a country where most men don’t think women should have jobs outside the
home.
There’s no stopping these women now. With your help, we can do so much more
to empower them and improve lives in this community. Many cultures appreciate
the role of women and their fight for equality. Even though there are many
different types of cultures and values, women are gaining ground in different
parts of the world. They are becoming more independent, strong, and confident.
This is happening more in San Miguel, but it is also happening in other
countries around the world.
The women in San Miguel are fighting for their rights, which is leading to a
cultural shift. Therefore, the empowerment of women is taking charge as well as
making a huge difference for women all around the world.
Leadership From Women
In San Miguel, women are gaining ground. They are taking charge and as a
the result, the world is a better place.
What does leadership from women look like? We’ve seen it in our own lives,
and research was done by the World Economic Forum: more empathy and collaboration
in the workplace, fewer instances of harassment and discrimination, stronger
health care systems. But traditionally women have been kept out of positions of
power.
It’s not just good for women to lead—it’s good for everyone. And that’s why
we’re so excited about San Miguel. In San Miguel, women are stepping up to show
their strength and independence, and they’re making a difference that benefits
everyone, especially children.
When you support [charity], you’re empowering mothers to provide better
healthcare for their kids which means less disease and healthier families! When
you support [charity], you’re helping girls stay in school longer, and when
girls get an education, their whole community benefits!
Women Vs Society
Society likes to dictate what a woman can and cannot do. She is only
supposed to work her job, go home and take care of the household chores, and
raise the children. Her role in society is clearly defined, but for many women
today she wants more than what society has defined for her.
Many women have tried to fight against this stereotype of being housewives
that have been set by society. Many women have started their businesses or gone
out into the workforce to prove themselves in other ways besides being a mother
or wife. The rights that many women gained throughout history are very
important because they were able to break out of the mold that men had created
for them centuries ago.
Other than wanting more rights against society some women just want the
right to be themselves without being judged by others; they want people le
respect them as much as they respect others based on their gender identity.
Both men and women must respect each other no matter what gender identity they
identify with because both genders should be respected equally despite their
differences in lifestyles or sexual orientation. If both men and women can’t
respect each other then how can we expect everyone else in society to treat
each other equally? We need people who will accept everyone no matter what
the difference there may be so that everyone can live together harmoniously in this
world because we are all humans living on Earth together after all.
Women Vs Mental Health Issues
In our effort to better understand the challenges facing women here and
throughout Mexico, we asked our contributors for tips on how to tackle these
issues so that we may all live free from fear. Here’s what they told us:
Don’t be afraid to speak out. You are not alone; other women have
experienced this as well. Use your voice and reach out for help or guidance
when needed. There are organizations in place in the community that can help
you in various situations, such as Centro Integral de la Mujer, a social
service agency focused on the advancement of girls and women through education,
prevention programs, and professional support services; Vida, a local
non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence; and
Ambar Women International, an organization with a mission of promoting dignity
and justice for women worldwide by educating them on their rights while at the
same time raising awareness among men to become advocates for equality. We also
encourage you to follow @HazteOirSanMiguel on Facebook if you would like more
information about self-defense classes offered by San Miguel police officers.
The struggle is real in San Miguel but it is even harder for women elsewhere
due to a lack of resources or education about their rights as citizens or human
beings. Get involved online too by following newsworthy Mexican bloggers such
as @PorSiNoLoHasVisto (If You Haven’t Seen It) or @NayeliRianxo who tweet daily
about harrowing stories involving sexual harassment or abuse against females
from around Mexico via #MeTooMexicano (Mexican Me Too). Fight back against this
injustice by raising awareness about the issue(s), whether it be through
technology or word of mouth with your friends and family members most
importantly, use your voice!
Women Vs Their Bodies
Unfortunately, many of us are constantly at war with our bodies. We’re
fighting over how they don’t look the same as we did 30 years ago. We have
scars from knee surgery and two pregnancies, but we can get Botox and laser
hair removal to make ourselves look younger. A million beauty products promise
to reverse the aging process; it feels like an impossible task to keep up with
them all. Age is inevitable, but so change!
You need to accept your body for what it is stretch marks, cellulite &
all!
Women Vs Poverty
If you’re a woman living in San Miguel, chances are that you’ve dealt with
poverty. Women are one of the most vulnerable groups in the world, and many
women in San Miguel struggle to survive every day because of it. Poverty is a
vicious cycle: if you were born into it, it can be extremely difficult to
escape. Poverty makes it hard to feed your children, puts stress on your
relationships, and makes you feel like you have no hope for the future.
Additionally, increasing your income through traditional means may not be
possible due to the cultural stigma surrounding women working outside of the
home in San Miguel.
In this section, we’ll look at ways for women to break out of poverty and
enjoy a better quality of life for themselves and their families. We’ll look at
what factors keep women poor as well as tools for overcoming these issues.
We’ll also discuss examples of successful entrepreneurs whose lives have been
positively transformed by developing an online business or creative outlet from
their homes in San Miguel (a lot like yourself!).
Women Vs Oppression
In the past, which is to say anything before the Great Unification the women
of San Miguel were oppressed. Yes, you read that right. Today’s enlightened
society we are all lucky enough to live in is not something that happened by
accident or divine intervention. No, it was something fought for and won by our
people against an enemy determined to keep us down under its boot.
Women in San Miguel were not allowed to take part in any sort of higher
education unless they were vetted and trained at a young age by their families
for this purpose. Women who married too early or too late would be shunned from
their communities, as would women who did not have children within a reasonable
amount of time after marriage. Women who did have children but whose husbands
passed away would also suffer ostracism and legal discrimination.
Spread Knowledge To as Many People As Possible
A major advantage of the new system is its ability to spread knowledge to as
many people as possible. This improvement in the quality of life is the result
of two factors: the published reports and communication with relatives through
video calls. The first one consists of a publication that is distributed among
relatives, friends, and acquaintances. In this report, all procedures made
during the week are described in detail, including videos and photos
illustrating them. The second one consists of weekly video calls on his cell
phone, thus maintaining communication with all those who are worried about him
constantly.
What do you think of when you think of Women in San Miguel?
I bet it’s not the image of a powerful businesswoman with a background in
technology. But that’s just what I believe San Miguel is all about: empowering
women to grow their careers in ways they never thought possible.
When I first arrived here, I was so nervous about the cultural transition.
It was terrifying. But I soon realized that San Miguel is home to some of the
most accepting and kind people I have ever met. The more time I spent with my
new colleagues, the more I realized that my concerns were unfounded everyone
here is so open-minded and welcoming.
But maybe you haven’t had as easy a transition. Maybe you’re still worried
about cultural differences and language barriers. That’s okay! You are not
alone, and there are many resources available to help ensure your San Miguel
experience is as smooth as possible.
One great way to make sure your time here goes smoothly is to take advantage
of the Women in San Miguel program, which gives women the opportunity to
network with other professionals who have successfully transitioned into their
new lives in San Miguel de Allende. If you have any questions or concerns about
your time.