María Teresa Blandón Gadea (born 1961) is a Nicaraguan sociologist, feminist, and former revolutionary guerilla.[1]
María Teresa Blandón | |
|---|---|
 Blandón in a 2018 interview | |
| Born | María Teresa Blandón Gadea 1961 |
| Nationality |  Nicaragua |
| Occupation | Feminist |
| Known for | La Corriente |
Blandón was born in Matiguás, a town in northern Nicaragua and from a young age began working with peasants there. At 17, she became involved in the Nicaraguan Revolution, fighting as a revolutionary guerilla on the ground. During and immediately after the war she established a feminist identity and became determined to advance women's rights.[1] After the war, Blandón worked in an agricultural trade union, giving lectures on sexuality, gender, and violence against women. She began to dedicate herself to the furthering of women's reproductive rights.[2] Cooperating with other Central American feminists, Blandón founded the feminist program La Corriente,[3] an organization aimed at promoting feminist thought that continues to operate today.[4]
She has a Master's degree in Gender and Development Perspective from the University of Barcelona, is a Postgraduate in Education in Gender Focus at the Central American University of Managua, and is a consultant in gender policy and development.[5]
On May 4, 2022, the legal status of the Regional Feminist Program La Corriente, headed by Blandón, was annulled and its facilities were confiscated, arguing an alleged breach of the laws in force by the Ortega regime. In September 2022, she was denied entry to Nicaragua, in retaliation for her feminist activism. [6] [7]
Citations
edit- ^ a b Wallace, Arturo (7 March 2002). "María Teresa, ex revolucionaria (Nicaragua)". BBC Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ^ Pozo, Beatriz (5 September 2014). "María Teresa Blandón: Energía y justicia social". blogs.20minutos.es (in Spanish). 20 Minutos. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ^ "Cuerpos y desafíos que confluyen: 10 años del trabajo del Programa Feminista La Corriente. Sistematización 2004 - 2014" (PDF). lacorrientenicaragua.org (in Spanish). La Corriente. January 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ^ "Sobre La Corriente". lacorrientenicaragua.org (in Spanish). La Corriente. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ^ "María Teresa Blandón". uvic.caaaat. University of Barcelona. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
- ^ Redaccion Confidencial (6 May 2022). "María Teresa Blandón: Closing of NGOs "has no legal basis"". Confidencial Digital. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Robinson, Circles (2022-09-15). "Nicaragua: A Priest & a Feminist Banned from Returning Home". Havana Times. Retrieved 2023-06-17.