- The festival received £90,000 in government funding to tackle gender-based violence.
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Outrage has erupted in Spain after funds intended to combat gender-based violence were used to finance a “feminist twerk festival” in Tenerife.
Mainstream Spanish feminists have criticized the country’s equality ministry, which donated £90,000 (€105,000) to “Dale, the feminist twerk festival”. More than 230 women participated in the event and performed this sexually provocative dance move.
The festival took place in October 2022 in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, but rights group Alliance Against the Erasure of Women is now demanding that the Spanish government recover the funds, The telegraph reports.
The twerk festival was billed as an attempt to “repurpose twerk from a feminist perspective” and was one of several workshops and events reported to have received government funding from the Pact Against Gender Violence fund.
Festival organizers said it was a “feminist event” aimed at breaking gender stereotypes, but Ana Monzon, of the group Alliance Against the Erasure of Women, countered that twerking “is not in no way feminist.”
Mainstream Spanish feminists have criticized the country’s Ministry of Equality, which donated £90,000 (€105,000) to ‘Dale, the Feminist Twerk Festival’ (footage from the festival pictured here)
More than 230 women participated in the event and performed this sexually provocative dance move.
Ms Monzon complained of a “gross misuse” of the fund intended to combat gender-based violence.
She told the Telegraph: “Twerking sexualises and objectifies women from a young age because it goes hand in hand with popular music among young people.”
At the festival, participants learned to perform provocative dance moves and then had the opportunity to use their newly acquired twerking skills during live musical performances.
Ms Monzon said her group had identified ten events, including the “feminist twerk festival”, which had used money from the fund but had “nothing to do” with the stated aim of the pact. 2017 against gender-based violence.
The fund is supposed to be used to eliminate violence against women by providing better training for police officers and judges as well as organizing campaigns to educate the population about gender-based violence in order to prevent it in the future.
But instead, “some of the funds are being spent frivolously and incorrectly,” Monzon said.
Tenerife festival included instructor showing attendees how to twerk
Festival singer showed off her twerking skills during concert
The twerk festival offered a workshop led by dance instructors to teach participants provocative dance moves
Sources told El Espanol that the Ministry of Equality, led by Ana Redondo (photo), has committed to reviewing the complaint and requesting reimbursement if it does not agree with the objective activities that received money from the fund against gender violence.
In a letter his group sent to the government, activists demanded “the return of all budget items that resulted in inappropriate or fraudulent use of these funds,” according to local media.
Sources said El Español that the Ministry of Equality, headed by Ana Redondo, is committed to reviewing the complaint and requesting reimbursement if it does not agree with the objective of the activities that received money from the fund against gender violence.
But that wasn’t enough for campaigners, who demanded a complete overhaul of how funds have been spent at regional and local levels in recent years.
Activities funded by money from the Gender Violence Fund included baking or soap-making classes, a creative writing event, a baking workshop as well as a chocolate tasting session.