Myth of Equality? Professional Life of Spanish Republican Women in Exile in Mexico

Abstract

While the research on the Spanish Republican exile in Mexico has mainly concentrated on the ‘intellectual male exile’ this article will focus on the female Republican exile. It attempts to analyze whether the promises of gender equality that were granted in the constitution of the Second Republic prevailed in exile, whether the Republicans transferred all democratic ideals equally to their exile or whether some achievements were less important to uphold in the Spanish community than others and thus remained at least partly a myth. It analyzes the equality of women in two ways: First in terms of the development of their professional life in their new host country, considering especially the aspect of how far women participated in the ‘intellectual exile’ of their community. Second in terms of equality within the marriage and the family in the Republican community.

Keywords

• access to professions
• exile
• myth of equality
• spanish republicans
• women