They say that to work is no offence, that there is no job that one should be ashamed of. It sounds logical, but not everyone seems to think that way. Many Peruvians, some think too many, leave their motherland to look for a better job opportunity abroad, where they often end up working jobs that not even in their worse nightmares had they done here. Perhaps the fact that no one they know is witness to their suffering lessens the embarrassment and loss of self-esteem that comes from working a job below someone's abilities. But it is not necessary to leave the country to work in discriminatory and marginalized conditions.
In Lima and the nearby beach resorts it is summer. Many years ago, up until the Sixties, the fashionable beaches were those of Miraflores, Barranco and Chorrillos as well as the more distant beaches of Ancón. Today, for what has already been a good number of summers, the hotspot beaches are to the south. Among the great many beaches along the coast to the south of the capital, the favorite of wealthy Limeans is called “Asia,” and is often pronounced in English by those who spend their summers there. This resort has been made famous for offering the very best to its exclusive clientele. In fact, the beach has transformed into a small city with all the offerings of modernity and globalization, out of sight from the town that also used to spend the summer there.
But recently, Asia has also become well-known for its discriminatory and marginalizing treatment towards the “domestic employees” or “household employees” as they are generally called among the families who employ them. These workers, for example, are effectively prohibited from entering the beach during the day. Only after 6 p.m. are they allowed to enter these areas. Obviously many consider this unjust and that it boils down to an undeniable issue of racism.
Therefore, The Office Against Racism of the National Coordinator of Human rights, composed of diverse institutions and individuals, have formed a weblog to publicize an operation called “Audacious Employee” in which a group of people dressed like maids peacefully enter one of the off-limit beaches during the day and bathe in them. More information is available in this post: Questions and answers about Operation Audacious Employee. The mentioned operation successfully took place last Sunday, complete with videos and photos. There was also repercussion from the operation in the press.
As it could not be any other way, several bloggers echoed the subject and posted about the operation both before and after it happened:
La Perra de mi Vecina… ladra mucho - Operativo “Empleada Audaz”
Diseño Perú - Cartel a propósito del operativo “Empleada Audaz”
Zonadenoticias - Un operativo audaz
Luna antagonica: Entre cables, sueños, cemento y piel - Operativo empleada audaz contra gamonalismo reload Versión 2007 3.14
Peruanista - Video: Trabajadora del Hogar
Pospost - “Empleada audaz” cambió rostro a playas de Asia y Una observación fraterna sobre el tema de Asia
El blog del morsa - empleada audaz. historia tras bambalinas
El Sitio de Kinua - Kinua's Site - Video: Operativo Empleada audaz
Des-ubicadas - Empleada Audaz fue un exito!!!
Mi otro blog - Empleada Audaz
Desde el Tercer Piso - Empleada audaz
El Útero de Marita - Vídeo del Operativo Empleada Audaz
Pueblo Vruto - Operativo PATRÓN AUDAZ
Gran Combo Club - Derecha vruta
But this is not the only protest that has occurred recently in Lima. Another took place in Lima's Plaza de Armas against the president's plan to restore capital punishment for certain crimes. Posts about the protest include: “Only Death can enter the [Presidential] Palace? [ES]“, “Only Death could enter the Palace [ES]” and “Protest against Death: Latest Reflections [ES].” Regarding bloggers and other details, Gran Combo Club posted “Successful Protest in the Plaza de Armas” and “Successful Protest in the Plaza de Armas (2).”
Well, as you can see, the year seems to have begun with a lot of citizens here in Lima organizing protests using online resources here in Lima. Gabriel Rodriguez of Peru Design, is the photographer of the image that accompanies this post.
Translated from Spanish by David Sasaki
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Juan,
Que bien que comentaste este evento, me impactó ver la colaboración de tantos bloggueros peruanos en el asunto, fenoménal realmente. También, en cuanto a la oposición a la pena de muerte.
I’m glad to see event mentioned, and was impressed by the role that Peruvian bloggers played in promoting this event, as well as the opposition to the proposed death penalty law.
how is this issue connected to racism?
how many houseworkers have time to go to the beach during the day? aren’t they supposed to be working?
i think it could be seen as positive for both employer and employee..imagine going to the beach and finding your boss there with their family? would you really want to be at the same beach as your boss?, who might, by the way, have some additional ideas to share about how to do your job better…and you might feel compelled to put on a professional face and really not be yourself…i just think it’s a way to make sure employees aren’t playing during working hours (like their bosses might be!)…maybe the boss doesn’t want the housekeeper to see them with their latest mistress on the beach?
(http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/01/31/peru-racism-at-the-beach/#more-20283}
Somehow it comes to my mind that the employees should be able to decide themeselves if they want to go to the beaches or not… They might know that they risk their jobs when they are seen hanging out there during working times - but that should be up to them.
To me, it looks like they’re treated like dogs…
Alejandro - Sí, pareciera que la blogósfera peruana es capaz no sólo de banalidades, por momentos, je.
J&M: What you say sounds good, but it is not the kind of working relation that bosses and housekeepers have here in Lima. In some aspects, colonial uses are still alive here. Since employees are in its majority people who descend from europeans inmigrants and housekeepers are people who descend from the original peruvians (incas), there’s a strong racist element present. (sorry for my bad english). Thanks for reading this.
Lo que dicen suena razonable, pero en otra realidad, no en la forma como se relacionan patrón y empleada del hogar en Lima. En algunos aspectos vivimos en una sociedad de usos coloniales aún. Com odijo alguien por alguno de los posts recolectados. Si los patrones tienen casi todos rasgos europeos o anglosajones (bueno, es casi lo mismo para nosotros) y las empleadas son todas de descendencia inca o aymara, este hecho de por sí, acrecienta el factor de discriminación racial ya presente en casi todos los niveles de la sociedad peruana. De hecho, creo que podría ser un poco difícil de entender para quien no la conoce siquiera algo.
Gracias por las lecturas.
Thanks Juan for this post.
In response to Jordan & Maria:
This issue is not only connected to racism, but also to labor rights, because the minority of whealthy Peruvians (mostly whites) have a long history of discriminatory practices against the rest of Peruvians, since colonial times. Most housekeepers and security employees in Peru are Indigenous and blacks, and most of them have to face exploitation and abuse while working. In the case of this beach (Asia) most employees live in the neighboring small towns and some come from Lima, which is 60 miles north. Locals have used those beaches long before Lima’s wealthy built gated developments blocking public access. This is illegal according to Peru’s laws. Most housekeepers in Peru don’t have any labor rights, are victims of sexual assault, violence, scams and treated as live-in servants. This action was intended to send a message to the whole country: it’s time for Peru to end its apartheid-like practices for once.
Isn’t that happenning in all Latin America?
One more thing: housekeepers are forbiden to use the beaches between 6AM to 7PM, not 5PM as the poster says. That is a 13 hours gap, and considering that a full-time shift shouldn’t be longer than 8 hours accorging to international labor rights, there you have: 5 hours of freedom for employees to do what they please as individuals with full human rights as opposed to be second-class citizens.
Peruanista:
thanks for “a brief history of peru” — i am not well-informed about your history, but now that you have described it, i think racism could explain alot here…i think that the best way, in a very general sense, would be to avoid racial polarization…it’s probably very wise to stay within the labor rights discourse, you may get more support from liberals on ‘the other side.’
i wonder if the people who clean the beach are allowed to use the beach? maybe they should strike and see how long the aren’t noticed!
Lo de los horarios de trabajo es todo un tema aparte. Es práctica común y conocida, que las empleadas del hogar trabajan desde que se levantan hasta que se acuestan (Y algunas hasta son obligadas a trabajar ya acostadas, pero no quiero entrar al tema del abuso/acoso sexual). Por supuesto esto no sólo se da en las que están empleadas en lo que se conoce como familias de nivel socio-económico A, sino también entre las de nivel B y C (No creo que los nivles D y E tengan empleada doméstica).
Y digo que es todo un tema porque lo de las 8 horas no lo respeta ni el mismo gobierno. Sin ir muy lejos, yo trabajo en un organismo del estado y mi horario de trabajo son de 12 horas diarias, así como quien no quiere la cosa.
Si alguien se acomide a traducir este comentario, se lo agradeceré.
Comment translated by Global Voices editor Georgia Popplewell:
Working hours are another story altogether. It’s common and widely known that domestics work from the time they get up in the morning till they go to bed at night. (And some are made to work even while in bed, but let’s not get into the issue of sexual harassment/abuse). And naturally this situation occurs not only in the case of those who are employed by families of what is known as socio-economic level A, but also among those of level B and C (I don’t think level D and E employ domestics).
And I say it’s a whole other story because even the government doesn’t respect the 8-hour law. As a personal example: I work in for a state organisation and my work day is 12 hours, just like everyone else does without complaint.
If somebody could translate this comment I’d be grateful.
Thanks Georgia.
And to J&M Seidel: Undoubtly racism polarizes everything, a hard task keep it away from political discourses. Ollanta Humala’s campaign in last presidential election was a good example for that, indeed it was an active component of his discourse, as a way to grab the attention of a long time resentful and abused people.
[...] la playa racista de Lima 0 comentarios Fecha: Febrero, 1, 2007 Autor: CalheR Tema: Sociedad América Latina Hay una playa enLima que se llama Asia. Es la playa del glamour, de la gente guay, donde ir a ver cuerpos bronceados y gente limpia y guapa. Una playa que se ha convertido en un lugar para ricos, para gente selecta que encuentra allí lo último en modernidad y servicios. Tan limpia y tan glamourosa es que, durante todas las horas del día, no dejan entrar a “empleadas del hogar” porque estropean el ambiente. Fijaros en el cartel: [...]
Punto de vista: Expropiemos las gallinas
“Lo que me parece inadecuado es que se focalice la protesta en una zona de la ciudad, cuando este tipo de abusos es común en todas partes”
Por Rolando Arellano, Doctor en márketing*
En una reunión de campesinos un dirigente pidió expropiar los tractores para ponerlos al servicio común. La gente votó de manera casi unánime para que así fuera. Luego propuso expropiar también las vacas, y la mayoría votó a favor de esa medida. Finalmente el dirigente, entusiasmado, pidió expropiar las gallinas, pero vio con sorpresa que todos se opusieron. ¿La razón? Que casi nadie tenía tractores, solo algunos tenían vacas, pero ¡todos tenían gallinas! La operación Empleada Audaz, llevada a cabo en el balneario de Asia el pasado fin de semana, me hizo recordar esta anécdota.
Debo señalar primero que concuerdo con el objetivo de luchar contra el racismo en nuestro país, aunque insisto, como lo he dicho en otros artículos, que más que racismo puro, en el Perú existe discriminación económica, que ‘cholea’ al pobre y ‘blanquea’ al rico. Me parece, además, conveniente que exista un movimiento para mostrar que el servicio doméstico es un trabajo que no implica per se un estatus social menor a cualquier otro oficio. Creo, también, que es muy importante penalizar cualquier tipo de discriminación, como la de impedir que alguien utilice bienes sociales o comunes –playa, iglesia o discoteca– en razón de su aspecto o su oficio. Lo que me parece inadecuado es que se focalice esta protesta en una zona específica de la ciudad, cuando ese tipo de abusos es muy común en todas partes.
Así, sería mucho más sano y eficiente para la causa del servicio doméstico que se plantee una actividad que toque a muchas de las casi 200 mil familias limeñas –de todos los niveles sociales– que tienen empleadas y que, consciente o inconscientemente, las explotan, menosprecian o degradan.
Me hubiera gustado, por ejemplo, que propusieran que en todos los hogares se les dé un horario de trabajo aceptable, que reciban un sueldo decoroso y adecuado a su esfuerzo, o que dispongan de tiempo libre para realizar estudios. Más aun, aunque no estoy seguro de su efecto práctico, hubieran llamado la atención mediática si plantearan que el uso de uniforme les sea un elemento discrecional. En lugar de ello, prefirieron ir a Asia a pedir que se les permita bañarse en el mar, probablemente sin preguntarles si eso les parecía una reivindicación importante, dejando entrever quizá que el maltrato es solo un problema de ricos, y que no importa por ejemplo que en Lince, Miraflores o Comas se les pague menos del sueldo mínimo por 80 horas de trabajo a la semana.
En fin, apruebo toda manifestación contra el maltrato a las personas, pero sabiendo que el problema rebasa largamente a las dos mil familias del balneario, el ver activistas protestando allí por ese tema me parece una falta de sentido práctico. A menos que su protesta en Asia tenga más que ver con el hecho de que muchos tienen ‘gallinas’, pero es más fácil ‘expropiar’ las ‘vacas’ de los pocos que las tienen en el sur de Lima.
*CENTRUM CATÓLICA / ARELLANO MÁRKETING, INVESTIGACIÓN Y CONSULTORÍA
Este ejemplo de descriminacion social es una cara fea que la “suciedad” limena “blanca” condona como virtud. Obviamente si tu hablaras con la mayoria de los propietarios de casa en Asia ellos formalmente negarian cualquier asociacion con ser racistas, pero privadamente lo celebran. En otras palabras “hipocritas”. Ellos tiene una mente cerrada y podrida con la infeccion de la legacia espanola. Los pobres bastardos no saben que son el fruto de una mezcla y no un producto “blanco” como ellos quisiera serlos. Viven una fantasia, un mundo corrupto en su propia mente. Alejados del sufrimiento moral y economico que su nacion sufre. Pobres todos aquelllos, que no lo saben o no lo pueden entender!
everyone is missing the point it doesn’t matter what time household cleaners work or how uncomfortabel it might be to be at the beach with and employee but that they have that right! they have the right to go to the beach if they want and nobody can tell them different becuase if they are so bigoted and blided themselves to put that sign there then they are genuine idiots (capatalized)!
The sign doesn’t exist. It was used for the protest but it actually doesn’t exist, it was an artist creation to make a point.
I think it is difficult for people who don’t live here to understand what we wanted to do with the protest. Maids work AT the beach. The houses are right there and they usually have to be taking care of the children of the owners of the houses at the beach; although they cannot wear swimming suits or just swim with the kids. They have to wear uncomfortable uniforms (believe me, they are very uncomfortable… we couldn’t stand wearing them for the three hours the protest lasted) and cannot swim, not even during lunch time when they can take a break (if they actually can).
As some said it is very complicated here. It is not only racism but also ethnic and class issues that play together.
And, yes, it happens (unfortunately) all over Latin America.
What we wanted was to put this subject on the agenda and, thank God, we did. People talked about it and the issue was discussed. It doesn’t mean that it will dissapear, but at least it is talked about.
You can read my personal experience at http://hypatiadaughter.blogspot.com/2007/01/smart-maid.html
Gracias Laura por hacer esa aclaración que la verdad se me había pasado.
Laura: thanks for pointing at that, i had forgot to do it.
I’ve been in Lima many times and seen this exact thing happen in other aspects of daily life. But I’ve also noticed that its not a white vs Inca thing since there are not many white people in Peru.
It’s more a have vs have-not thing.
Let’s be real, in Peru there are Indians, different shades of mestizos, and half a dozen white people. That is why they make maids ware does stupid uniforms, so that the lady of the house doesn’t get taken for a maid.
[...] A previous summary of the Peruvian blogosphere, dedicated almost entirely to “Operation Audacious Employee,” generated several interesting comments which highlighted certain points that were not very clear or that caused legitimate confusion to people who are not familiar with Peruvian society. To add one more opinion to the matter I’ll extract this paragraph from the post “Thinking About Operation Audacious Employee” [ES] from the blog The Other Drum, which was not included in the last overview. Si nos quedamos pensando que el problema son “los pitucos de Asia” no vamos a llegar muy lejos. Tampoco sirve de nada decir “todos somos racistas”. No es solo cuestión de raza. Muchos factores nos hacen sentirnos superiores o inferiores a la persona que tenemos al frente: el sexo, la vestimenta, el modo de hablar, el tamaño, la presentación… Tendríamos que comprender cómo es que estamos siempre midiéndonos con cada persona con la que interactuamos. Por qué nos hemos acostumbrado a hacerlo así. Cómo podemos cambiarlo. Algunos dicen que el mercado es el gran igualador que borra estas diferenciaciones. No lo es. Crea otras. Si una sociedad está programada para jerarquizar y discriminar a la gente, el mercado sólo introducirá nuevas variables de jerarquización y discriminación. El problema pasa más bien por desprogramarla. If we keep thinking that the problem is “those snobs from Asia beach”, we are not going to get very far. Nor does it do any good to say “we are all racist.” It’s not only a question of race. Many factors make us feel either superior or inferior to the person in front of us: gender, clothing, the way we speak, size, presentation … We would have to understand just how we are always measuring up to each person we interact with; why we’ve accustomed to doing so; how we can change it. Some say that the market is the great equalizier that erases these discriminations. It’s not. It creates others. If a society is programmed to hierarchize and discriminate against people, the market will only introduce new variables of hierarchy and discrimination. The problem comes trying to deprogram it. [...]
[...] After a widely publicized protest against the harsh treatment of maids in Peru’s beach resort communities, Hypathia’s Daughter says the movement for maid’s rights made a visit to the upper-class neighborhood of Miraflores in the capital city, Lima. David Sasaki [...]
i couldn’t agree more with Jurgen…funny cause it’s sad cause it’s true…people in Lima are tacky and wannabes to a ridiculoous extreme, it gets contagious, that’s why i chose to leave…
Talking about racism, frankly, Jurgen comment sounds to me quite racist….
As a peruvian I was lucky enough to have had maids in my family since I was born. Now, with that said, having a person working for you does not mean you should discriminate against them. Each of them were and still are part of our family. When we go back to Lima we always bring them presents, they ate with us and enjoyed absolutely every activity as one of us. I remember a crazy neighbor I had that came to me and very concerned she told me: “I looked at your window today and I saw Josefa (the name of one of them) sitting in your sofa this afternoon” my response of course was: “so…” I still cant believe she actually said that. While some peruvians are still as racist as when back when most of us in my opinion respect the human race as a whole and are able to see past stereotypes. I am blessed to have had people working in my house that came from different backgrounds than mine and I learned a lot from them. And I know that they were lucky to work with us because they love each one of us as their family as well.
[...] the Peruvian mass media due to complaints or campaigns against it, as we posted here before (see: To the beach against racism, to the Presidential Palace against the death penalty). Yet, many Peruvians continue to suffer racism in their day to day lives, whether it be in subtle [...]
Dear Global Voices.
Im living in Lima (I´m german) and went just for curiosity and work a long work the last week to the Asia beach. For people of Lima the beach time is more or less over, therefore it was not crowed. I was wondering if the prohibition still exists and in general who make this “law”. Its a public beach. All Asian people just decidied to forbit the household employers to swim? How is this working?
anyways, just to point out that discrimination against maids tagged as racism is a bit confusing…are maids a race? or you’re just assuming all the maids are indigenous people? (which would indeed be racist)
The beach is public but the houses and the area that sorrounds them are private. It is not a law but the contracts the owners have to sign to get a house there state that maids HAVE to wear uniforms and cannot swim on the beach.
Well, is there any actual race? Race doesn’t exist, it is a social construction. Most maids come from indigenous backgrounds. This doesn’t mean that their employers would be “whiter” than them. Race is contextual in some cases because it involves more than just the color of the skin but the culture, class and origin of the person whose being discriminated. Very complicated. But the maid issue in Peru involves race, ethnicity, class, education and gender.