9
done.
20
According to López Vigil, the FMC was more concerned with disseminating
propaganda about itself, about all the good things it was doing for women, while ignoring
questions of empowerment.
Many of the founding members of Magin became key players in regional
movements and networks to promote gender awareness in the media and challenge
negative stereotypes and images of women. Three leaders of Magin traveled to Brazil in
1994: Norma Guillard participated in a forum of publicists in Rio de Janeiro, Mirta
González Perera participated in the Meeting of the People and the Sea conference and
Niurka Pérez Rojaz presented a paper at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
21
These
trips and exchanges have been an important part of broadening perspectives, building the
resources and international contacts of the feminist movement within Cuba, and
sustaining its critical vision. In 1995, Magin brought together women from Argentina,
Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Bolivia, and Cuba for a
conference on Women in Communications. The conference participants decided to create
a network for circulation of information such as articles, videos and graphics by and
about women.
22
It was decided that the network, called Imagen (Gender-focused images
and information) would be based in Havana with a redistribution point in Brazil. These
networks culminated in 1996 in the meeting of 400 women from over 80 countries across
the world at the Conference, “Women Transforming Communications” in Bankok.
Organizations such as Magin have also emerged in several other countries of
Latin America and the Caribbean, including Primera Plana, a “Network of Journalists of
the Dominican Republic with Perspective of Gender” and CIMAC, “Communication and
20
Ibid.
21
“Nuevas Amistades,” Magin, Numero 1, 1994, p 24.
22
Karen Lee, “Changing the Image: Cuban Women and Media,” NY Transfer New Collective.
Convention