Bullfighting in Mexico City has been cancelled

[frogwoman]

This is imo good news and the result of a very long campaign even if it hasn't been banned outright, but wasn't expecting it tbh as I was under the impression it was more popular there than in Spain. I read some twitter commentary saying that Obrador had supported this decision.

I don’t really know much about Mexican politics at all, I know Obrador was pretty crap during the pandemic, basically saying that covid wasn't a big deal at all, and has some really populist, pro Russian etc views, but in other respects he seems to be quite good or at least an improvement on previous governments there. In other parts of the world where corridas are popular, the bullfighting lobby are heavily supported by the far right and in some cases organised crime, and I wondered if this was the case in Mexico as well.

Edited: Looks as though its only Mexico City. Still great news tho.

 

[editor]

Excellent news!

 

[StoneRoad]

Interesting !

Perhaps an outright ban may develop in the near future.

 

[petee]

yes, a good development.

 

[frogwoman]

Interesting !

Perhaps an outright ban may develop in the near future.

I hope so this bit of news has cheered me up.

 

[frogwoman]

Already illegal in 5 out of 32 states apparently.

 

[WouldBe]

Great news.

 

[frogwoman]

Seems to just be Mexico City looking a bit further, although the legislation seems to apply across the whole country and a court recently declared that it was unconstitutional to declare it 'cultural heritage'. I don't know how much bullfighting actually happens in the parts of the country it still isn't banned.

 

[T & P]

Great news. Even though I’d undoubtedly be seen as a traitor in my native Spain, if I were a public figure or even a log grade influencer, I’d be more than happy to urge people not to visit those regions in Spain where bullfighting is still happening.

 

[frogwoman]

Great news. Even though I’d undoubtedly be seen as a traitor in my native Spain, if I were a public figure or even a log grade influencer, I’d be more than happy to urge people not to visit those regions in Spain where bullfighting is still happening.

Why do you think its still so popular, is it a political/culture war thing? The festivals involving bulls in some Spanish towns seem to be even worse than corridas in some respects, especially with the sheer number of people involved. I have been a supporter for years and (virtually) adopted this bull for example: Adopt Polvorin • CAS International

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Why do you think its still so popular, is it a political/culture war thing? The festivals involving bulls in some Spanish towns seem to be even worse than corridas in some respects, especially with the sheer number of people involved. I have been a supporter for years and (virtually) adopted this bull for example: Adopt Polvorin • CAS International

Catalonia attempted to ban bull fighting but not bull dodging.

Lots of Spanish people hate bullfighting. Most young people hate it. It's in long-term decline at least.

Will Bullfighting Survive The Next Decade In Spain?

 

[frogwoman]

Catalonia attempted to ban bull fighting but not bull dodging.

Lots of Spanish people hate bullfighting. Most young people hate it. It's in long-term decline at least.

Will Bullfighting Survive The Next Decade In Spain?

Yea they banned corridas in Catalunya but not pulling the bull along the street with ropes or in some cases attaching a contraption with flammable material to its horns.

I've heard that too that most people want it banned but there are still a lot of people who like it unfortunately, and in parts of the south of France I read a depressing piece suggesting it's getting more popular among young people and not less

France, the last bastion of bullfighting

Bull's blood flows in unexpected places

unherd.com

I have a feeling that the involvement of the far right and dodgy business people will make banning it much more difficult. I really hope I'm wrong of course.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Yea they banned corridas in Catalunya but not pulling the bull along the street with ropes or in some cases attaching a contraption with flammable material to its horns.

I've heard that too that most people want it banned but there are still a lot of people who like it unfortunately, and in parts of the south of France I read a depressing piece suggesting it's getting more popular among young people and not less

France, the last bastion of bullfighting

Bull's blood flows in unexpected places

unherd.com

I have a feeling that the involvement of the far right and dodgy business people will make banning it much more difficult. I really hope I'm wrong of course.

Back in the 80s, I went on school exchange in Asturias (not a bullfighting region, admittedly). Bullfighting was on TV in a bar and a couple of old blokes were watching it. I remember asking the kids I was with about it and they all thought it was disgusting. But yeah, if some powerful people want it to continue, a majority can be overruled.

 

[T & P]

Why do you think its still so popular, is it a political/culture war thing? The festivals involving bulls in some Spanish towns seem to be even worse than corridas in some respects, especially with the sheer number of people involved. I have been a supporter for years and (virtually) adopted this bull for example: Adopt Polvorin • CAS International

Whereas I haven’t lived there for nearly three decades, I swear the general impression as I was growing up into my teens and early 20s was that almost nobody of our generation liked it at all. It felt like once the old guard had died out, bullfighting would be toast.

I still reckon there are fewer fans of it nowadays than ever before in history, but sadly there’s a lot of money involved and invested in it, and out of a population of 50 million you’re always going to find enough twats willing to attend bullfighting events.

And much as I hate to admit it, and to hell if I sound condescending, whereas it is very much unpopular overall in big cities population percentage-wise, there are thousands of yokel small towns dotted across the land where the highlight of the social calendar is tge annual festival, where running the bulls if not outright torturing them is one of those ingrained traditions we’re not allowed to denounce as barbaric, outdated shite.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Why would the far right be arsed either way? Do they literally just support the most regressive policy of any shit regardless?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Why would the far right be arsed either way? Do they literally just support the most regressive policy of any shit regardless?

Pretty much!

It's the bollocks about tradition and cultural identity, isn't it?

 

[frogwoman]

And much as I hate to admit it, and to hell if I sound condescending, whereas it is very much unpopular overall in big cities population percentage-wise, there are thousands of yokel small towns dotted across the land where the highlight of the social calendar is tge annual festival, where running the bulls if not outright torturing them is one of those ingrained traditions we’re not allowed to denounce as barbaric, outdated shite.

Unfortunately got that impression too. I'm on a fb group about banning bullfighting and a woman posted on it who grew up in one of those small towns, she described challenging these men as a teenager and then them throwing in front of and leaving her to be trampled and possibly gored by a bull. She and someone else who had grown up there described the attitude to the bull festivals as being like a religious cult which many of the inhabitants were obsessed with and absolutely lived for

 

[frogwoman]

Why would the far right be arsed either way? Do they literally just support the most regressive policy of any shit regardless?

Because its a 'tradition' I guess, also because it's seen as very macho in parts of Spain?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Pretty much!

It's the bollocks about tradition and cultural identity, isn't it?

Fair point. I guess that informs their politics to a certain degree.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Whereas I haven’t lived there for nearly three decades, I swear the general impression as I was growing up into my teens and early 20s was that almost nobody of our generation liked it at all. It felt like once the old guard had died out, bullfighting would be toast.

I still reckon there are fewer fans of it nowadays than ever before in history, but sadly there’s a lot of money involved and invested in it, and out of a population of 50 million you’re always going to find enough twats willing to attend bullfighting events.

And much as I hate to admit it, and to hell if I sound condescending, whereas it is very much unpopular overall in big cities population percentage-wise, there are thousands of yokel small towns dotted across the land where the highlight of the social calendar is tge annual festival, where running the bulls if not outright torturing them is one of those ingrained traditions we’re not allowed to denounce as barbaric, outdated shite.

They could chase a cheese down a hill instead? It's just as dangerous tbh.

 

[frogwoman]

And much as I hate to admit it, and to hell if I sound condescending, whereas it is very much unpopular overall in big cities population percentage-wise, there are thousands of yokel small towns dotted across the land where the highlight of the social calendar is tge annual festival, where running the bulls if not outright torturing them is one of those ingrained traditions we’re not allowed to denounce as barbaric, outdated shite.

Yea I've watched a few videos of the bull running type of events you mention, and it's largely (but not entirely) men doing it, and unsurprisingly everyone is white (im not saying that no people of colour take part, but they seem to be pretty absent). Even with the videos put out by the organisers to show these festivals in the best light it's obvious that the bulls are in distress and some are injured

 

[frogwoman]

They could chase a cheese down a hill instead? It's just as dangerous tbh.

Better than setting fire to a bull surely?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

The cheese gets eaten at the end, however well it's done.

 

[frogwoman]

T & P to be fair I was reading a thing on the same site about how a bunch of aficionado scumbags from outside the area had turned up for the 'Roped Bull Congress' (which is exactly what it sounds like) in one of these small towns and with the permission of the mayor had tied ropes for the bulls around a central statue of a bull which had been carved centuries ago, the pillar it was on broke and the statue was destroyed.

I was quite pleased to see loads of angry comments from locals but it does seem to be that it's one of these things that goes on with the collusion of local politicians and there's not much anyone can do about it.

 

[T & P]

Not that I reckon it’d make much on an impact unless it was accompanied by a meaningful boycott of Spain, but I’ve always been disenchanted by the relatively romanticised treatment bullfighting gets in popular media in other countries.

From the stereotypical audiovisual references to bullfighting whenever Spain gets mentioned in a TV programme (when Sky Sports had the rights to the Spanish football weekly highlights, the opening credits would have bullfighting music and imagery, because Spain), to the Hemingway-style idolatry in literature and popular culture of bullfighting being a fair, brave and honourable duel between man and noble beast, sadly the practice is always being given far too easy a ride. It should be talked about in the same terms as seal clubbing or cock fighting.

 

[frogwoman]

Not that I reckon it’d make much on an impact unless it was accompanied by a meaningful boycott of Spain, but I’ve always been disenchanted by the relatively romanticised treatment bullfighting gets in popular media in other countries.

From the stereotypical audiovisual references to bullfighting whenever Spain gets mentioned in a TV programme (when Sky Sports had the rights to the Spanish football weekly highlights, the opening credits would have bullfighting music and imagery, because Spain), to the Hemingway-style idolatry in literature and popular culture of bullfighting being a fair, brave and honourable duel between man and noble beast, sadly the practice is always being given far too easy a ride. It should be talked about in the same terms as seal clubbing or cock fighting.

Yea, do you think it's a case of being uneasy about criticism of someone else's culture given our own problems with animal cruelty? Although it does seem to be properly romanticised in a way eg Whaling hasn't been since the days of Moby Dick lol.

I do remember people in Spain and France who were campaigning against it saying they wanted more solidarity from overseas at one point, especially so if they lived somewhere where it is much more popular rather than eg Madrid.

 

[T & P]

Yea, do you think it's a case of being uneasy about criticism of someone else's culture given our own problems with animal cruelty? Although it does seem to be properly romanticised in a way eg Whaling hasn't been since the days of Moby Dick lol.

Yes, whataboutery is often the go-to response of defenders of such wrongdoing. When I’ve mentioned to friends or relatives in Spain how badly bullfighting is viewed among most people, almost invariably the answer is ‘Well, they can talk with their fox hunting and all!’ Sometimes even from people who don’t even like bullfighting, but who feel affronted and patriotic all of the sudden at criticism of their country.

 

[splonkydoo]

Much fairer for them to do bull dodging instead. Big tradition of it in Costa Rica.. 'the bull always wins'.

 

[frogwoman]

Yes, whataboutery is often the go-to response of defenders of such wrongdoing. When I’ve mentioned to friends or relatives in Spain how badly bullfighting is viewed among most people, almost invariably the answer is ‘Well, they can talk with their fox hunting and all!’ Sometimes even from people who don’t even like bullfighting, but who feel affronted and patriotic all of the sudden at criticism of their country.

How can people who would like to see an end to bullfighting help tho? I mean I'm always a bit uneasy about boycotts tho I kinda like the fact a large number of people who dislike the concept of torturing bulls have invaded the fb groups and comment sections of some of these towns, but does it give people an idea of how it's viewed across the world or just piss them off?

Would this mean boycotting Spain (or wherever it is) as a whole, or just the parts where bullfighting occurs?

 

[dessiato]

I lived in a bullfighting town. It was common during the various feria around the area. Those liking it v those not was about 50:50 split.

I find the cruelty appalling. It is horrific. I don't condone this at all.

But there is an art and spectacle, outside the ring, that is attractive. The costumes, the manipulation of the capes, the horsemanship.

If only it didn't need to include such torture and cruelty.