Portrait of Juanita Rico on her grave stone

The Second Republic created conditions that allowed women to assume a greater role in the political system, leading to increased mobilization through political parties, youth organizations, and women’s and feminist associations.

At a time when various groups endorsed the use of violence to achieve their political aims, and clashes between workers, unionists, peasants, and Republican forces of order were frequent, some women also participated in violent acts, whether during strikes or organized insurrections.

Juanita Rico (1914–1934), whose portrait appears on her gravestone here, was a member of the Unified Socialist Youth (JSU) and one of the women who took part in armed street battles between rival groups. Others, such as Josefa Paredes, a member of an anarchist direct-action group, took part in attacks on authorities. The women who took part in the Revolution of 1934 in Asturias deserve special mention, as their actions marked a turning point in the visibility of women in armed insurrections. One example is Aida Lafuente who became an icon and martyr of the Communist cause during the Civil War, while Juanita Rico herself was commemorated with both a militia unit and an armored car bearing her name.

But it was not only female militants of political organizations who took part in violent conflicts. The press increasingly reported on women taking leading roles in clashes with the Civil Guard and other police during strikes or demonstrations, even when they were outnumbered by men. Publications such as ABC, Estampa, and Crónica often highlighted women as leaders or instigators of violence, though these accounts frequently exaggerated their role. Depending on a paper’s political learning, women could be mocked as “rowdy little dressmakers” or praised as “Agustinas of Aragón,” the great heroine of the war against Napoleon. Regardless of their politics, this gendered slant as a consistent feature across the press.

While the role of women in revolutionary activities was quantitatively much less than that of men, it is important to note it since it represented a transgression of gender norms and because these women acted from a firm belief in the causes they defended.

ACS