Culture woke, or culture of social consciousness, has emerged as a call to action in the fight against injustice and social inequality. “Woke” comes from Anglicism wake upwhich means “to wake up”, woke is the past tense of “despertar”, which means “woke up”. However, the concept is much deeper and more complex than its literal meaning. The use of woke arises within the black community in the United States with the original intention of “being vigilant” in the face of racial injustice. The woke culture is based mainly on the recognition of privileges and the awareness of historical and current injustices. The aim is to foster an open dialogue on difficult issues and to challenge the systems and structures that perpetuate inequality.
Although it has been a movement that has mainly captivated American society, it has of course generated a significant impact on a global level. In Mexico we rarely hear the concept “woke” but social movements and social activism have put complex issues at the center of public attention. And everything that becomes a social conversation or at least in networks, faces a series of criticisms and challenges. In the case of the woke culture, the main criticisms come from considering this a movement with hypocritical bases that promote censorship and the culture of cancellation, creating intolerance towards divergent opinions. This lack of space for open debate exists, but I bring you a contemporary example that is happening in real time that encourages open debate. This example is popular, local and highly inspiring: Wendy Guevara’s participation in one of the reality most popular on Mexican television called “La Casa de los Famosos”. Wendy has broken with the romanticization of woke culture and gives it new meaning.
With cameras 24/7, Wendy has proven not only to be a graceful and popular social media influencer, but has also become the paradox of diversity and inclusion in the media. She herself has said it, Televisa fulfilled the diversity quota by introducing a trans Influencer to the famous “House of Celebrities”, however true activism has developed without any purpose or intention. Wendy is a Mexican trans woman who grew up within one of the most affected and vulnerable populations in Mexico, the trans community. From an intersectional approach, not only for a gender reason its existence is violated, but also because of poverty, systemic stereotypes and the sociocultural context. However, Wendy, unlike “woke” activists, does not seek to victimize herself, but above all, she makes it very clear that she is not and does not want to be an activist. However, her story told in her own words in real TV, does the work by itself of the visibility that the trans community needs in Mexico. This is real activism, and it is this raw optimism that society needs to wake up. And it is that through daily experiences in which conversations take place between the roomies, Wendy gives life and color to endless anecdotes that challenge taboo topics, stereotypes and prejudices. She tells how her father rejected and discriminated against her for years from her machismo, and how he “woke up” after her to not only accept her as she is, but to tell how he deconstructed and reconstructed himself to love her without condition. She also recounts how prostitution, as for a vast majority, became her primary springboard for self-improvement. Wendy tells of the physical journeys that she has had to experience to live in a body that gives her identity, and also, all the difficulties that she and her trans friends have had to overcome.
Wendy listens to the voices of those who have grown up in a racist, classist and discriminatory system without their own choice. He listens to his uninformed and ignorant colleagues with empathy and demystifies from his own trenches, opinion and experience without the intention of persuading or attacking.
This internet star represents what “woke” activism should be. Wendy, from your crude authenticity, is a YouTuber, influencer and now, an unintentional activist.