So much of the conversation around the harassment women face in the workplace is so immediate, that sometimes it’s easy to forget not just that this is a problem as old as time, but that women have been fighting back for as long as the problem has existed. But a resurfaced video from 1986 featuring the Mexican musical group Flans, has reinforced both the problem and the way women have been reacting for a long time.
The clip from the Martes 13 television show, which has resurfaced on Tik Tok, shows the host, César Antonio Santis, introducing the members of the group – clearly without knowing who is who. Already a bad start, but it gets worse because as he tries to make jokes to hide the fact that he got their names wrong, he gets very handsy.
It’s very uncomfortable to watch and to realize this was probably the norm all those years ago, and that a lot of women were forced to grin and bear it to “keep the peace.” The members of Flans, however, didn’t, with Mimí going as far as to tell him “No me ande usted manoseando,” basically a demand he keeps his hands off her.
Not happy with that, the host moves on to another one of the members of the group, Ilse, who also must tell him not to get too close. And to add insult to injury, Santis then proceeds to make a comment about their wardrobe, as if that somehow justifies his disrespect.
The video serves to underscore the way women have been treated for so long, but it also makes it clear that, despite the narrative, women have been demanding respect for a long time, and will continue doing it. Flans was an inspiration for so many women in entertainment, and this video just reminded us why.