Franco at 16: the photo reopening Spain's old wound
A 1908 photo of a teenager in Ferrol reignites the battle between Franco's apologists and political homophobia as a weapon.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
A teenager in Ferrol: 1908 and Franco's ghost
Who is that 16-year-old boy on a street in Ferrol in 1908? The answer is Francisco Franco. And the mere act of asking the question causes a jolt: nobody is indifferent to the dictator who ruled Spain for nearly four decades.
Between praise and mockery
Opinions range from vindication to ridicule. Some claim he was "the best ruler since the Catholic Monarchs," others call him "a great man" and even credit him with the only historical defeat of communism. On the opposite side, jokes about his relationship with Stalin or accusations that he left "the job half done" reveal a current that denies him even the success of his own dictatorship.
Homophobia as a political weapon
The ugliest turn comes from attacks on his sensual orientation. The homophobic slur against Franco is not an isolated outburst: some repeat it casually, while others call it what it is, a tendency that says more about those who use it than about the historical figure.
If Franco could rise from the grave, he might prefer that people debate his dictatorship rather than his sensual orientation. Or maybe not: even that has become a battleground where history matters less than settling today's scores.
Who is that 16-year-old boy on a street in Ferrol in 1908? The answer is Francisco Franco. And the mere act of asking the question causes a jolt: nobody is indifferent to the dictator who ruled Spain for nearly four decades.
Between praise and mockery
Opinions range from vindication to ridicule. Some claim he was "the best ruler since the Catholic Monarchs," others call him "a great man" and even credit him with the only historical defeat of communism. On the opposite side, jokes about his relationship with Stalin or accusations that he left "the job half done" reveal a current that denies him even the success of his own dictatorship.
Homophobia as a political weapon
The ugliest turn comes from attacks on his sensual orientation. The homophobic slur against Franco is not an isolated outburst: some repeat it casually, while others call it what it is, a tendency that says more about those who use it than about the historical figure.
If Franco could rise from the grave, he might prefer that people debate his dictatorship rather than his sensual orientation. Or maybe not: even that has become a battleground where history matters less than settling today's scores.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (19 replies).
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