Welcome to The Pixel Project’s “30 For 30″ Father’s Day Campaign 2016! In honour of Father’s Day, we created this campaign:
- To acknowledge the vital role dads play in families, cultures and communities worldwide.
- To showcase men from different walks of life who are fabulous positive non-violent and non-sexist male role models.
- To provide dads worldwide a positive platform to share ideas about stopping sexism, misogyny, and violence against women and girls.
This is our 5th annual 30 For 30 campaign and through it we will be publishing a short interview with a different Dad on each day of the month of June.
Our twenty-second “30 For 30″ 2016 Dad is Daniel Benavides Cordobaz from Spain.
Editor’s Note:
This interview was originally in Spanish and part of “30 Padres para 30 Días” – a blogging initiative for all Spanish-speaking fathers that was inspired by the 30 For 30 campaign. “30 Padres para 30 Días” is a joint project by Papás blogueros (Dad Bloggers) and Madresfera (Mumsphere) – two Spanish language parenting blogger communities.
This interview was translated by Nilsa Limaris Correa-Padilla with additional support from Maria del Rio Sanin.
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The Dad Bio
I’m the youngest of 3 boys, raised in a home where “us” was always the most important thing. Now I work at the family business, I have plenty of liberty and it gives me a lot of time to be a full-time father, taking care of and teaching my daughter as best as I can. I tell all my stories at www.tangdenaranda.es (link in Spanish).
1. What is the best thing about being a dad?
Thinking all my life that a person can’t change, and seeing that it only took having a daughter to change.
Since she was born, I think I have improved as a person, especially because, whether you like it or not (although I think I do like it), you are an example and for them and you have to give the best of you to raise a worthy human being.
And the best thing is that I never stop learning how to be better, not only with her, but with everyone around me.
2. A dad is usually the first male role model in a person’s life and fathers do have a significant impact on their sons’ attitude towards women and girls. How has your father influenced the way you see and treat women and girls?
My father is a hardworking man, he wasn’t home a lot but, somehow, managed to transmit very strong family values to me. Honestly I still don’t know what superpower he has!
My father’s relationship with my mother is not only based in respect, but in blind trust that both of them are able to deal with any situation because they are a team. And now that I’ve grown up, I know that between my partner (or any other woman) and I, there aren’t distinctions, other than even if I have a big belly I don’t have a baby inside.
3. Communities and activists worldwide are starting to recognise that violence against women is not a “women’s issue” but a human rights issue and that men play a role in stopping the violence. How do you think fathers and other male role models can help get young men and boys to take an interest in and step up to help prevent and stop violence against women?
It could be said that I already answered this question: To set an example, time and again, starting at home. By not treating mothers and daughters like the rose from Beauty and the Beast – a weak being that will fade just by us looking at her.
Boys and girls have to learn that there are no differences between them an that everybody has the same value so boys don’t grow up with a mistaken assumption of superiority, and that girls learn that being treated violently is not normal.