About
the expectation of neutrality in media is a censorship tactic used to maintain the status quo - but neutrality in the face of injustice may just as well be complicity.
real francamente brings you written, audio, and visual fútbol content focused through an intellectual, humanities-based, and most importantly, an anti-capitalist, anti-fascist lens.
real [ray-ahl]
adjective
¹ royal
² real, true
francamente [frahn-ka-men-tay]
adverb
frankly, honestly
real francamente was born from the urgent need for more creative outlets featuring the work of women and minoritized folks, and especially from a clear lack and failure of institutions to openly disavow white supremacy, misogyny, homophobia, fascism, and capitalism.
our work aims to be inherently intersectional: we must attack the systems perpetuating injustice while simultaneously recognizing the multiple levels of minoritization that contribute to and uphold our current capitalist culture.
capitalism was created to spread and uphold white supremacy. it is exploitative and destructive, and the only way to abolish white supremacy, misogyny, homophobia, and fascism is to abolish it.
at real francamente we will call out and battle this injustice at every turn. it is also our goal to normalize these discussions. capitalism brainwashes us in very subtle ways to consider anyone who is anti-capitalist to be “radical” or “controversial.” we are just regular people who love pink, glitter, reality tv, fútbol, and also passionately want a better society for all. because we are just regular people, it is important for us to reclaim symbols and concepts traditionally not considered “serious” or intellectual, especially things classified as specifically feminine. capitalism asks society to view anyone who is anti-capitalist as the enemy, as dangerous, as foreign, and that erasure works to maintain systemic dominance. reappropriating a beautiful aesthetic and symbols like glitter and crowns is not only a statement of personality but a radical act against stereotypes and preconceived notions.
franca
Franca is the founder and brain behind all things real francamente. First earning a Ph.D. in Romance Studies (focusing on Spanish Language and Latin American literature, culture and studies), Franca is now a professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies, and her academic research focuses on manifestations of popular culture such as Carnaval (specifically Uruguayan Carnaval and the components of murga and candombe), gastronomic racism, reggaetón, and of course fútbol, her number one passion since birth. In addition to being passionate about social justice and politics and the way they touch all aspects of our lives, she also works as a faculty advisor to the office of diversity, equity, and inclusion at her campus.
As a Latina woman with significant white privilege, Franca makes it her mission in life to call out systemic injustice at every turn.
The teams: Uruguay and Argentina national teams, Peñarol, Boca Jrs, Barcelona, RedBull New York, Manchester United, Napoli, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Beyond her passions for fútbol and the intersection of politics and life, Franca loves her dog Luna, her supportive family and bæ, reality tv, food, and the beach.
a royal decree
the name: at first glance, you might question the incongruence of being firmly anti-fascist and the name “real francamente,” particularly “real” as it relates to spain. when i started thinking about a solo project, i was immediately drawn to “francamente” because it is my name (franca) and also because it literally means “frankly” or “honestly;” one of my most proud and prominent qualities is that i am extremely honest and transparent, with all the pros and cons that come along with it. it only felt right to try to make it like a fútbol team name, but SC or CF or FC just didn’t feel right. the more i considered the linguistic pun of “real” meaning “real, true” as opposed to just “royal,” and how well it fit with “francamente,” i realized it was just too good to pass up. it is a reclaiming of terminology normally associated with everything i hate, and at the same time representing everything that i am.
the symbols: similar to the reclaiming of “real,” real francamente is reclaiming colors and symbols normally associated with the unserious and superficial. in society, if we want to be taken “seriously” or want to be considered “smart,” we are expected to use subdued, neutral colors and symbols. this is subconscious and rooted in misogyny; we are conditioned to associate pink and glitter with young femininity and as a result, as silly. real francamente aims to embrace this supposed contradiction and become the antithesis of it. we can like glitter, pink, and other things traditionally criticized or dismissed and still be brilliant, profound, and serious. additionally, the crown is a reclaiming of symbology typically used to insult strong, opinionated women. all of these things combine to pay tribute to our inherent values of equality and equity, in addition to the subtle nod and deliberate use of all lowercase letters.
ultimately, the branding is also fun, cheeky, and tongue-in-cheek; all of these things can coexist. it is also an invitation to always strive to analyze content beneath the surface!