Podcast Summary

Podcast: Saldremos Mejores
Episode: SALDREMOS VIVAS | 3X01
Hosts: Inés Hernand & Nerea Pérez de las Heras
Date: 20 September 2023
Producer: Podium Podcast

Overview: Main Theme & Episode Purpose

The season 3 opener of "Saldremos Mejores" ("Saldremos Vivas") confronts the aftermath of host Nerea Pérez de las Heras's recent accident and amputation. The episode powerfully reframes crisis and trauma through the lens of feminist networks, collective care, vulnerability, and dignity. Along the way, Inés and Nerea dissect the political and social events of late summer 2023 in Spain—particularly the Rubiales case, recent digital sexual violence scandals, and the political machinations around government formation—always with their distinctive mix of rigor, irreverence, and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Return & New Season Spirit

• The hosts reintroduce the show, acknowledging their personal and social changes over the summer.
• Inés thanks the "red inquebrantable de mejorcitas" (unbreakable network of besties) that supports them online and offline. (00:40)

2. Social & Political Headlines

Sexual Violence, Consent and Digital Violence

• The hosts analyze high-profile cases:
  • Arrest of Real Madrid youth players for sharing a sex tape of a minor (03:38).
  • Case in Almendralejo: Girls, some as young as 11, deepfaked nude and images spread by classmates (03:21).
• Importance of new legal frameworks (e.g. “ley del solo sí es sí”) penalizing non-consensual distribution of intimate content—even if created with AI.
• Inés shares a personal anecdote about her own experience with the unauthorized sharing of suggestive images, revealing how normalized and structural this violence is:

  “...esas imágenes...fueron enviadas en un grupo de WhatsApp de todo tíos... lo que te has ganado tú es una buena fulana...” – Inés Hernán (05:13)

The Rubiales Case & Feminism in the Public Eye

• Explores why the infamous "pico" (non-consensual kiss) isn't “just a kiss,” but an abuse of power watched by millions, sparking the rise of #MeToo in Spanish workplaces (06:36).
• Multiple references to Woody Allen’s dismissive comments and the general misapprehension of the issue:

  "Señalas la luna y miran el dedo todo el tiempo, o sea, es un jefe invadiendo el espacio personal." – Nerea Pérez (06:24)

• Discuss how women are forced to overthink responses to such violations due to professional consequences (07:36).

Spanish Politics: Government gridlock and Far-Right Threat

• Quick overview: Political instability post-general elections (10:33), with special focus on Feijóo's doomed investiture bid and the role of Catalan parties demanding amnesty for independence leaders (11:37).
• Aznar’s inflammatory rhetoric, calling for street protests and warning of "autodestrucción constitucional" (13:02).

  "Aznar no te lo quitas de encima ni para Dios..." – Nerea (12:56) "Si tenéis un ejemplar de la Constitución en la estantería porque se puede reventar." – Nerea (13:31)

Criminalization of Eco-Activism

• The absurdity and danger of labeling climate activists (Extinction Rebellion, Futuro Vegetal) as terrorists by Spain’s Fiscalía (15:15).

  “Pero han incluido... las organizaciones ecológicas, que menos mal que existen... en el apartado de terrorismo nacional.” – Nerea (15:15)

• The importance of recognizing peaceful civil disobedience as a democratic right, not “radicalism.” (16:54)

3. The Core of the Episode: Nerea’s Accident, Amputation & Feminist Care

The Power of Friendship Networks

• A reading from Dolly Alderton’s Todo lo que sé sobre el amor (19:28) sets the theme: Survival through collective, braided support.
• Both hosts reflect on the life-saving importance of close friends:

  “No es la pareja, muchas veces no es la familia... son las amigas. A mí las amigas me estáis salvando el culo, bien lo sabes.” – Nerea (20:20) “Tenemos ahí una pequeña red de espionaje.” – Inés (20:41)

Nerea’s Testimony: The Day Everything Changed

• Nerea narrates her traumatic accident (amputated right leg below the knee after a boat propeller injury, 28 July), the rapid self-management to survive, and essential interventions by friends, strangers, and healthcare professionals (21:05–25:39).
• Recognition of privilege in having community, family, and access to (and gratitude for) Spain’s public healthcare.

Notable moment:

“Nunca he estado más espabilada en mi vida... Me lié la pierna en el barco, pedí toallas, me hice un torniquete, lo apreté un montón.” – Nerea (21:05)

Amputation, Recovery, and Identity Shift

• Details of multiple surgeries, prognosis, and the rational, almost practical attitude forced by trauma response:

  “A mí me explicó mi psicóloga, que eso es la amígdala... eres una gestora espectacular y empiezas a dar órdenes y a estar muy en eje.” – Nerea (21:05)

• On acceptance, visibility, and public support:

  “Cuando lo hice público... empecé a recibir un tsunami de amores y de cariños... os sentíais cercanas y amigas...” – Nerea (27:20)

Vulnerability, Pride and the Trouble with “Not Molesting”

• Inés reflects tenderly on the socialization of women to not “molest” or “cargar” others, and urges Nerea—as well as listeners—to accept and claim support and care:

  “Yo solo te pido una cosa y es que nos molestes, que nos molestes hasta la saciedad, que hagas nuestros los espacios, porque también lo son...” – Inés (31:59)

From Carer to (Reluctant) Cared-For

• Nerea struggles with the shift from being a caregiver to the recipient of care, highlighting the feminist message of interdependence (33:09):

  “Yo era cuidadora de dependientes y ahora soy dependiente. Entonces claro, chiquis, yo me tengo que acostumbrar a esto...”

• On “high-functioning” appearance and social expectations: Nerea rejects messages that pressure her to demonstrate constant resilience or issue “cup-of-motivation” positivity (45:49).

The Everyday: Pain, Bureaucracy, and the Disabled Body

• Vivid descriptions of living with “miembro fantasma” (phantom limb), chronic pain, logistical challenges, and day-to-day adjustments (37:42–40:44).
• Nerea attributes much of her self-acceptance to the consciousness gained through feminism:

  “Mi momento de mirarme al espejo no sería el mismo si no fuera por el feminismo. Quizás si yo no fuera una mujer feminista, pues ahora mismo me miraría al espejo y me sentiría incompleta...” (42:03)

• Names the compounding psychological stress—PTSD, grief, anxiety—and the enormous difference environment, companionship, and public healthcare make (43:28–45:04).
• Denounces the disabling role of Spain’s bureaucratic system, which is deeply frustrating and exclusionary even for a well-connected, literate, and privileged person:

  “La burocracia me ha hecho sentir inválida, pequeña, inútil y perdida.” – Nerea (53:48) “Parece un filtro para que no accedas a ciertas cosas.” – Nerea (57:22)

On Social Responses: Curiosity, Pity, and Boundaries

• The hosts discuss the problematic (often morbid) curiosity of strangers and acquaintances, and the right to preserve one’s privacy.

  “Este relato Nerea, te pertenece a ti, a nadie más.” – Inés (48:29) “Nadie sabe cómo comportarse en una movida así...Ha sido bastante raro consolar a la gente.” – Nerea (51:06)

Role Models, Peer Solidarity, and Partnership

• Nerea emphasizes the strength she finds in advice and community from other amputees and thanks professionals and friends for sustaining her (58:46–59:32).
• Moving testament to her partner Ana’s support:

  “La adoro. Ha llevado esto y le ha pasado a ella también. Nos ha pasado a las dos, nos ha pasado a todas.” – Nerea (61:00)

Looking Forward with Hope and Realism

• Despite trauma, Nerea projects optimism and humor about the future and technological possibilities (“pierna robótica dorada”) (61:11).

  “La vida es muy hermosa, incluso ahora, y eso es así.” – Ana (61:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Nunca he estado más espabilada en mi vida... Me lié la pierna en el barco, pedí toallas, me hice un torniquete, lo apreté un montón.” – Nerea (21:05)
• “No es la pareja...son las amigas. A mí las amigas me estáis salvando el culo, bien lo sabes.” – Nerea (20:20)
• “Yo solo te pido una cosa y es que nos molestes, que nos molestes hasta la saciedad...” – Inés (31:59)
• “El valor de una mujer no está en su cuerpo... Está en su olla, en su manera de comportarse con los demás y en sus valores. Y eso está intacto.” – Nerea (42:03)
• “La burocracia me ha hecho sentir inválida, pequeña, inútil y perdida.” – Nerea (53:48)
• “La vida es muy hermosa, incluso ahora.” – Ana (61:45)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:40 — Gratitude for the podcast's community; season's new energy
• 03:21–05:44 — Discussion of digital sexual violence cases and law reform
• 06:24–09:47 — Rubiales case; systemic workplace violations and responses
• 10:33–14:13 — Spanish political gridlock, far-right, and government formation
• 15:15–17:21 — Criminalization of eco-activism, Extinction Rebellion/Futuro Vegetal
• 19:28 — Reading: Dolly Alderton’s “Todo lo que sé sobre el amor”
• 21:05–27:55 — Nerea’s firsthand narrative: accident, survival, community care
• 27:55–33:09 — Reflections on vulnerability, accepting care, feminist interdependence
• 37:42–40:44 — Daily life with amputation: pain, adaptation, SND “amputados para dummies”
• 42:03–45:38 — On body image, self-worth, and feminism post-accident
• 53:48–57:22 — Bureaucracy’s disabling impact; need for structural reform

Tone and Style

The episode is intensely personal, deeply honest, and laced with the hosts' trademark humor, affection, and rage at injustice. Inés and Nerea create a safe, feminist space that allows for both emotional rawness and political critique, oscillating between laughter, tears, and righteous indignation.

Conclusion

Episode 3x01 of "Saldremos Mejores" is a masterclass in vulnerability and radical care—intellectual, emotional, political. Through sharing the story of Nerea’s accident and recovery, it demonstrates how collective support, feminist consciousness, and defiant humor are a lifeline not only for her but for all listeners facing adversity. The episode sets the tone for a season where personal and political survival are equally intertwined—and confirms the podcast’s status as a touchstone of empathy and social analysis in Spain.

“Arriba los corazones, mejorcitas. Gracias por los cariños” – (62:51)