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The poem at the beginning of the chapter two in the Anzaldua book was a very interesting way of opening the chapter. The way she mentions “y como mi raza que cada en cuando deja caer esa esclavitud de obedecer, de callarse y aceptar, en mi esta la rebeldia y encimita de mi carne.” What I understood from this quote is that she will never stay quiet when she is against something. She will never be humiliated and act like nothing happened. The way she mentions that she will never let a man go over her. I like how she will always go with her own decisions even though her mom, church or others tell her otherwise. However, it is important to always listen for advice and never block those people automatically without giving them a chance to talk to you. This chapter has parts where they criticize women based on their sexual decisions. I like the expression “I am a turtle, wherever I go I carry “home” in my back.” It is important to never forget out roots and we should always have the freedom to show off our culture wherever we go. It has made me think carefully of a different perspective when it comes to just following your instinct and rebelling against everyone that surrounds you. (219)
ReplyDeleteBruno Morales
In chapter 2 of Anzaldua's Borderlands, she begins to write of her personal struggles as a poor mexican woman. Gloria Anzaldua was raised radically different than most Mexican Americans, since she was taught as a man's equal, rather than underneath men. This is somewhat where her struggle for identity began. She almost immediately stood out from most of her peers, as she was considered to be not lady like, and at the time, many believed that she chose to be Homosexual in the deeply religious catholic community of Mexican Americans. While she was taught to not care about how others think of her, it became a deep personal struggle for her to be a Homosexual Mexican American woman in a time where many Americans and Mexicans already did not approve of the "Chicano" lifestyle. She struggled with finding her "home" culture, when her home culture rejected her lifestyle and being. While she did not fit in with the Americans, or the Mexicans, she still later found a reason to speak for herself. While she feared never fitting in, and always being rejected because of who she was, she felt it was important for her to speak up on topics of sexuality, gender, race and culture. Due to the courage of Anzaldua, who spoke for one of the smallest minorities in the countries, she created a strive for open mindedness, and inclusivity. Had it not been for her, many civil rights movements and the United States as we know it today would not be how it is.
ReplyDeleteMichael Gonzalez
Sometimes tradition and practices that come with a culture may feel overwhelming and unreasonable. Comparably, I do believe and agree that there are aspects of the Mexican culture that do not suggest the idea of justice nor equality; for instance, men and women and the relationships between the two may be considered. The notion that women are only purposed to be restrained to domestic work is not appropriate in various manners. Neither does the church, who is to be under the truthful Spirit of Jesus Christ, teach women to be as ‘mechanical servants’ to their families or to others. In fact, the Word of God, in Proverbs chapter 31, depicts a woman of virtue, strength, and dignity who is equipped to complete all challenges and tasks laid before her. “She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night” (Proverbs 31:16-18). Therefore, if a church preaches that women are solely skilled and qualified for housework and ‘tending’ to her husband, is that church truly under the guidance of God? God does not expect for a woman to just sit around and wait on others to ‘giver her orders.’ Yes, nevertheless, it is true that women ARE to be submissive to their husbands and take responsibilities as a caring wife and mother. The Word of God teaches that women ought to be submissive under their husband’s leadership in Colossians chapter 3. However, it also instructs, “Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly” (verse 16). Thus, if a woman should be submissive to her husband, he must, himself, act righteously and respectful. The Lord intended marriage to be kept holy and filled with peace, for both the man and women should work to be the spouse, parent, and individual they are called to be. Man is to be an HONORABLE leader for his wife and children, and a woman is to be obedient in her responsibilities as a wife and mother while being productive, strong, and a hard worker in whatever she sets her mind to do. There MUST be nondiscriminatory cooperation between both a man and a woman.
ReplyDelete^^^Celine Brianna Salas
DeleteWhile reading “Movimientos de rebeldia y las culturas que traicionan” I was thinking how my life as a Mexican American female has been. Since the beginning I started to identify myself with some stuff that Gloria Anzaldua thought and went through. For example, she disliked the idea of people, especially family, telling us what or what not to do without even listening our voice. I also identified myself with Anzaldua when she talked about how her family viewed her as “Lazy” and when I read this part it kind of made me think that studying for some time instead of doing chores the majority of the day, means that actually there is nothing wrong with me wanting to get an education and it does not mean I am lazy. This part of the book, in my opinion, was right about how our culture has dedicated centuries in making a cultural system in which whatever the woman does, she will always be wrong. There were so many emotions that went through me while reading this chapter. It angered me of how woman are viewed and it should not be that way. Anzaldua also mentions that people in our culture made such traditions to keep us “safe”, but I believe such traditions harm the woman. Now, most woman seek independence and its okay to have an education and if we think about it we are crossing a cultural border. As a final thought, we as woman should fight to break free from such traditions that harm us and in a way it harms men as well.
ReplyDeleteGuadalupe Cazares
Chapter two of Gloria Anzaldua’s book consisted of the way our culture harms us as queer women of color. I believe a lot of what she said consists of my daily inner monologue as I too struggle with wanting to indulge myself in my culture yet being completely rejected by it as well. She first addresses the toxic masculinity that runs rampant throughout Mexican culture and how it oppresses women through contradiction and religion. Religion is a huge part of Mexican culture and our representation in it, starting with the very beginning of time (Eve), is harmful and encourages misogyny. It is not hard to trace down the roots of our oppression, and if only men analyzed these internalized beliefs maybe we would not be marginalized. She delves into her nonbinary identity in two paragraphs before she moves onto the homophobia and isolation that comes with being a queer Chicana. She describes dealing with and acknowledging being gay as a “Shadow-Beast” that must be overcome. I believe her demonization of being out to your family was a really powerful and accurate metaphor. She describes all of these struggles as “intimate terrorism” and the isolation that comes with them. “Alienated from her mother culture, “alien” in the dominant culture, the woman of color does not feel safe within the inner life of herself.” (42) For emphasis, she continues to repeat “Not me sold out my people but they me.” She highlights the forced silence that the woman of color has been forced to be shackled in. The end of the chapter remains as empowering and also implying that the woman’s silence continues.
ReplyDeleteAndrea Juarez
Even though this chapter concentrated on the viewpoint of la mujer or the chicana, I felt as if we (as men) could relate to her in some perspectives. At some point in our lives we all feel the need to rebel against the norm that our parents or culture places on us. Whether rebelling benefits or harms us, that is a way that we, as a society but especially as individuals, can learn, develop and advance. It was extremely gratifying to read this chapter, it gave me a new-found respect for Anzaldúa. The fact that she decided to go against the norm of getting married and having children, that our culture places on women was admirable. Although, I do believe this machismo culture transcends borders. A successful woman who is stern and knows what she wants is seen as a “dragon lady” or a bitch, a man with the same attitude is seen as commendable and ambitious. There seems to be a social gender hypocrisy when it comes to successful women. When she mentioned that ambition was condemned in Mexican culture, it was awfully relatable. Personally, I have had friends and family members mention “Ay sí, te crees mucho” as if the feeling of personal achievement is to be denounced. The mentality to degrade our fellow peers, when they are on top, (ser egoísta), is very prominent in our culture. Another thing I commend Anzaldúa for mentioning, is her getting out of The Valley, even though our culture is strongly family oriented, moving away is a true approach to gain personal and spiritual growth. (264)
ReplyDelete-Víctor D. Gaytán
Chapter 2 of “Borderlands/La Mestiza” by Gloria Anzaldua was very interesting as Anzaldua really explains and goes into detail of women and their culture. I found it very interesting because I understood and knew Anzaldua was strong when talking about women. In this chapter, it is stated that Anzaldua was the first one in her family in six generations to leave home. Anzaldua strongly believes that women should serve and stay beneath the men in culture. Some may say that men hold the power and the men make the rules. However, Anzaldua says that women shouldn’t have to always follow the rules. Just like many Mexicans out there, Anzaldua struggled as a poor Mexican individual and throughout this chapter, she explores her homosexuality. Anzaldua knew she was homosexual and understood that some people are just different and that no matter what at the end of the day it was a choice. Anzaldua states that in her culture and time, the only options for a woman wereto become a nun, a prostitute, or wife. These certain roles were made for women to be “safe” in a way but Anzaldua felt like they just keep women stuck. Women were made to do way more things for themselves and didn’t want to hear anything negative that would stop them from what they were trying to accomplish. Personally, I thought of it as “anything a man can do, a woman can do better.” The struggle Anzaldua went through was hard and between being of her “home” culture and yet finding faults and betrayal within the culture. The fact of Anzaldua going home, her going home is to accept her for what it is, not in the physical sense, but really believing in what is happening within her home or native culture.
ReplyDeleteMichael Garcia
Gloria Anzaldua said, “something was ‘wrong’ with me,” because she wouldn’t obey her culture or her parents on how to behave like everyone else. Women that didn’t obey their husbands were beaten by them and this was approved by other women who were submissive and conformists. Gloria was the complete opposite of those women, she was strong and rebellious. She saw wrong what the Anglos were doing to the Chicanos as well how Mexicans treated women. The justification for this treatment towards women was that selfishness was condemned and if you get above yourself you’re being selfish. Why can’t women speak for themselves, think for themselves? As much as men want control women wanted control over their own life and not being controlled by their parents, community and religion. White women were considered a minority so how were colored/brown women considered? Do you think they were treated better or worse? That is why Gloria has no gender identification because she doesn’t want to speak not only for women but also, for homosexuals and bisexuals. Chicanos culture didn’t accept bisexuals or anybody that were considered ‘deformed’ and she saw it wrong. I do not agree with the actions of bisexual people but I respect their choices. I don’t see right homophobia because even though it’s not something that we don’t encourage it’s something that we need to resect. Something that got my attention was when she said that even though she left home she didn’t ‘lose touch with my origins because lo mexicano is in my system.’
ReplyDeleteStephanie Nicole Cantu
In Anzaldúa’s Borderlands La Frontera The New Mestiza in Chapter Two she basically discussions how and what it is like to be a Mexican and what goes on in their household. Like mentioned many times during our class discussions the stereotype of a typical Mexican family is the man which is the dad of the family goes out and works everyday while the women which is the mom stays at home only cooking and cleaning as well catering to her husband and watching over the kids. I highly disagree with this sterotype because the way I was brought up and raised. I was raised to know that both man and women get their education and work, not one person does more than the other but they split it equally. I highly believe a woman should be just as high up as a man, I believe no woman should have to rely on a man to bring home the money while they just stay home and do house work. Anzaldua also talks about her perspective in life as a lesbian woman who was raised in a Catholic household with parents who didn’t agree with her decisions whatsoever. I can only imagine from reading from her experience how hard it must have been for her as well at the same time how easily we woman now a day have it when back then was completely opposite. In today’s life, our people have become more open minded and understanding to people who are attracted to the same gender as when back then it was not accepted at all.
ReplyDeleteBrandi Rae Rodriguez
In chapter 2 of Anzaldua’s Borderlands was very overwhelming, since it describes her life when she was young and how she worked against the welt of her parents. Since back then it was humiliating that a woman would go out and work because the man in general should be the one that needs to bring the money to the house but instead Anzaldua was the first one in her family in six generations to leave home. Anzaldua strongly believes that women should serve and stay beneath the men in culture. Some may say that men hold the power and the men make the rules. But I strongly disagree, why is that because in my family for the most part are my aunts the ones that bring more money to the house and is notice as the household. Yet there is nothing wrong with that because us women have also a voice and power to subs tend ourselves, I know that for a fact because my mom was able to do that for 6 years that is why I can relate to Anzaldua. She wanted to make a difference and have her voice heart. And its cruel to hear and see that today in society many women beat up their wife’s just because they give their opinion or because they want to help their husband.
ReplyDelete(Maria Leal)
In chapter 2 of Anzaldua's Borderlands was very outspoken. She described woman's position in the Mexican Culture. Just reading the requirements that woman were labeled to do was upsetting and even more, interesting. To some point, I realized that woman were brought upon this point because of how they were raised. For example, when girls are smaller they walk around carrying babies and yelling "momma" as if they were a mom. This shows how the woman are brought to the idea that when they grow up their goal is be a mom, clean, cook and get married. On the contrary, boys are brought to the idea that they must work. It's all in the visual of how they grow up. Woman shouldn't depend on a man to bring them things home. I have a strong perspective that woman can do 2x the things that men can do. Something else that also was brought to my attention was the part on "Fear of going home: Homophobia" gay and lesbian people are not different than us. They shouldn't be scared of going home and telling their parents who they really are. Growing up in a religious family is difficult when you're making decisions on what someone wants because that's when they bring God in everything and your actions. However, as all religious people say, if you confess your sins, if you go to the house of god and follow in his footsteps, he will always forgive you and never abandon you. In my opinion, they are the same people that we all are and that makes them no different. People are used to the idea of a man loving a woman and it throws them off if they don't see it that way, same goes for looks.
ReplyDeleteYarazeth Ramirez
In chapter 2 of Gloria Anzalduas book, i feel it was on a more personal level. She talks about breaking some traditional things. She talks about how she was the first one since six generations to leave her home. She describes her culture and the women's role in the that culture. I remember reading a section that mentioned that read something about her when she was a child that her family would call her the rebellious child just because she wouldn't follow what she was told. At the time the women who wouldn't do as they were told were considered a "mujer mala." We, as Hispanic women, have come a very long way from that. She also talks about her sexuality in this chapter. She talk about how, for the most part, she was constantly rejected. To me, i think this was woman was created to make a stand. When i was reading this, along with some of her poems, i felt as if she was speaking to me, and i felt as is i wasn't alone or the only person i this whole entire planet that felt this way. I knew that this woman was a great edition to our history, but now, more than ever do i have more respect for her.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Lopez
Chapter 2 of “Borderlands La Frontera” talked about mostly the struggles Gloria Anzaldua faced as a Chicana. Being lesbian and wanting an education back in the day was something considered wrong and even a form of being lazy. She leaves her home and they would comment “Como te gusta la mala vida?” Automatically they assume she is being a rebel and going against their will. Another thing that captured my attention was the three directions women had back then. “…to the Church as a nun, to the streets as a prostitute, or to the home as a mother.” Thank God some of us now have a fourth choice according to Anzaldua; “entering the world by way of education and career and becoming self-autonomous persons.” As a Mexican American woman, I feel like we should have the rights we deserve and NOT what society wants for us. Why is it that we should be at the bottom? I’ve heard all the stories that my Abuela would tell me. She was the oldest of 11 and had to help her mother around the house and with her siblings. Times were tough back then she’d say sometimes they would have just beans to eat. Women have better rights now. As a Chicana, I chose to be like Gloria and go against what society wants.
ReplyDeleteGiselle Sanchez
After reading chapter 2 “Movimientos de rebeldía y las culturas que traicionan” by Gloria Anzaldua it’s really eye opening because its true being in a stage of rebellion it’s hard you feel like nobody understand you, like if everybody was against you, but the truth is that that’s just part of the stage once you over- come it you would realize that everything that your parents told you was correct. Everybody goes thru the stage of rebellion, sometimes children that don’t agree with the traditions that our parents try to teach us become rebels. Now in days kids have the opportunity to choose what they want to believe. As I was reading I found out that one of the culture that they use to have was that women had to be subservient to men. I mean even I would rebel to this culture. When married I strongly believe that it has to be equal the women have the same right that a men does. But back then if a women would rebel their situation they would call her an irresponsible women or as Anzaldua described it “mujer mala”. I’m thankful that women don’t have to go thru that situation anymore.
ReplyDelete-Mayra Saldaña
After reading chapter 2 of Anzaldua’s Borderlands was really interesting, because she went into detail of women and their culture. It’s crazy how back then women were expected to get married and just be a stay at home wife and if they rebelled they were known as “mujar mala” and if they were still a virgin until marriage they were good woman, and if the woman would go out they would consider her as callejera. It was sad reading that women only have three directions they could turn to; to the church as a nun, to the streets as a prostitute, or to the home as a mother, am glad that now a days it’s not like that. I could relate with Anzaludua “los hombres nomas quieren una casa” my mom always tells me that when I got out. When I was growing up I wasn’t allowed to wear shorts in front of my brothers and my dad, and if I did, I would get grounded. My parents aren’t as strict as before now they let me wear shorts but they have to be decent. It’s sad how the women suffer back then, having to follow the rules so they won’t be considered as bad woman. Sandy MArtinez
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the Chapter 2 of Anzaldua’s book, I learned about how was Anzaldua in her childhood. She lived in the age where the principles of the culture meant everything, women were seen as kind of “slaves”, they could not protest men’s choices, they were only meant to be at home taking care of the housework. But instead, she refused to be that woman model. She believed that “Culture forms our beliefs. Culture is made by those in power-man” (38). Basically, she is saying that we got our thought and beliefs from what we hear around of us, for example, if most people start to believe something, other people will continue to believe that.
ReplyDeleteI believe she started to hate men because they had more privileges than women, I think that was one of the reasons she became lesbian. For example, when her friend asked her “Y tu para cuando te casas Gloria?”, she responded: “Pos si me caso, no va a ser con un hombre” (39). As men made people think that women were not suppose to be independent, that hurt Anzalua’s pride, so I think she refueses to get men’s help and also love from them. She was a woman that born to be independent, and to follow her own rules, she did not want to be the typical woman that stays at home, she wanted to be someone important.
Missael Salinas
Chapter 2 of Borderlands/La Frontera is very interesting in various ways. I like the way Gloria Anzaldua expresses her crazy personality and how she would not agree with how her culture sees women, but at the same time she describes her passionate love for her culture and makes emphasis on how she will carry her culture wherever she goes.
ReplyDeleteI believe Gloria Anzaldua makes very good points on how women are treated within our culture, she mentions that women are considered capable of serving men and bearing children, but are not seen as professionals. I see Anzaldua a great example that women can also separate from their families and their culture to go out and seek a better life for them and their loved ones, but that will happen once women feel the way Anzaldua felt “competent enough on the outside and secure enough inside to live life on her own”.
It is interesting to read that even though Gloria Anzaldua was a stubborn person as she describes herself, “very indifferent to the values of her culture, hocicona, rebelde, insolente, desobediente, más allá de la tradición de su cultura”, she compares herself to a turtle, who would always carry “home” on her back wherever she goes.
As Mexican-Americans we have a lot to learn from Gloria Anzaldua, her passion to keep alive the positive aspects of her culture, aspects that have kept many generations united as family, as community and at the same time discard the aspects of our culture that see women as someone who would serve other their whole lives.
-Rossy Tapia Cervantes
Chapter 2 of Anzaldua's book really emphasized how women were being labeled and treated. It wasn't so much related to the specific things that were happening to them, it was more of the idea that they still weren't given the same equality as men. They wanted to change the views that were set on them, and some examples were said in the chapter as a nun, prostitute, or a mother. They were all seen as one of these because thats all that their life would life would lead them to, and it was wrong. Wrong in so many ways that instead of it becoming about chicanos and their movement, they had to set things straight and prove to all men that they could do and say just as much as they can, or even more. Anzaldua specifically focused on the privelages that men had, rather than what labels they're under. She paid attention to this because thats what she felt that really separated them as a group. She saw that only men would have the privilege to lead protests and always be the speaker for them. She wanted to change that and show people that women can also become leaders and can do a much better job than man would ever do .
ReplyDeleteHector Chapa
Chapter 2 of “Borderlands/ La Frontera” by Gloria Anzaldua was a very interesting chapter. In this chapter Anzaldua talks about women and how it was for them within their culture. She says that she was the first women in her family to leave her family in six generations. This got my attention because later in the chapter she said that part of the culture was that women were taught from a young age that they were the ones that stayed at home cooking, cleaning, taking care of the children and pretty much not having an education. It was said that women didn’t have a say in anything and that men ran the house and if they didn’t complete with these things, then it was necessary for the men to hit the women. It really bothered me at this point because I don’t believe that women should only be housewives and that their opinions don’t matter. I believe that a woman has a right to be whatever they want. If they want to go to school, then she has the right to do so, if she’s okay with being a housewife then that’s fine too. As long as the women is not being disrespected and everything is done equally as partners then everything will be fine.
ReplyDeleteIvan Lira
Anzaldua’s chapter 2 was started by a poem that spoke powerful words for the people who does not follow the cultural obligations that are supposed to be played by the role given at birth. She says how women are supposed to be and what is it to feel rejected by all three groups, “white, Mexican, Indian” as a female. Having to be born a female in a culture where we are seen as the weak gender is hard because some of us are not wanting to be married with children and having to make everything for the men. Times have changed and women of all cultures are speaking for themselves and saying no to the “slavery” of having to be home all day, cook, clean, and take care of the children when some of us want to do everything for ourselves without having to be depending on men. We are strong independent women who can do just as much as men without our crowns falling off. Whether we are at a housewife or in the work field, the world need us more than we need them. Roles are played the same, just seen differently by society because to them women are sentimental and weak hearted but we are stronger than we seem and can do ANYTHING. We have our culture in our hearts and our rebellious and strength is brought from the same culture that we grew up in because we are taught to stand up for what we believe in even if the world is against us. To not let others tell us who we are because we are all the same no matter the race, sex, religion or ideas.
ReplyDeleteAshley Escalante
In the reading chapter 2 subtitled “movimientos de rebeldia y las culturas que tracionan,” Gloria Anzaldua speaks about the challenges placed upon the lives of a Mexican American female and homosexuals in America, including herself. At a very young age Gloria had a strong sense of what was fair and about the injustices that occurred in her surroundings. Given the fact that she was raised in a non-sexist home with her mom being the dominant figure in her life, Anzaldua’s real struggle with finding her identity began as she noticed the assimilations of tradition/culture between her Mexican and American values. Although she feared rejection in fitting in because of her homosexuality, race and gender, she always told herself that’d she’d speak up for what she believed in those topics despite the criticism she might’ve received. As discussed in previous classes and in chapter 2, being a Latina in America placed the hardship of wanting to be a submissive housewife, or to rebel against their culture beliefs, like Gloria Anzaldua, and be referred to as “terca” or “se cree muy grande.” Fortunately, she was still able to become a role model for the New Mestiza woman living on the border between tradition and non-tradition defending her kind of people, and exposing the aspects of our culture in which hindered them that forever changed the way woman and homosexuals went about their rights to live.(233)
ReplyDeleteAdrian Martinez
After reading chapter 2 of Anzaldua’s book “Borderlands La Frontera” I think Anzaldua’s perspective of life as a woman living in la “Frontera” is very accurate and can relate to me even if I am not a woman. I think Anzaldua shows all the stereotypes that surround women in a culture, in this situation Mexican. A woman in the Mexican culture is often considering to be dependent from men, as they grew up they are taught men are the ones with “power”, from my point of view I think this is not correct, I think parents should treat their kids equally just as Dolores Huerta’s mom did. I think Anzaldua’s decision of being the first of his family to leave the valley was correct, she decided not to follow this pattern made by his family and often followed by a lot of people in the valley. I agree humans are afraid of seeing something different or something not common, we as Mexican-Americans are taught by our parents how we should behave or act, and by the time something new or uncommon appears we often think it’s not correct for example, Anzaldua talks about homosexuality and how students who were taught conservative values were not comfortable even when they were considering to be a mature person in collage.
ReplyDeleteLuis Reyna
In chapter 2 of Gloria Anzaldua's book, she talks about how she went against her family/religion beliefs because she didn't want to be the typical woman that stayed home taking care of her kids and serving her husband in any way he desired. People thought she was wrong for not wanting to stay home, for wanting to take control of her own life. I think it was very brave of her to leave the valley and her family because she was going against everything and everyone and at the time it was still unusual for women to be independent with an education, especially if it was a woman of color. It’s amazing how much it has changed since that time because today we see a lot of independent women seeking an education. I would never want to depend on a man, I do not see myself just at home waiting for my husband to come, buying stuff with his money. I want to have an education, to have a better future, to have a good job, to have my own money because I would not want someone to tell me that I wouldn’t have what I have if it weren’t for him.
ReplyDeleteYadira de Leon
In reading Gloria Anzaldúa’s “Borderlands/La Frontera,” I felt empowered. Many things she wrote I feel I can relate to. The restrictions men would bestow upon us is a lot of the traditions we have now. It is sad to say but our culture still constraints the women in the expected roles. But the change is that many women now refuse to be shackled to men’s perception of what women should do. Anzaldua had to find her own identity, without the influence of the people around her. She was strong in character and beliefs, and although was ridiculed by the men and traditional women in her culture, she was not yielding to it. I feel like I’m very passionate in being able to be your own person and not let others influence or limit you. Anzaldúa, instead of falling into the traditional roles, chose to improve herself. Men have constructed the tradition our culture is based on; therefore, it is constructed to fit the wants of men. What I saw to be disappointing and disrupting is when Anzaldua begins to explain that women were viewed as innate sexual beings that have no control and must protect their virtue through their culture and religion, which is honestly a foolish concept. I related to when Anzaldúa wrote of our mother’s concerns in that we cannot be “immoral” in front of our male relatives, which is concerning to know that not even in our home and family can we be free to express ourselves any way we wish to. Another thing she mentioned was that women that were selfish were viewed as inhumane. I agree that as humans we should hold some responsibility to take care of others, but our culture applies it only to women and that’s when it becomes unacceptable. We should also be able to take care and improve ourselves in any way we want. Anzaldua does not want to conform to the norm of gender. There is not one or the other. In the reading she writes of herself as a Shadow-Beast. I feel as though it symbolizes as the Beast being women’s power and strength, but are cast in the shadows by the men that restrict them. Anzaldúa wants to break free from being put in the shadows and instead radiate as bright as fire.
ReplyDeleteAlma De La Llana