Expressing and talking about Sexuality for chicana women has always created a problem because there is no social norm for expressing and talking about it. I agree with trujillo’s persuasive argument that not loving their bodies lesbian chicana women are not perceiving themselves as sexual beings thus not confronting their lesbianism(Trujillo282) because in order to be true to yourself chicana lesbians must first love themselves as a woman and as a sexual being before they love somebody else and break free of traditional conceptions of appropriate female conduct. Breaking free of the traditional concepts of appropriate conduct is a challenge because chicana women having always been instilled that it is a sin to be a lesbian according to the Roman Catholic Church which is not factural. Religion is a important component in the chicana upbringing thus making a closeted lesbian not want to come out because she is confused about what is right and what is wrong. The culture voices shame upon chicana women if they go beyond the criteria of passivity and repression or doubts of in virtue of chicana women refuse (Castillo…
The 1959 revolution brought about perhaps the most considerable change the island of Cuba has ever seen in its recent history, causing a complete remodelling of everyday life. Under Castro’s rule, the new regime challenged old politics of the state and people by tackling issues such as race and gender. Though it may have taken a while for the government to successfully implement considerable changes, most got their starting point under the revolutionary wave due to the need to eradicate Cuba of its backwards thinking policies. One controversial topic however that should have been confronted yet was perhaps even supported to some extent, was homophobia. There are numerous theories as to why discrimination against homosexuals lasted so long whereas discrimination against black people for example, was an issue tackled immediately by the revolution. Twenty years later however and homosexuals in Cuba were still experiencing the discrimination from the state and its people. A film which attempts to portray this experience is ‘Fresa y Chocolate’ (Strawberries and Chocolate) which does so by touching upon topics of employment, culture and education regarding homosexual lifestyle in 1970s Cuba. This essay will discuss through examination to what extent is ‘Fresa y Chocolate’ an accurate depiction.…
In reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz, there is a large emphasis imposed on both male and female gender roles of the Dominican Republic. Gender roles are social and behavioral norms that, within a specific culture, are widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex. However in this book, it is apparent that there is an extreme machismo attitude that is expected of men from the Dominican Republic. Consequentially, the women are degraded and are used no more than as a commodity. The book, mainly narrated through Yunior, encompasses many roles of each gender, but most prominently is male machismo. Machismo is defined as a strong sense of masculine pride, or exaggerated exertion of masculinity, or male-like qualities. It is derived from the Spanish word macho, literally meaning male or masculine, and through time it has come to be the defining characteristic for males in Latin America (Machismo and the Dominican Republic). Sadly, machismo falls under an umbrella term that ultimately justifies all acts by males, including what they say, think and more importantly how they distinguish themselves as men. Although the book takes place in Paterson, New Jersey, there is still an intense feeling of machismo in many of the male characters in the book. While machismo allows a man to define himself, it is evident that in the process, the importance of females are degraded and are depreciated in turn.…
Lorena Garcia discusses the way in which minority girls view sexual identities. Particularly Latina and black girls, in which the population is “at risk” of teenage pregnancy. These girls believe that if one is unable to practice safe sex, whether that be with a condom or contraceptive, they will be considered “bad girls” due to their failed behavior. As would regularly, associating responsibility with abstinence is not the subject of being safe whereas it would be considered in other places. Women of this culture who are still engaged in sexual activity might still be classified as “good girls” so long as they prevent pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The women of the Latina culture compare themselves with pregnant women with…
The women of the Young Lords Party, a Puerto Rican organization, presented this document to men to address how Puerto Rican gender norms influence the ways in which they are oppressed (91). The historical treatment of women in Puerto Rican society is prevalent in modern times as women have to be subservient to men (92). Women restricted to roles within the home, making social or political involvement difficult. Transgressing expected norms The United States government exploited Puerto Rican women through forced sterilization and birth control pill testing without their consent or an explanation of the risks (93). Young Lords women advocate for Puerto Rican women's right to bear responsibility for their reproductive choices (93).…
In the Dominican Republic, Politics have made the largest impact on the rights of the peoples. The leaders of the Dominican, the laws and what they enforce is what made the Dominican so poor. A major contributor to the poor people of the DR and the below average rights of all the peoples was the Bloodiest dictator in all of Latino history, Raphael Trujillo1. When his regime ruled over the Dominican Republic he seemed to not care at all at all for the lives of people. Over his 30 years of dictatorship he renamed Pico Duarte to Pico Trujillo, when a hurricane destroyed Santo Domingo he rebuilt the city and named it “Ciudad Trujillo” and put 2000 statues of himself in it. He even had signs that flashed “God and Trujillo” 2. He…
The dominant paradigm for gender relations in the United States has always been one of a heterosexual standpoint. “Measured against other Western democracies at the dawn of the twentieth century, the American state – slow to develop, small in size, and limited in capability – stood out as distinctive” (Canaday 1). Since the beginning of its establishment, the United States has taken a strong stance against homosexuality. One of the United States’ most evident characteristics that set it apart from other cultures was its harsh punishment on homosexual relationships. The harsh laws and regulations against homosexuals have not only continued to perpetuate the idea of a strictly heteronormative society, but…
Since the beginning of time, issues regarding homosexuality have proven to be very controversial grounds in society. However, there is no doubt that Canada has challenged these issues and reformed the face of its society by standing as one of the most accepting nations in the world in respect to LGBT equality. A timeline so rich in historical value since 1965 to the present day recounts Canada’s journey in addressing the needs and concerns of this topic. Undoubtedly, while many people still have polar views on this topic, it is something that is fortunately starting to be addressed and accepted more as time progresses. Many factors such as court cases, changes in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the current LGBT movement,…
The homosexual community raised up for their right when AIDS was pointed to them as their fault. Many people stood up for what they believed in for the rights of all humans. The discrimination toward the homosexuals was not only in america, but around the world. At least 76 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean “have anti-homosexual laws”(Picard). Not only did this give the community right, but those with diseases and with disabilities…
This alteration continues present. Why do viewpoints of people change ? According to Giddens, sexual development and sexual satisfaction henceforth became bound to the reflexive project of the self (1991,164) (Gauntlett, 2008, p.110). Another arguement of Giddens; once sex was seperated from reproduction, sexual plesure and variety could come to the fore. Meantime contraception had a direct influence on heterosexuality, it had knock-on homosexual relation and sexuality, as the idea of sexual pleasure in society became more open and less riddled with apprehension. Also, although in traditional socities the substantial function of reproduction was surely focused on heterosexual couples, in more modern times, once reproduction had come under human control, heterosexuality lost its supremacy (Gauntlett, 2008, p.116). Finally according to PewResearch Center’s survey; among young people in specific, there is broad support for social acceptence of homosexuality. More than six-in-ten (63%) of those young than 50- 69% of those younger than 30- say that homosexuallity should be accepted. But acceptence of homosexuality is 52% of those older than 50. Therefore the acceptence of homosexuality will increase in the…
In the years leading to this, the Dominican Republic had to deal with some very big challenges. According to Hill (2010), a society is “a group of people who share a common set of values and norms.” Significantly, the country has had problems with the level of drug traffickers coming through its boarders; they have been dealing with the corruption of their politicians and law enforcement, as well as having some of the strictest constitutional bans on abortion and gay marriage in the world. Some factors that have a great affect the country’s economic development are political and social problems.…
The living environment in Brazil and Canada have drastically evolved since the 1900’s. However, the HIV/Aids virus is still current in both societies. The research conducted by Carlos F. Ca´ceres (2002) explores the different backgrounds and societies of the gay population in Brazil. It concluded that high social status gay men only interacted with other gay men in contrast to those in the middle and low class who interact with men of both homosexual and heterosexual preferences. This, therefore, puts gay men of low social status at a greater risk for HIV/Aids than those who are less unfortunate. Alcohol in Brazil is also heavily promoted as a leisure context and is seen as a social norm for males to consume. (Carlos F. Ca´ceres, 2002) Gay…
In 2010, Argentina became the first Latin American county to legalize same-sex marriage. Allowing for the first time thousands of Argentinian people to be legally allowed to be with those they love. This law became passed in spite of venomous opposition from the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church opposing the LGBTQ community is not a 2000’s phenomenon, however. With the recent rise in acknowledgment for these once marginalizes groups, historians of colonial Latin America have taken an interest in these communities. Beginning in the 1980’s historians have begun to unmask the court cases involving sodomy, same-sex relations, and sexual acts that were deemed “unnatural” by the judicial system or the ecclesiastical courts in colonial Latin America.…
Thesis Statement: The Gay Rights Movement dates back to the 19th century. By 1970 gay and lesbian organizations existed all over the United States and in other countries all over the world. Some supporters of the movement would say that our society as a whole has made great strides towards acceptance of homosexuality. However, gays and lesbians are still fighting for equality in 2009. The issues are vast and widespread, with same-sex marriage at the top of the list. In the world that we live in today one might be surprised to learn how many countries are accepting of gay and lesbians, as well as how many are not. The world has made progress within the last decade regarding this issue, but definitely not enough. We need to take steps to protect and balance Gay rights.…
This paper is from a catholic feminist's perceptive that the church, as an institution, is structured as a pyramid modeled on the patriarchal family with the custom of father-right. The patriarchal decision-maker has the power to shape, form and control the "poor of the world" (McCormick, pg. 240) mirroring the aspect of the conflict theory. The poor of the world are the people who work for the institution of the Church controlled by the patriarchal power elite. These established masses of people feel no control, which cause anxiety and they continue to perform their means of production as a formed unit. The power elite's fear of being overthrown by the poor of the world is fueled with sheer determination and consistency to stay on top. In the article "Sociology and Sexuality" women and women's sexuality is stated to be oppressed with the poor of the people and is examined through human rights, religious desacralization, religious sacralization, women's human rights and social conditioning.…