Problems In Modern Latin American History Chapter 1 Summary

Within this class we have examined numerous groups within the Latin American Society, but one group that has largely been glossed over until now are Latin American Woman. Chapter 8, titled Women and Social Change, of the book Problems in Modern Latin American History, examines the evolution, or lack thereof, of woman’s rights in today’s Latin America. As the book details, this is a complex issue dating back to the mid 1800’s and stretching over to today’s Latin America. These issues ranged from education to the job force, involving women like Eva Peron and Benedita da Silva.
The first section, titled Women and education, tackles the issue of insufficient educational opportunities for women. One of the major issues that women faced
in Latin America in its early years was the lack of opportunities that women had, especially when it came to schooling. Many colleges and institutions only catered toward men, deny women equal opportunity. One of the major reasons for this was due to the Catholic Church. The church was very powerful in Latin America, and many priests did not believe women should be educated. One such priest who denied women rights was Antonio Vieira, who “ preached that a woman should leave her home three times in her life, when she was baptized, married, and buried.” Without the support and backing of the Church, women had a very hard time gaining equal rights as men. Things took a turn though in the mid 1800’s, as the independence movements taking place in countries like Brazil and Argentina had a tremendous effect on the women’s rights movement. Many of the new governments being formed, such as Mexico, took the opportunity to increase support for the education of women. Still, though, women had to go up against the power of the church, which still did not support women’s rights. This resulted in women still being denied from a number of institutions. As the book points out, one of the most powerful voices in the women’s rights movement was that of Middle Sector women, who had a huge hand in promoting women’s rights. The desire for the increased education for women was something that all women, from all walks of life in Latin America, could relate to and unite behind. Finally, countries like Brazil, Chile, and Argentina began to also see the potential in educating women, and began the Normal School Program. These Normal schools would cater to both boys and girls, promoting equal opportunity education. With the help of these Normal Schools, women’s education increased dramatically. Argentina alone saw its “literacy rate rise from less than one-third of the population in 1869 to more than two-thirds in 1914.” As one can see, the rise in educational opportunities for women had a major effect on both the women’s rights movement, and in shaping modern Latin America. As the book will detail, however, there were still plenty of issues that Latin women faced.
While education was a good start, there were still many issues that lingered over women. The book details 3 different women’s rights publications, which served to detail their agenda. One issue that women faced was a perceived lack of intelligence, which they hoped to change through increased education. Female reformers also wanted women to gain jobs in prominent positions, as they hoped that would promote their intelligence. One woman writes that “In the United States they are teachers, journalists, and are demanding the vote. They say in Chile that women administer the post office and telegraph.” Those shows the frustration Latin women felt both towards their country and with themselves. Another predominate problem women face in the region is alcohol. Latin men were notorious for spending their wages at the local bars after a hard day at work. This alcoholism placed a lot of pressure on low income families, especially wives who depended on their husband’s income. Therefore, there were many women’s rights activists who called for control over alcohol. These were just a few of the issues that women took on during their movement to social reform and equality.
The chapter then turns its attention to arguably the most popular and impactful women in Latin American history, Eva Peron, or as she’s affectionately referred to, Evita.
Eva Peron was the First Lady of Argentina, as she was married to President Juan Peron. There are always two sides to every story, however, and in section 3 author Julie M. Taylor presents two radically different views on Evita. For many, Eva Peron was considered the Lady of Hope, promoting numerous women’s and children’s causes through her foundation. Her goal was to promote traditional values which served to uphold society, and find a way for men and women to coexist in a way that benefitted both sexes. In her personal letters displayed in section 4, Eva displays her humbleness and awareness of her importance in the women’s right movement. She also credits her husband, the President Juan Peron, with supporting her and taking action himself to promote social equality. Eva is widely recognized for helping women become politically active though voting and the Peronist feminist party. However, there is another side of Evita that the book acknowledges, which is referred to as the woman in black myth. Many of her detractors believed that Eva with nothing more than a prostitute that manipulated her way into power by sleeping with her Husband’s regime members, and would imprison or torture anyone who defied her. It has even been stated that “Eva Peron castrated sometimes figuratively and sometimes literally. she dealt with her own underlings by rendering them political eunuchs, and she tortured her opponents with electric shocks that left them impotent.” Instead of giving money to charity, her detractors spread rumors that Eva spent hers and the government’s money on lavish clothes and jewelry for herself. Many believed that Eva’s political efforts were simply done to ensure that her husband would be reelected, and not for the advancement of women. As you can see this was a much different and
darker side of Eva then her supporters saw, but one that is perhaps created to discredit her by her detractors. The fact that Eva is presented as enjoying the torture of men, shows which group was likely behind spreading the myth.
The chapter ends by examining late 20th century Brazil, and gives us a glimpse of how the reform issues of the mid 1800’s really shaped today’s Latin America. In the next section, women rights activist Benedita da Silva reveals many of the improvements and problems that still linger for today’s women. Silva notes that today “60 percent of college graduates in Brazil today are women.” Silva also notes that women make up “almost half the workforce” and “are running for office and winning elections.” However, Silva stresses that there are still areas the women can improve in. Silva in particular does like the portrayal of women in the media, and feels it only serves to promote low self-esteem and negative attitudes in everyday women. Silva also sees sexual harassment as a major issue women face, now that they have such a large role in the workforce. Silva would also like to see a government crackdown on spousal abuse and violence against women, which she feels may be the biggest issue today’s Latin American women face. In conclusion, this chapter really served to paint a picture of the women’s rights movement, what is supported, and what it succeeded and failed at achieving for women. The chapter also provided a unique look at the legendary Eva Peron, as well as showcase how the success of her and other women’s reformers shaped today’s Latin America. For that women have achieved, however, as Benedita da Silva suggests, there is still much more progress to be made before they are truly considered equals in their society.