Judy Baca

   This week's reading was titled "Out of the House, the Halo, and the Whore's Mask: The Mirror of Malinchismo" and was written by Alicia Gaspar de Alba. After reading the essay, it opened up my eyes to the reality that Chicana women or women of color, in general, are not only subjected to race and class oppression but unlike men, they also are subjected to the oppressions of gender inequality that stems from a patriarchal hierarchy that places women below men. While reading this article, it was to my surprise that the people perpetuating this patriarchal hierarchy that places women below men were, in fact, Chicano men themselves.  

     During the Chicano Civil Rights movement Chicano men only valued and saw women as a provider for nourishment, comfort, and sexual release for men. And it was during this time of the Chicano Civil Rights Movement that feminists were seen by their male, Mexican counterparts as anti-family, anti-cultural, anti-man, and therefore anti-Chicano. Chicana feminists were seen by their Male/Macho leaders as white, middle-class wannabes. This male perception of feminists especially the Chicana feminists still correlates in present-day society. Mexcian culture today still perpetuates the patriarchal hierarchy of placing the man as the worker/provider for the house and the women as a stay at home mother who is supposed to watch over the kids. 

     Since the Chicano Civil Rights movement, although there has been progress made in achieving race and class equity for Chicanos/Chicanas, Chicanas are still experiencing gender inequality.  A prime example of gender inequality for Chicanas can be seen in the CARA exhibition where there was a vast inequality of female artists to male artists. This proves that even in an exhibition where Chicano/a artists are meant to be displayed and given praise, women are underrepresented and not appreciated as much as men in society and even in Chicano culture. Overall, I really am grateful I was able to read this essay that sheds light on an oppression that Chicano men do not have to deal with.

Question: What can Chicano men do today to destabilize the patriarchal system and help Chicanas achieve gender equality?