Growing up in a household of first generation immigrant Latinxs, there was never a shortage of depictions of La Virgen in the house. My abuela and tia were both extremely religious women and they would always have candles and pictures of La Virgen whenever I would visit their houses. To them, she was a sign of hope. Life as an immigrant in America can be overwhelming and often times no one cares about your struggles. The only source of comfort for many Latinx women, my tia and grandmother included, is the church because there are so many people in the exact same situation as you. Being a spanish-only speaking individual in a predominantly English speaking country can create such isolation it is difficult to keep a positive outlook on life, but the Church welcomed these people with open arms.
Now this may be the perspective of my tia and abuela, but it is definitely not my perspective. My immediate family was not as religious as the rest of my family; we weren't even Catholic, we identified as Lutherans. Though I respect that a woman could have such a high position in Christian iconography, in my eyes, it does not overshadow the obscene amount of atrocities perpetuated by the Church. La Virgen should serve as a shining beacon that women are sacred and they give life to the world, but it often feels like La Virgen is only there for convenience. The image itself panders to one of the Catholic Church's largest audience, Latin America. Foreign religions become much more palatable when you see representation of yourself in it, and La Virgen is the perfect example of giving representation to Latin Americans for the Church's benefit. Under the loving eyes of La Virgen, the Catholic Church has spread racist and oppressive ideals that value conservatism and piety over human life. Catholicism is a plague that has wreaked havoc through Latin America and as long as icons like this exist, it will continue.
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