This weeks readings were very interesting, focusing on the challenging movements towards equality for all citizens. Beginning with The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, this document is better than nothing but it does not include women or slaves. This chapter focuses further into the impacts of independence and the race issues as a result, creating the issue of citizenship. Slavery was also a relevant issue during this time as many black slaves were brought from Africa to work in the plantations all over America. Racism resulted in what the textbook calls “the Color Line”, using the example of United States discrimination based on colour. This chapter gives us five very different documents written by Latin Americans about the views of these certain struggles.
This brings me into the two last documents, Maria Echenique’s “Brushstrokes” and Josefina Sagasta’s “Women: Dedicated to Miss Maria Eugenia Echenique”. These documents are examples of the challenges faced when moving towards equality, the contrast between “Brushstrokes” and “Women: Dedicated to Maria Eugenia Technique” highlights the complexity of this issue. Both have strong beliefs that women have roles in society, Sagasta directs her argument towards the traditional view of motherhood, she suggests that family and home would not function with women’s emancipation. This very much contradicts my beliefs, but this is why I found this document so interesting.
Does Sagasta realize that she is saying that a woman’s duty is solely to the family?
What makes Sagasta believe that a woman needs an education, but does not use it for anything but pleasure reading or writing?
Sagasta also ridicules North American educated women, she views that the liberty of our rights to be on an equal status to men erodes the privileges of motherhood, to be a good wife, and to make those around her content.
What bothers me about this document is a few times Sagasta uses the world partner as regards to a spouse, but what she is describing is not a partnership. When I think of a partnership, I see equality and sharing of opportunities or duties. When a woman is prevented from employment, when she is the soul caregiver, and it is considered her duty to be a wife…this is not a partnership nor equality.
Interested to hear your input!
See you all thursday.
Hi Amy,
I also found these two last documents you presented very interesting! For once, I also notice Sagasta’s limitation of the role of women and does not count as valid that perhaps other woman would like to exercise their democratic freedoms and take on other jobs besides being the good-wife. Her contribution and arguments on the roles of women is very limiting and does not help much the feminist movement. However, it is a representation of perhaps a sector of society which saw women’s a mare caregivers, too weak to take action, and as the side-companions of men.