Our group and I are in charge of: “Citizenship and Rights in the New Republics”. As a group, we decided to focus on the topic of women’s rights. For the short research assignment, I decided to choose a source of Latin American Women: Finding New Heroes, by Jill Savitt, published in 1984.
I found this text appealing to me because not only she has relevant teaching experience, but she threw in many questions that made me imagine myself being a woman during those times. Another point that led me into reading into her texts was because she compared the women’s role in Latin America, and how their status and emotions changed over the time.
Based on Savitt’s teaching experience of Hispanic students, she praises female students over male students in terms of behavioural and learning process. Savitt believes that the Hispanic culture superimposed gender roles, and are narrowly defined, limiting their potential in various ways. Also, a Hispanic girl’s role would be stricter compared to boy’s and claims that education offers a safe space for girls to dream freedom.
As you could understand from her title, Savitt goes on a search for heroines that significantly impacted the Latin American society. However, she is dissatisfied with several sources that give credit to women in comparison to men giving impact to the society. Which gave less chance for her students to be exposed to Latin American sources, praising female success. Still, she was pleased to find many hard-working, politically active and intellectually motivated women. Sure, they left footprints in the history of Latin America, but it often faded away due to the Latin American history of having bloody wars and chaos. Reforms regarding human rights, where often women were involved were hindered under the male hero who stood up against political and revolutionary reforms, with more public attention.
Savitt then pursues Hispanic women’s roots. If you return to Spain’s roots in the 17th century, women must speak of marriage and family, while in the medieval times it was taken as a business contract. Women in the Aztec and the Incan society were segregated but rather hard working compared to nowadays, such as by being educated to be neat and modest to seek for a husband. Women in the Taíno society were much different, whereas women could become tribal leaders and polygamy was allowed.
The Mexican Civil Code of 1864 gave equal rights to men and women, and during the Mexican Revolution, women fought side by side with their men. However, this revolution did change legally but did not in an emotional way. As Latin America enters the 20th century, the discrimination was more emphasized in class rather than the gender differences. For example, a Peruvian Indian woman in the Andes compared to an educated woman in Lima. Despite the social class difference, what made all women unite to fight against was ‘Machismo’, who prevented their freedom, and their endeavors continue presently.
Works Cited:
Savitt, Jill. “Latin American Women: Finding New Heroes.” 84.03.07: Latin American Women: Finding New Heroes, Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, 7 Mar. 1984, teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/1984/3/84.03.07.x.html.