Latina Issues: Fragments of Historia(ella) (Herstory): Fragments of Historia(ella) (Herstory)

The second of six volumes in the series explores the fragments of history available about Latinas in the US and highlights their emerging voices, in a unified collection of reprinted articles. Each of the articles illustrates Latina perspectives on colonization, gender, race, and class. The earliest of the articles were originally published in 1974: Puertorriquenas in the United States: The Impact of Double Discrimination; and Chicanas and El Movimiento. The most recent were originally published in 1992: Two Legal Constructs of Motherhood: "Protective" Legislation in Mexico and the United States; and Chicana Studies: Is There a Future for Us in Women Studies? Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR Latina history is fragmented because their stories have not been completely told. The articles in this reader tell some of the stories about contributions Latinas have made. These stories include their role in the Spanish conquest of the Americas and in creating the mixed race Latino peoples (mestizaje). Latinas have had an important role in developing and preserving culture. They contribute as laborers, as professionals, as academics, and in their role as mothers in Latino families. Latinas’ experiences of forced sterilization and other forms of suffering because of racism, classism, and sexism are recovered in this reader. The richness of their stories unfolds as their history is uncovered in the first part of this anthology. Emerging Latina feminist voices are making an important contribution to feminist theory and Latino/a studies. The writings by Latinas in the second part of this volume explore the multiple oppression of race, class, and gender, as well as the lingering effects of colonization. Latinas describe how these issues influence their consciousness and perspective. Latinas challenge the exclusion of their perspective when policy makers and academics focus on white women when dealing with women’s issues and minority men when dealing with issues of people of color. Latina theory adds texture and depth to the academic endeavor and broadens the perspective of policy makers. The Latinas who have contributed to this anthology bring voices that are strong, intelligent, and important. These voices deserve to be heard. Cover 1 Title Page 2 Copyright Page 3 Dedication Page 4 Contents 6 Introduction 8 Malintzin Tenépal: A Preliminary Look into a New Perspective 17 The Widowed Women of Santa Fe: Assessments on the Lives of an Unmarried Population, 1850–80 44 Dead Ends or Gold Mines?: Using Missionary Records in Mexican-American Women's History 70 The Chicana in American History: The Mexican Women of El Paso, 1880–1920 — A Case Study 94 Puertorriquenas in the United States: The Impact of Double Discrimination 117 Labor Market Stratification: The Chicana Experience 126 Day Work in the Suburbs: The Work Experience of Chicana Private Housekeepers 162 Cuban Women in the U.S. Labor Force: Perspectives on the Nature of Change 178 Se me acabó la canción: An Ethnography of Non-Consenting Sterilizations Among Mexican Women in Los Angeles 198 Chicanas and the Law 220 Hispanic Women Breaking New Ground Through Leadership 232 Political Familism: Toward Sex Role Equality in Chicano Families 252 Marital Decision-Making and the Role of Machismo in the Chicano Family 267 Chicanas and the Issue of Involuntary Sterilization: Reforms Needed to Protect Informed Consent 284 Privacy and the Regulation of the New Reproductive Technologies: A Decision-Making Approach 320 The Implications of Being a Society of One 346 Two Legal Constructs of Motherhood: "Protective" Legislation in Mexico and the United States 358 The Development of Chicana Feminist Discourse, 1970–1980 374 Chicana Studies: Is There a Future for Us in Women Studies? 397 Ain't I a Feminist? 404 Chicanas and El Movimiento 416 "Abnormal Intimacy": The Varying Work Networks of Chicana Cannery Workers 428 Acknowledgments 446 Unmarried,Population;,Puertorriquenas;,Chicana,Experience;,Non-Consenting,Sterilizations;,Reproductive,Technologies Unmarried Population,Puertorriquenas,Chicana Experience,Non-Consenting Sterilizations,Reproductive Technologies History, literature and popular belief normally introduce us to the story and image of Dona Marina, La Malinche, in either of three ways: (1) the woman is oftentimes presented very simply and insignificantly as just another part of the necessary back-drop to Cortes triumphant conquest or, as is more commonly done, (2) her portrayal assumes synonymity with destruction when she is singled out as the sole cause of the fall of the "patria" and becomes the scapegoat for all Mexican perdition thereafter while, on the other hand, (3) romanticists find themselves almost instinctively driven to depicting Dona Marina as the misguided and exploited victim of the tragic love affair which is said to have taken place between herself and Hernan Cortes. This book attempts to make Latina history visible and Latina voices heard. It focuses solely on women – not to marginalize Latina stories but to showcase them, illustrating Latina perspectives on colonization, gender, race, and class.