The Chicana feminists movement - Essay Example

Chicana Feminist Movement The middle part of the 20th century witnessed number of far-reaching and radical movements initiated particularly by the minorities in the United States. Following the Civil Rights Movement, American feminist movement got impetus during that period. A byproduct or even an inspiration of the American feminist movement is the Chicana feminist movement. The women from Mexico and other Latin American countries who immigrated to the United States or were born and brought up in the United States were referred to as the Chicana women.

These Chicana women were oppressed and even abused in the respective Chicana societies. They were discriminated by the men of their lives including their father, brothers, and husbands. They were stereotyped to perform only the roles of child-bearers and homemakers without any opportunities for educational and professional pursuits. So, Chicana feminism began in 1970s because of the Chicano womens struggle for equality with Chicano men and the need for their prominence in the family setup. Chicana feminist movement was formally initiated in 1971, when about 600 Chicana women met in Houston, Texas for the Mujeres Por La Raza Conference, labeled as first National Chicana Conference.

The Comisión Femenil Mexicana Nacional was formed in 1973 and it also played an important catalytic role for Chicana feminism. A number of Chicana feminist groups were formed after the 1971 conference by Chicana women in different parts of the United States. These groups worked for the equality of Chicana women in family, professional, and social life. It also fought for their equal access to education, establishment of childcare centers, reproductive rights, and others However, when viewed from another perspective, the chicana feminist movement was criticized or blamed for tearing certain key values of the Chicana culture, because Chicana feminists were viewed as anti-culture and anti-family.

So, the question that arises is: Does the Chicano feminist movement focused more on gender inequalities or cultural suppression?