So far, I’ve really enjoyed the autobiographical novel, The Two Mujeres! It’s like a novela, that as a young Queer Chicana myself I wish I would’ve had the opportunity to watch, instead of the typical mexican novelas. What’s best about reading my first novel about two lesbians in love, is that I’m also reading it with my partner! I know, out of topic, but it’s actually really exciting.
Anyway, something that is very present in the novel and that I’ve thought about is that of being a mother and a lesbian. Valeria is a 40 years old woman with two sons, who are 18 and 19. On one hand, she has served the heteronormative and patriarchal norms in place by men for women; she married a man and she gave birth twice. At the same time she is una Malinche because she divorced and falls in love with another woman. But her “mother responsibilities” as she constantly refers to get on her way of completely liberating herself. It is sad, that she has not lived life as who she is up until she meets Genovesa. This brings me to my other point, it seems like Valeria feels some sort of guilt that Genovesa will not be whole and happy if she fails to become a mother. Here she shares her guilt, “Suddenly the thought hit me that being with me meant she was missing the opportunity to be a mother. And she had the tenderness and the strength to be a wonderful mother” (Calderon 68). The fact that Valeria feels that Genovesa should be a mother reveals her internalized oppression as a lesbian; Valeria as a woman can’t fulfill Genovesa (reproduction purposes). But Genovesa is only 25, who knows maybe she doesn’t even want to be a mother. Valeria should focus on living their love to the fullest.
Any thoughts about being a Lesbian and a Mother?
Gress
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