Third Space Theory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh-ikrnYu9g


One of my Chicana/o studies TA said that this is a good video to watch which defines third space. I am interested on what you all think. Applying both of Emma Pérez's articles for this week, What do you all think about this video and his definition of third space?


Something to think about...

Blood Stained Hands ...Sor Juana

Dearest Juana, she reread la Condesa’s letter, you have no idea how I ache to see you, what I would give to be close to you again and touch your ink-stained hands and look into the dark inkwells of your eyes to read the words that you pen no longer writes to me” (Gaspar de Alba, 379).

                                

After checking out the Clothesline Project last week. I saw this shirt and thought about Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz right away. I also thought about the Professor’s book, Sor Juana’s Second Dream. This shirt seems to represent Sor Juana after she was deprived from writing. This shirt made me think about how her uncle molested her and I thought that it represented her well. Some of the phrases on this shirt are words she would have told her uncle. I really wish the shirt was a different color. In the Clothesline Project the shirts colors represent the different categories of survivors and the yellow represents survivors of dating/domestic violence. So I wish it would have been another color. Unfortunately, I didn’t think the Clothesline Project had shirt colors to represent the different types of violence in Sor Juana’s life so the closest shirt color that would fit her from the categories of the Clothesline Project would probably be purple which represents survivors of gender/ sexuality-based sexual violence (keeping the context of Sor Juana’s Second Dream).

            I added the quote to this picture because I think that her “ink stained hands” made me think of her blood stained signature—“Sor Juana: la peor que hubó/la peor de todas.” Also, because I felt the quote represented the picture since I feel that is how Sor Juana felt after she read the Condesa’s words. After having to give up her right to be with the person she loved and then having to give up her love for writing I think that she symbolically felt a knife to her heart. ..This shirt is so powerful! 

Not what I was hoping for!

First off, I just want to say that I am very happy I chose this book although I did not like the ending.. it made me sad! Poor Valeria did not have that happy ever after ending. Her lover left her for a man when we all know that Genovesa is in love with Valeria. They traveled the world together and basically just made each other glow. While reading this I couldn't help but feel sympathy for Valeria, she had a rough life starting as a child. Her family was not supportive of Valeria, her own brother hated her guts. At one point in the book I swore the brother was going to actually kill Valeria, I mean he always tried. Coming from a wealthy family money was not an issue, the only issue was that Valeria's dad controlled all the money. He was not to fond of the choices Valeria made in her life, especially having a lady lover. So he could take Valeria's money whenever he wanted to. The family pretty much makes Valeria's life a living hell, which to me is so sad. Couldn't they eventually just accept who she truly is? The more time Valeria spent with Genovesa the further Valeria and her family grew apart. I wish I could go into detail about how bad her family treats her but you'll just have to find out tomorrow!

Lesbiana y Madre

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

ahh love stories!

I’m really glad I chose The Two Mujeres for my midterm book review. I’m really enjoying every part of it, mostly because I can relate to the text and the characters in many ways.  It is the first lesbian love story I have ever read, I am still asking myself how come I have not come across these kind of stories before! The first part of the novel touches on important issues that are familiar to me and to everyone within the LGBTQ community. Internalized homophobia, the fear of coming out, patriarchy and the constrains our society puts on love . Another important aspect of the novel is the effect of social class on the relationship between Valeria and Genovesa.

“I’ve been waiting for her my whole life I thought. But she was a woman, and that was not easy to reconcile” says Valeria, “ it’s not the most common thing in the world” says Genovesa. These two sentences say so much about the fears and doubts Valeria and Genovesa are experiencing. I have felt like this myself, it’s that little scary voice inside that forces you to conform with the society’s idea of love, that tells you “No, your love for that woman is wrong and is devilish”. It’s actually a painful process to be able to  finally love yourself, and free yourself from guilt, fear and sometimes your own family.  I was able to see this process throughout the story, Valeria and Genovesa at first hides and resists their feelings, but then finally give in to each other’s love. I enjoyed specially when they start showing their love in public spaces, like when they hold each other’s hand for the first time. I love holding my girlfriend’s hand without any shame, it’s so liberating!

It was interesting to me the role men have in this story. For example, the way Alejandro thinks he is entitled to know every detail about Valeria’s life. Valeria’s responses are unexpected, she is already far ahead most woman of her time. I think that in this encounters the author is speaking to all women, telling us to really stand our ground and dare to say what we feel.

Money and class status is also important in the story, as Ricardo Arjona says “como se sufre en ambos lados de las clases sociales” this story story fit the quote! So far in class we have read stories from women in the working class, it’s interesting to me to see what happens to the lesbians on the rich side and see how much we all have in common. However, I think money does  give them certain privileges in the story, for example, they have a nice place to have their adventures, they get to travel a lot and people respect them, although maybe this same status makes it even harder for them to come out!

I hope I like part two as much as I’ve liked part 1, and I hope it has a happy ending. By the way it’s hard to organize my thoughts and write them! I will be back with more!

TeamTwoMujeres

When looking at the cover of the book you see two windows, two doors, and one balcony. I think of Valeria and Genovesa. The two shut doors represent the internalized oppression of both women and how they have to have a relationship behind closed doors but with a window of hope and opportunity for them to continue with their relationship regardless of the obstacles of their lives and roles as women. And with a balcony that connects them and is symbolic of their love and their relationship. I can see how both Genovesa and Valeria have been playing the roles that society embeds in women. Valeria has two sons who own her basically and whom she fears which demonstrates the patriarchal world we live in. If she was owner of herself then she would not let her sons walk in and out of her house and be rude to her friends. Also, before Valeria met Genovesa she was considering marrying Alejandro although she doesn't love the guy! Plus he is super rude and I can already tell he's this machista or this man that thinks he owns her when they're not even married yet!

 Genovesa just got divorced from Raul. However, you can see the male ownership or patriarchy in her life because he is still hanging out with her! Why would she hang out with him if she already divorced him?! And why would she live with Raul and have her lover Roberta in the same place while going through her divorce? (She hasn't specifically said that Roberta is her lover but I think she is because she dodges the question when Valeria asks her).


Throughout all these chapters I have just been thinking about the many women that are oppressed and the many women that maybe haven't come out of the closet yet and are stuck with husbands who don't make them happy...with people they are not in love with.

Welcome to the Shadow Beast's Blog

This year we're going to try blogging on a real blogsite. Moodle, unfortunately, can't sustain these more creative ventures. So we're all going to use this blog for team posts and other postings related to the class that I might ask you to write.

Instructions: once you know what team you're going to be on, you should always LABEL your post according to your team's name. The labels must not have any spacing in them. For example, if you're in the Rubyfruit Jungle team, you would label your post TeamRubyfruitJungle. Or TeamZami or TeamGildaStories--all depending on which book you've chosen for your Midterm Report. Important: in order to earn Extra Credit points on your team's blog, you MUST label each team posting. You should also sign your full name to each post. The more material you add to your team post--such as photos of the author, a scan of the book cover, a book trailer or clips of the author reading from the book, and reviews of the book you're reading-- the more extra credit your team can earn. Exercise your creativity here.

You can also blog on this site just as an individual member of the class, which will have nothing to do with your team. Your Extra Credit work (an event or exhibition you attended, a play or movie you saw, which I've okayed as Extra Creidt) can be posted to the Blog. You should sign your name to each post, regardless of whether it's a team post or an individual post.

Graduate students, of course, may also post to this site, which you should label Grads. Guest speakers and others invited to view and comment on the blog should label their posts as Visitors.

Email me if you have any questions.

-- La Profe