La Chicana Lecture Notes After reviewing this lecture you should be able to: 1)  ConceptualizeChicanasunderstandingofsexandsexualityandsilenceregarding these discussions 2)   ComprehendwhyChicanalesbians“threaten”theChicanocommunity In Zavella’s article “Talkin’ sex: Chicanas and Mexicanas theorize about silences and sexual pleasures” we learn that the some Chicanas/Mexicanas Zavella spoke with in her research were taught that to speak about sex, sexuality and to engage (and enjoy) sex was dishonorable. In some examples nicknames or code words were used in lieu of the words vagina and penis. Zavella hypothesizes that this silence concerning sex (and sexuality) may influence the teen pregnancy rate among Chicanas and Latinas. Further, De Anda et al in their article, “ Sexuality, pregnancy, and motherhood among Mexican-American adolescents ” argue that when sex was discussed among their sample the information exchanged was inaccurate or vague. De Anda et al add, “Few mothers of the Mexica n-American adolescents provided daughters with specific information about sex. Most of the Mexican-American adolescents received no instruction whatsoever from their parents regarding sexual behavior" (De Anda et al., 406). This research is consistent wi th Zavella’s study. Researchers point out that with acculturation and changes in social economic status and educational achievement, sex talk increases. That is to say, that more education one has the more information Chicanas/Latinas will know about sex, sexuality and their bodies. However, culture plays are large influence over the knowledge Chicanas/Latinas have about sex and sexuality. Meanwhile, Trujillo (1997) in her writing on Chicanas lesbians argues that in order to be true to yourself as a Chicana lesbian you must grapple and reconcile with your sexuality as this is a huge part of your identity. However, she argues that this is difficult within the Chicano community because as a Chicana lesbian you are a threat. That is, “their [Chicana le sbians] existence disrupts the established order of male dominance, and raises the consciousness of many Chicana women regarding their own independence and control” (p. 281). Per Trujillo (1997), the perceived threat is in part based in fear. She adds that Chicana lesbians threaten the Chicano community through fear within four realms. These include the following: 1) Sexuality-Chicanasaretaughtthatbehaviorregardingsexandsexualitymustconformto certain norms (i.e., marianismo ); if you go outside these culturally and socially proscribed norms you bring shame upon yourself and your reputation is dishonored Trujillo (1997) states, “We, as women, are taught so suppress our sexual desires and needs by conceding all pleasure to the male. As Chicanas, we are commonly led to believe that even talking about our participation and satisfaction in sex is taboo” (p. 282). Trujillo adds that most women know little about their bodies Confronting sexuality must.

1. La Chicana Lecture Notes
After reviewing this lecture you should be able to:
1)
ConceptualizeChicanasunderstandingofsexandsexualityandsilen
ceregarding these discussions
2)
ComprehendwhyChicanalesbians“threaten”theChicanocommunit
y
In
Zavella’s article “Talkin’ sex: Chicanas and Mexicanas theorize
about silences and sexual pleasures” we learn that the some
Chicanas/Mexicanas Zavella spoke with in her research
were taught that to speak about sex, sexuality and to engage
(and enjoy) sex was dishonorable. In some examples nicknames
or code words were used in lieu of the words vagina and penis.
Zavella hypothesizes that this silence concerning sex (and
sexuality) may influence the teen pregnancy rate among
Chicanas and Latinas. Further,
De Anda et al in their article, “
Sexuality, pregnancy, and motherhood among Mexican-
American adolescents
”
argue that when sex was discussed among their sample the
information exchanged was inaccurate or vague. De Anda et
al add, “Few mothers of the Mexica
n-American adolescents provided daughters with specific
information about sex. Most of the Mexican-American
adolescents received no instruction whatsoever from their
parents regarding sexual behavior" (De Anda et al., 406). This
research is consistent wi
th Zavella’s study.
Researchers point out that with acculturation and changes in
social economic status and educational achievement, sex talk
increases. That is to say, that more education one has the more
information Chicanas/Latinas will know about sex, sexuality

2. and their bodies. However, culture plays are large influence
over the knowledge Chicanas/Latinas have about sex and
sexuality.
Meanwhile, Trujillo (1997) in her writing on Chicanas lesbians
argues that in order to be true to yourself as a Chicana lesbian
you must grapple and reconcile with your sexuality as this is a
huge part of your identity. However, she argues that this is
difficult within the Chicano
community because as a Chicana lesbian you are a threat. That
is, “their [Chicana le
sbians] existence disrupts the established order of male
dominance, and raises the consciousness of many
Chicana women regarding their own independence and control”
(p. 281).
Per Trujillo (1997), the perceived threat is in part based in fear.
She adds that Chicana lesbians threaten the Chicano community
through fear within four realms. These include the following:
1) Sexuality-
Chicanasaretaughtthatbehaviorregardingsexandsexualitymustcon
formto certain norms (i.e.,
marianismo
); if you go outside these culturally and socially proscribed
norms you bring shame upon yourself and your reputation is
dishonored
Trujillo (1997) states, “We, as women, are taught so suppress
our sexual desires
and needs by conceding all pleasure to the male. As Chicanas,
we are commonly led to believe that even talking about our
participation and satisfaction in sex is
taboo” (p. 282).
Trujillo adds that most women know little about their bodies
Confronting sexuality must be done to confront lesbianism
d. This may lead to internalized homophobia and sexism if not
able to reconcile sexuality
2) Identification-

3. Womenaretaughtthattobecompletetheymustbeconnectedtoaman
(i.e., “You complete me.” ~Jerry Maguire); in a patriarchal
society we are taught that we
are not as smart as men, nor as valuable; we must compete
against other women for men
a. Trujillo notes that in order to maintain heterosexual privilege
we must be connected to a man- this relationship is reinforced
by society (i.e., law, church, family, etc.)
b. Women are viewed as property- father relinquishes control of
daughter to
husband; Daughter changes maiden name (once her father’s) to
husband’s last
name
c. Trujillo asserts that Chicana lesbians challenge the Chicano
community because
they do not participate in this “game” of “compulsory
heterosexuality” (p. 283)
3) Motherhood-
anextensionofthenotionthatwomenarenotcompletewithoutaman;t
hat is, they are not complete unless they have children
Chicana lesbians that have children are viewed as abnormal
within the culture
Chicana lesbians are “failing to partake in one of their chief
obligations in life”
(Trujillo, p. 284).
4) Religion-
thePopedoesnotcondoneagaylifestyle;becausetheChicanocommu
nityis mostly Catholic their lifestyle is not approved by the
Catholic religion;
Chicanas who confront their sexuality must challenge their
religious belief systems and decide whether to maintain, alter or
leave religion
Religion based on patriarchy- includes sexual, emotional and
psychological control
Although Chicana lesbians and non-lesbians are not the same,
Trujillo (1997) notes that these two groups can come together

4. on three levels to advocate for one another. Namely the
following:
1) All women are given less privilege and value than men
2) Allwomenmustcontendwiththethreatofthebody-
throughsexualassault,harassment,
etc.
3) SexualityisrepressedbyChicanoculture
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https://moodle-2014-
2015.fullerton.edu/pluginfile.php/360916/mod_resource/content
/1/Gutierrez%202008.pdf
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Directions
: Address the instructor-initiated questions listed below in a
minimum 200 word post. You ALSO need to select ONE student
reading presentation and respond to the DB questions to receive
full credit. EACH response should be at least 200 words (for a
total of a minimum of 400 words).
Per some of our authors, society conditions women to believe
that they are not complete unless they get married and have
children. How do you reconcile this belief with the
nonconsenting sterilization of Mexican women (Gutiérrez) and
the “voluntary” sterilization of Puerto Rican women (La
Operacíon video)? In other words, how do you reconcile these
two contradictory beliefs?
____________+++++______+++++++________+++++
the response is to answer the questions on end of the powerpoint
(attachtted).