Chicana Women Struggle in Education

Chicana Women Struggle in Education

Women from different parts of the world are treated differently and most of them are being respected because they serve as the inspiration of men especially their children. But then there are women who were not treated decently and one of them is the Chicanas. Chicana is a woman known as a Mexican-American, they are simply called a person with no value, useless in the society and with deprive moral. In history, Chicanas are tagged as weak, feminine, and neophyte and cannot work hard. They were treated as only second-rate and they were excluded in history because they are only woman. You will notice that men dominate their country and rule all organizations.

Chicanas today are struggling for their liberation especially in the society and they are aware that they are being maltreated and it should be stop because they believe that every human being have the right to be free and to be treated equally. They are now involving themselves in fighting for freedom and for the rights of the women, they are confronting institutions that deprived them and maltreated them especially their employer, the church and the society. They raise issues about equality of men and women, depriving them from education, the belief of the Catholics, and the domination of men. According to the online source, http://latino.sscnet.ucla.edu/research/docs/chicanas/women.htm:

An important aspect of the struggles of Chicanas is the demand that the gains made through their campaigns be controlled by Chicanas. The demand for community control is a central axis of the Chicano liberation struggle as a whole. Thus, when Chicanas, as Chicanas, raise demands for child-care facilities, abortion clinics, etc., controlled by Chicanas, their fight is an integral part of the Chicano liberation struggle.

Chicanas were discourage to pursue their careers, they were often refrained from going to a higher education because they were taught that it is not important for ladies to go further in planning for their future since they will only end up as a house helper or simply a housewife. According to the online source, http://www.wisc.edu/chicanastudies/NicoleKnothe.htm:

School systems even went to the extreme of labeling student's transcripts with different symbols to show where they "belonged." Schools tended to prepare Mexican-Americans to fill low-wage, low-skill jobs, rather than to attend college. School administrators placed students in learning tracks; the symbols used to label students were "X," "Y," and "Z." An "X" meant students were "college material," and were the only ones allowed in college prep courses. These students were expected to finish high school and attend college. A "Y" meant that they were expected to achieve "Cs" in high school, receive high school diplomas, but not make it to college. Students in this category were tracked into entry-level classes. If a student were labeled "Z," it meant they were expected to receive "Ds" and "Fs" in high school, and would not be able to finish. These students were funneled to technical schools. For all of the students branded "Y" or "Z," their futures were in all reality pre-destined, with their true potential possibly never being reached. Because colleges required courses that students were not allowed into, they were never even given the chance to try.

At work, they were not paid equally. The labor costs of Chicanas are cheaper than the regular Americans and often times they do the dirty work. Most of them are nannies and house helpers. Even when you compare the same position but different race, it is the Chicanas that were paid lesser. According to the online source, http://www.wisc.edu/chicanastudies/NicoleKnothe.htm:

Throughout class society, women have been given the responsibility in the domestic area for the maintenance and reproduction of labor, but this responsibility is separated from its relation to production. Feminist scholars use the term "social reproduction" to refer to an array of activities and relationships that involve maintaining all aspects of the household on a daily basis. "Reproductive labor includes activities such as purchasing household goods, preparing and serving food, laundering and repairing clothing, maintaining furnishings and appliances, socializing children, providing care and emotional support for adults, and maintaining kin and community ties."

While they are working hard with their employers, they are still working in their home especially those mothers who have children. They are expected to keep an eye with their kids, serve their husband and children, do the housekeeping, cook and do the laundry. There is only little time for rest.

The church believed that women especially Chicanas should satisfy and serve the priests and not only that they should be submissive to their husband. They should remain in the house and keep it safe, clean and in order all the time.

Chicana/Mexican were not allowed to become a leader, they cannot rule any organization especially in politics because they look at them as weak and unable to handle complex situation. Men lack respect with the Chicanas because as soon as they join any organization they are taught that Chinanas are only good in bed, can only do clerical works and will only be the right hand of men and nothing more than that. Based on the online source, http://latino.sscnet.ucla.edu/research/docs/chicanas/women.htm:

When a freshman male comes to MECHA [Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan -- a Chicano student organization in Californial he is approached and welcomed. He is taught by observation that the Chicanas are only useful in areas of clerical and sexual activities. When something must be done there is always a Chicana there to do the work. "It is her place and duty to stand behind and back up her Macho!"... Another aspect of the MACHO attitude is their lack of respect for Chicanas. They play their games, plotting girl against girl for their own benefit.... They use the movement and Chicanismo to take her to bed. And when she refuses, she is a vendida [sell-out] because she is not looking after the welfare of her men.