Leadership Profile: Sor Juana 1651-1695

Sor (sister) Juana (Juana Ines Ramirez) was born on a farm near the Popocatepl a Mexican volcano in 1648. She was the ‘illegitimate’ daughter of a Spanish father; Pedro Manuel de Asbaje and a Creole mother Isabel Ramirez. By the age of three, she is said to have been able to both read and write and starter to develop a great interest in learning. Years later, she claimed to have read all volumes in her grandfathers study, which included many classic works. By age eight she had written her first Loa, which is a short dramatic poem and mastered Latin in less than twenty lessons. She was considered a child prodigy who worked hard for her knowledge, she was said to cut her hair off whenever she felt was not learning fast or efficiently enough. She wanted to continue her studies at Mexico University and in attempts to persuade her mother, she suggested she “let her dress up in men’s clothes” since men where only admitted at the time. Before her twentieth birthday she entered the San Jeronimo convent where she spent the rest of her life, here she was able to have her own study and access to the convents vast library, here she became proficient in theology, mathematics and philosophy. In 1680 a new Viceroy arrived to the convent and Sor Juana befriended his wife Maria Luisa (known as Lisi) who became the subject of many beautiful love poems Sor Juana wrote.

Here is a link to one of my favorites I have read so far: http://goo.gl/qtSRR

In 1960 letters of her criticism of a famous sermon by a priest were published without her consent. She came under attack by the Bishop of Peubla who wrote a letter admonishing her for her interest in learning that did not allow her to fully commit to her faith. Sor Juana replied to these allegations in a letter to the Bishop, which is hailed to be the ‘first feminist manifesto’. In this letter Sor Juana advocated for the importance of women seeking knowledge and education and women’s right to dissent.
http://goo.gl/IRG0I

In 1691 feeling the pressure of the community and even her confessor, Sor Juana was said to sign an affirmation of absolute devotion to the poor, selling all her books, maps and musical instruments, she swore to fully commit herself to the cause, solidifying the affirmation by signing it with her own blood. Sor Juanas died on April 17, 1695 after becoming infected with the epidemic that affected the sister nuns she was nursing. She was 49.

In my opinion Sor Juana is one of the most important feminist leaders in history and the fact that she is not widely celebrated is shocking. She was not only a genius but also a radical of her time, having the courage to challenge and critique sermons, gendered roles and the unfair ways in which women were perceived and treated by society and the church…. In the 17th century!!
“After you've won by urgent plea
the right to tarnish her good name,
you still expect her to behave—
you, that coaxed her into shame” (You Men: http://goo.gl/rfOl8)

By writing about her romantic desires, her hunger to learn, the necessity for women to learn and their right to dissent, Sor Juana created social dialogues that were unheard of (and caused harsh criticism) at the time. She demanded women’s right to participate in a space that was solely created for men. I believe that her writings and efforts created a strong base for the women’s rights movement. Her advocacy for women’s intellectual rights alongside her courageous and radical writings which challenged patriarchal society and religious make her THE pioneer of the feminist movement and makes me very proud to be Mexican.

Clip of 'Yo la Peor de Todas', a movie about Sor Juana directed by by the late Argentine film-maker María Luisa Bemberg in 1990 http://www.latin-american.cam.ac.uk/culture/SorJuana/SorJuanaClips.htm

Here are some great links to her of her work and autobioagraphies:
Poetry (English): sappho.com/poetry/j_ines.html

The Sor Juana project: dartmouth.edu/~sorjuana/

Brief Biography: mexconnect.com/articles/271-the-remarkable-life-of-juana-inés-de-la-cruz-1651–1695

Sor Juana's Response to the Bishop (Spanish): ensayistas.org/antologia/XVII/sorjuana/sorjuana1.htm