The Evolution of La Virgen de Guadalupe in Chicano Art free essay sample

A beautiful dark-skinned brunette stands before you. Her long, flowing hair beautifully frames her sweet face and demure smile. Yards of richly colored clothing adorn her tall, slender frame. Rays of sunlight appear from behind, emphasizing pure beauty. Her hands are joined together and she holds them at her chest in worship or, perhaps, in gratitude. Who is she, or rather, who do you see? Practicing Catholics all over Central and South America see a venerated patron saint. In Mexico, she is immediately recognizable as symbolic mother of a nation, ‘nuestra madre. New generations of mestizos see a symbol of all that is woman, as real and complex as their mothers, sisters, daughters, and lovers. Who you see depends on who you are, but all identify her as the Virgin of Guadalupe, perhaps the most recognizable icon to emerge out of post-conquest Americas. La Virgen of Guadalupe has evolved throughout history as a cross-cultural and multi-generational icon of virginity, femininity, purity, and maternal love. We will write a custom essay sample on The Evolution of La Virgen de Guadalupe in Chicano Art or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Her presence can be seen everywhere, on clothing, jewelry, car windows, and even on coffins. This essay charts the evolution of La Virgen de Guadalupe in Chicano art, from religious icon to feminist mascot; I examine the forms in which contemporary Mexican-American artists have adopted this image, in the tradition of the Chicano art movement, to galvanize communities toward a common social or political cause, and, as Chicana artists will co-opt her image as a vehicle to assert gender issues within the larger agenda, I will argue that the opposition to such efforts reveals a double-standard of allegiance in stark contrast to the goals of the Chicano movement. To understand how La Virgen has evolved outside of her intended religious context, her genesis must first be examined. Origin stories vary but, according to tradition, on Dec 9, 1531, Juan Diego first saw La Virgen on top of Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City. She instructed him to have the Bishop build a church on the site. Little Juan Diego immediately found the Bishop and relayed the message, but was dismissed as a storyteller. Three days later, on Juan Diego’s walk to church, la Virgen again reappeared. This time, she told Juan Diego to go the hilltop and pick roses, pack them in his tilma, and take them to the bishop to prove he saw her and to convince the bishop to build a church there. When he presented them to the bishop as instructed, he dropped his cloak with the roses. What appeared in their place was the brightly painted image of the Lady. Once news spread of Juan Diego’s sightings of the Mother of God speaking to him in his native tongue, thousands traveled to Mexico City to see the legendary cape of the ‘brown‘ Virgin Mary. Some say the Virgin of Guadalupe represents early efforts at syncretism by the Catholic church in an era when indigenous religious practices were discouraged. Jeanette Rodriguez explores this theory in Our Lady of Guadalupe, beginning with an in depth analysis of the Aztec empire and its eventual conquest by the Spanish. Rodriguez argues that, through conquest and colonialism, Christian deities overpowered indigenous gods in terms of propagandistic exposure and eventually a dichotomy of virtues emerges. The monotheistic male god came to represent power, assertiveness, rationality and independence, attributes once associated with Aztec gods. Opposing characteristics like purity, virginity, fertility and maternal love were then attributed to female deity figures, like the Euro-Catholic Virgin Mary and Aztec goddess, Tonantzin. Concurrently, contends Rodriguez, the folkloric story of Juan Diego and La Virgen on Tepayac Hill emerges and the legend of Guadalupe is born. Eventually, this image evolves into the dominant national icon, symbolizing the new mestiza, who was born from both Spanish and indigenous blood. Jody Brant Smith agrees, in The Image of Guadalupe, that she appeared â€Å"miraculously on the cactus cloth tilma, or cape, of Juan Diego, an Aztec peasant, in 1531, a mere dozen years after Hernan Cortes conquered Mexico for the King of Spain. † This cape proved valuable to the Church and its goals of conversion. â€Å"In just seven years, from 1532 to 1538, eight million Indians were converted to Christianity. Whether one believes the Virgin de Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego on the hill or believe that Guadalupe was created to convert the Indians to the Catholic Church, the legend of Guadalupe as we know her today begins at this time. As a placebo for a changing guard, La Virgen de Guadalupe proved highly successful. The iconic image of La Virgen de Guadalupe remains static in both form and symbolism until the mid twentieth cen tury, when a new movement among Mexican-Americans emerges in California, dubbed the Chicano movement. As visual propaganda becomes a large part of the movement, a significant body of art with common themes and styles, known as Chicano art, follows. This shift in subject matter among Mexican-American artists toward a specific social and political agenda began earlier, as evidenced by the work of Rivera, Orozco, and Posada, but, it isn’t until the mid 1960’s that national or religious iconographic images are recycled to support a larger political or social agenda. Scholars cite the famous 1966 United Farm Workers protest, in defense of migrant farm worker’s rights, as the beginning of what is now known as the Chicano Art movement. Organizers for the protest communicated through graphic art forms, like newsletters, posters, and cartoons. Symbolism and iconography that drew upon cultural resources, like La Virgen de Guadalupe and an Aztec inspired thunderbird, connected visual communication to these agendas. Reclamation of traditional cultural and religious iconography for political purposes becomes a recurring theme among Mexican-American artists and the defining criteria for the classification of art as Chicano. While Chicano art differs from Mexican art in that Mexican and other Latin art is rooted in pre-Columbian traditions and folklore, Chicano art also acknowledges American education and experience as part of what shapes an artist and his message. On the heels of the Chicano movement, the Civil Rights movement, and public outrage over America’s participation in the Vietnam War, women’s issues also battle for attention on a national level. Feminism as a movement gains significant momentum in the 1960’s; within a decade, Chicana feminists begin to use Guadalupe in their artwork. As Rosie the Riveter forged a path for Anglo feminists, Guadalupe remains the most powerful vehicle for the Chicana agenda. Up until this point, the Virgin was most often appropriated for purely inspirational purposes, and artist’s interpretation of her image and intent remain congruous to her religious authority. Now, in light of new feminist theory, says Felipe Ehrenberg in Framing an Icon: Guadalupe and the Artist’s Vision,â€Å" Latina artists â€Å"seek to reconstruct the deity’s presence, and in doing so, manage to define her usefulness to their causes. † Ester Hernandez, a Chicana artist working early in the movement’s history, is one of the first to utilize the visual power of La Virgen for feminist purposes. Hernandez’s work, which has exhibited internationally, focuses on â€Å"the dignity, strength, experiences, and dreams of Latina women. † The etching, La Virgen de Guadalupe Defendiendo los Derechos de los Xicanos, (etching; 1974), does not explore issues of sexuality, but rather Hernandez takes the opportunity to make a social statement. The image portrays a woman in karate clothes, stepping out of the classic ring of sunrays, with one leg in the air in a classic Karate pose. Reinterpreted by Hernandez, La Virgen is now a symbol of emerging feminist ideas, and will set the path for similar explorations by other Chicana artists. Born in 1942, Yolanda Lopez is another Chicana artist who uses Guadalupe as a springboard to discuss a feminist agenda. Lopez portrays herself in the image of la virgen in Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe (oil pastel on paper, 1978, 32â€Å"x24â€Å"). No longer a passive icon, Lopez utilizes Guadalupe to represent slowly shifting views about gender issues and sexuality in Chicano culture. Lopez situates herself in the position of the virgin, assuming the role. However, Lopez instead depicts herself athletic and strong, even assertive. She wears jogging shoes and a grin as she appears to sprint toward the viewer. Juan Diego, the putti-like boy that generally supports the virgin in traditional versions, instead lay underfoot. Still, characteristics that identify this portrayal as an interpretation of Guadalupe are unmistakable: the palette remains faithful to original portrayals, the iconic rays surround her, and the navy tilma billows behind Lopez as she moves. For early Chicana feminist artists, utilizing the iconic image of La Virgen de Guadalupe is critical to their agenda; in the tradition of the Chicano art movement, Guadalupe recalls nationalistic affiliations while including gender issues as part of the debate. However, secondary to political concerns of the Chicano movement as a whole, Chicana artists whose work serves to insert gender issues into the rubric of the Chicano movement are criticized within the community. Says Gaspar de Alba, â€Å"[a]ny divergence from that role, be it through a political engagement with the ideology of women’s liberation, as in the case of Chicana feminists [†¦] mmediately casts Chicanas who subscribe to either or both of these choices in a suspect light. † Further challenging the virgin ideal, new generations of women are reinterpreting her image from a feminist viewpoint to explore sexuality as it pertains to gender. Perhaps the most controversial example of such discourse involve s the work of Mexican-American artist, Alma Lopez. Lopez, a contemporary Chicana artist, explores her relationship with La Virgen de Guadalupe through mixed media piece titled Our Lady (digital print on canvas; 1999). She planned to show it at the Fullerton Museum Center as part of a larger exhibit, â€Å"The Virgin of Guadalupe: Interpreting Devotion. † The work depicts her partner, Raquel Salinas, posed and framed in the likeness of la Virgen de Guadalupe. Lopez choices, using her lover as subject and depicting her clothed only in bunches of roses worn like a bikini, reflect the difficulties experienced by Lopez and other lesbian women in a deeply Catholic culture. Lopez explores personal contradictions between her religious piety and her own sexuality as a lesbian woman of Mexican-American descent. She saw the image of Guadalupe as one that belonged to her, to interpret as she saw fit. I am relating her to the women in my life, my mom, my grandma, my aunt. They had to be strong to survive, like Christs mother. The piece caused a controversy among Mexican-American citizens in the community, and many citizens worked tirelessly to block the work from public view. Gustavo Arellano covers this story for OC Weekly in an article titled, â€Å"Nuestra Senora de Censorship: Who Says the Virgin Can’t be Sexy? † which discusses the controversy surrounding the exhibit. Arellano cites a letter written by Ernesto Cienfuegos, editor of La Voz de Aztlan, a website devoted to contemporary Chicano/a issues. In the letter, Cienfuegos expresses his outrage (and homophobic sexism) with Lopez and her work. â€Å"Firstly, the person†¦representing the ‘Mother of Jesus’ is nothing less than Raquel Salinas, the lesbian lover of the so called artist Alma Lopez. Raquel Sa linas calls herself ‘La Chuparosa’ which Alma Lopez often depicts on her abominable images. † He goes on to assert that such artwork is being â€Å"†¦promoted by many USA based pornographers† and dismisses the museums director’s decision to feature the piece as â€Å"†¦merely ignorant of the facts and not involved in an anti-Mexican effort to destroy our most revered spiritual beliefs and cultural values. † Lopez defends her position, citing her unique perspective as a Chicana artist, and says of the backlash, â€Å"I admit, I was surprised by the violent reaction to Our Lady because I am a community artist born in Mexico and raised in California with the Virgin as a constant in my home and my community. I am know that there is nothing wrong with this image which was inspired by the experiences of many Chicanas and their complex relationship to La Virgen de Guadalupe. I am not the first Chicana to reinterpret the image with a feminist perspective, and Im positive I wont be the last. Cienfuegos‘ letter touches upon a larger, more serious concern for Chicana artists, such as Lopez, who utilize Guadalupe in their art. Such evident venom and blanket disapproval is consistent with aggression received by many homosexual activists, including that of the Mexican-American woman, for whom both gender, religion, and race are inextricably linked. Gaspar de Alba offers insight into why Chicana artists like Lopez have met with so much opposition, even within her own community. Viewed as ‘wannabe’ white women, Chicana feminists are still accused in some inner circles of betraying the Chicano revolution and subscribing to a divisive politics that breaks up the ‘familia’ -both symbolically, by criticizing the ‘brothers’ and ‘jefes’ of the movement and calling them on their sexism and heterosexism, and literally, by not using their sexuality in the service of breeding new revolutionaries for La Causa[. Sandra Cisneros’ essay, â€Å"Guadalupe as a Sex Goddess,† offers an alternative contemporary perspective on the implied symbolism of the Virgin of Guadalupe through her personal experiences growing up in a Mexican-American household. Within this framework, she reconciles her cultural roots with her emerging sexual curiosity. She writes that she looked for signs of Gua dalupe as a ‘whole woman. ’ She wanted to look â€Å"underneath her dress† to see if she was a real woman. † Cisneros’ discussion about â€Å"the double chastity belt of ignorance and erguenza† also touches on the double standard that exists in Mexican-American culture as it relates to La Virgen. â€Å"Did boys have to aspire to be Jesus? I never saw any evidence of it. † These types of double standards perpetuate la Virgen as the symbol for a virgin/whore dichotomy deeply rooted in Mexican-American culture. As Emma Perez writes in Sexuality and Discourse, â€Å"Consciousness is born out of one’s intimate awareness of one’s oppression. † By claiming sitio y lengua, or a place and a voice, she states Chicanas and other women of color can form a new discourse on issues of feminism and sexuality. Claiming sitio y lengua, as argued by Perez, also includes the freedom to adopt images and icons like La Virgen. For centuries, la Virgen de Guadalupe has served as the single strongest symbol of virginity in the Americas. New generations of Chicana artists, such as Isis Rodriguez, San Francisco based cartoonist, adopt Guadalupe as an image, manipulating or controlling her attributes, claiming a personal, as opposed to cultural relationship, with la Virgen. In a discussion with Benjamin Francisco Hernandez for Low Rider Arte Magazine, Rodriguez says of this piece, â€Å"Whenever I have her in my artwork it’s not so much disrespectful as it is that she carries certain virtues that we assign her. She is a protectress [sic] or a caregiver. I put her in those roles. † Others, like Sandra Cisneros and Lopez, also acknowledge personal connections with Guadalupe, yet question what is known, and not known, about the Americas’ most revered female figure. As Cisneros notes in â€Å"Guadalupe is a Sex Goddess,† â€Å"When I see La Virgen de Guadalupe I want to lift her dress as I did my dolls and look to see if she comes with chones, and does her panocha look like mine, and does she have dark nipples too? † Like the term Chicana, the symbolic meaning of the Virgin of Guadalupe is always growing, evolving, and changing. As she was born out of syncretism, it is befitting her history to continually redefine her in contemporary terms, by contemporary participants of society. Alma Lopez and Sandra Cisneros have experienced firsthand the backlash from the Mexican-American community and society at large. It is more difficult to examine why something makes society uncomfortable than to ignore or destroy it. It is the very awkwardness, tension and insecurity of the experience itself that serves to formulate new and relevant questions about solidarity, femininity, and sexuality within the Chicano art. The Evolution of La Virgen de Guadalupe in Chicano Art free essay sample A beautiful dark-skinned brunette stands before you. Her long, flowing hair beautifully frames her sweet face and demure smile. Yards of richly colored clothing adorn her tall, slender frame. Rays of sunlight appear from behind, emphasizing pure beauty. Her hands are joined together and she holds them at her chest in worship or, perhaps, in gratitude. Who is she, or rather, who do you see? Practicing Catholics all over Central and South America see a venerated patron saint. In Mexico, she is immediately recognizable as symbolic mother of a nation, ‘nuestra madre. New generations of mestizos see a symbol of all that is woman, as real and complex as their mothers, sisters, daughters, and lovers. Who you see depends on who you are, but all identify her as the Virgin of Guadalupe, perhaps the most recognizable icon to emerge out of post-conquest Americas. La Virgen of Guadalupe has evolved throughout history as a cross-cultural and multi-generational icon of virginity, femininity, purity, and maternal love. We will write a custom essay sample on The Evolution of La Virgen de Guadalupe in Chicano Art or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Her presence can be seen everywhere, on clothing, jewelry, car windows, and even on coffins. This essay charts the evolution of La Virgen de Guadalupe in Chicano art, from religious icon to feminist mascot; I examine the forms in which contemporary Mexican-American artists have adopted this image, in the tradition of the Chicano art movement, to galvanize communities toward a common social or political cause, and, as Chicana artists will co-opt her image as a vehicle to assert gender issues within the larger agenda, I will argue that the opposition to such efforts reveals a double-standard of allegiance in stark contrast to the goals of the Chicano movement. To understand how La Virgen has evolved outside of her intended religious context, her genesis must first be examined. Origin stories vary but, according to tradition, on Dec 9, 1531, Juan Diego first saw La Virgen on top of Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City. She instructed him to have the Bishop build a church on the site. Little Juan Diego immediately found the Bishop and relayed the message, but was dismissed as a storyteller. Three days later, on Juan Diego’s walk to church, la Virgen again reappeared. This time, she told Juan Diego to go the hilltop and pick roses, pack them in his tilma, and take them to the bishop to prove he saw her and to convince the bishop to build a church there. When he presented them to the bishop as instructed, he dropped his cloak with the roses. What appeared in their place was the brightly painted image of the Lady. Once news spread of Juan Diego’s sightings of the Mother of God speaking to him in his native tongue, thousands traveled to Mexico City to see the legendary cape of the ‘brown‘ Virgin Mary. Some say the Virgin of Guadalupe represents early efforts at syncretism by the Catholic church in an era when indigenous religious practices were discouraged. Jeanette Rodriguez explores this theory in Our Lady of Guadalupe, beginning with an in depth analysis of the Aztec empire and its eventual conquest by the Spanish. Rodriguez argues that, through conquest and colonialism, Christian deities overpowered indigenous gods in terms of propagandistic exposure and eventually a dichotomy of virtues emerges. The monotheistic male god came to represent power, assertiveness, rationality and independence, attributes once associated with Aztec gods. Opposing characteristics like purity, virginity, fertility and maternal love were then attributed to female deity figures, like the Euro-Catholic Virgin Mary and Aztec goddess, Tonantzin. Concurrently, contends Rodriguez, the folkloric story of Juan Diego and La Virgen on Tepayac Hill emerges and the legend of Guadalupe is born. Eventually, this image evolves into the dominant national icon, symbolizing the new mestiza, who was born from both Spanish and indigenous blood. Jody Brant Smith agrees, in The Image of Guadalupe, that she appeared â€Å"miraculously on the cactus cloth tilma, or cape, of Juan Diego, an Aztec peasant, in 1531, a mere dozen years after Hernan Cortes conquered Mexico for the King of Spain. † This cape proved valuable to the Church and its goals of conversion. â€Å"In just seven years, from 1532 to 1538, eight million Indians were converted to Christianity. Whether one believes the Virgin de Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego on the hill or believe that Guadalupe was created to convert the Indians to the Catholic Church, the legend of Guadalupe as we know her today begins at this time. As a placebo for a changing guard, La Virgen de Guadalupe proved highly successful. The iconic image of La Virgen de Guadalupe remains static in both form and symbolism until the mid twentieth cen tury, when a new movement among Mexican-Americans emerges in California, dubbed the Chicano movement. As visual propaganda becomes a large part of the movement, a significant body of art with common themes and styles, known as Chicano art, follows. This shift in subject matter among Mexican-American artists toward a specific social and political agenda began earlier, as evidenced by the work of Rivera, Orozco, and Posada, but, it isn’t until the mid 1960’s that national or religious iconographic images are recycled to support a larger political or social agenda. Scholars cite the famous 1966 United Farm Workers protest, in defense of migrant farm worker’s rights, as the beginning of what is now known as the Chicano Art movement. Organizers for the protest communicated through graphic art forms, like newsletters, posters, and cartoons. Symbolism and iconography that drew upon cultural resources, like La Virgen de Guadalupe and an Aztec inspired thunderbird, connected visual communication to these agendas. Reclamation of traditional cultural and religious iconography for political purposes becomes a recurring theme among Mexican-American artists and the defining criteria for the classification of art as Chicano. While Chicano art differs from Mexican art in that Mexican and other Latin art is rooted in pre-Columbian traditions and folklore, Chicano art also acknowledges American education and experience as part of what shapes an artist and his message. On the heels of the Chicano movement, the Civil Rights movement, and public outrage over America’s participation in the Vietnam War, women’s issues also battle for attention on a national level. Feminism as a movement gains significant momentum in the 1960’s; within a decade, Chicana feminists begin to use Guadalupe in their artwork. As Rosie the Riveter forged a path for Anglo feminists, Guadalupe remains the most powerful vehicle for the Chicana agenda. Up until this point, the Virgin was most often appropriated for purely inspirational purposes, and artist’s interpretation of her image and intent remain congruous to her religious authority. Now, in light of new feminist theory, says Felipe Ehrenberg in Framing an Icon: Guadalupe and the Artist’s Vision,â€Å" Latina artists â€Å"seek to reconstruct the deity’s presence, and in doing so, manage to define her usefulness to their causes. † Ester Hernandez, a Chicana artist working early in the movement’s history, is one of the first to utilize the visual power of La Virgen for feminist purposes. Hernandez’s work, which has exhibited internationally, focuses on â€Å"the dignity, strength, experiences, and dreams of Latina women. † The etching, La Virgen de Guadalupe Defendiendo los Derechos de los Xicanos, (etching; 1974), does not explore issues of sexuality, but rather Hernandez takes the opportunity to make a social statement. The image portrays a woman in karate clothes, stepping out of the classic ring of sunrays, with one leg in the air in a classic Karate pose. Reinterpreted by Hernandez, La Virgen is now a symbol of emerging feminist ideas, and will set the path for similar explorations by other Chicana artists. Born in 1942, Yolanda Lopez is another Chicana artist who uses Guadalupe as a springboard to discuss a feminist agenda. Lopez portrays herself in the image of la virgen in Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe (oil pastel on paper, 1978, 32â€Å"x24â€Å"). No longer a passive icon, Lopez utilizes Guadalupe to represent slowly shifting views about gender issues and sexuality in Chicano culture. Lopez situates herself in the position of the virgin, assuming the role. However, Lopez instead depicts herself athletic and strong, even assertive. She wears jogging shoes and a grin as she appears to sprint toward the viewer. Juan Diego, the putti-like boy that generally supports the virgin in traditional versions, instead lay underfoot. Still, characteristics that identify this portrayal as an interpretation of Guadalupe are unmistakable: the palette remains faithful to original portrayals, the iconic rays surround her, and the navy tilma billows behind Lopez as she moves. For early Chicana feminist artists, utilizing the iconic image of La Virgen de Guadalupe is critical to their agenda; in the tradition of the Chicano art movement, Guadalupe recalls nationalistic affiliations while including gender issues as part of the debate. However, secondary to political concerns of the Chicano movement as a whole, Chicana artists whose work serves to insert gender issues into the rubric of the Chicano movement are criticized within the community. Says Gaspar de Alba, â€Å"[a]ny divergence from that role, be it through a political engagement with the ideology of women’s liberation, as in the case of Chicana feminists [†¦] mmediately casts Chicanas who subscribe to either or both of these choices in a suspect light. † Further challenging the virgin ideal, new generations of women are reinterpreting her image from a feminist viewpoint to explore sexuality as it pertains to gender. Perhaps the most controversial example of such discourse involve s the work of Mexican-American artist, Alma Lopez. Lopez, a contemporary Chicana artist, explores her relationship with La Virgen de Guadalupe through mixed media piece titled Our Lady (digital print on canvas; 1999). She planned to show it at the Fullerton Museum Center as part of a larger exhibit, â€Å"The Virgin of Guadalupe: Interpreting Devotion. † The work depicts her partner, Raquel Salinas, posed and framed in the likeness of la Virgen de Guadalupe. Lopez choices, using her lover as subject and depicting her clothed only in bunches of roses worn like a bikini, reflect the difficulties experienced by Lopez and other lesbian women in a deeply Catholic culture. Lopez explores personal contradictions between her religious piety and her own sexuality as a lesbian woman of Mexican-American descent. She saw the image of Guadalupe as one that belonged to her, to interpret as she saw fit. I am relating her to the women in my life, my mom, my grandma, my aunt. They had to be strong to survive, like Christs mother. The piece caused a controversy among Mexican-American citizens in the community, and many citizens worked tirelessly to block the work from public view. Gustavo Arellano covers this story for OC Weekly in an article titled, â€Å"Nuestra Senora de Censorship: Who Says the Virgin Can’t be Sexy? † which discusses the controversy surrounding the exhibit. Arellano cites a letter written by Ernesto Cienfuegos, editor of La Voz de Aztlan, a website devoted to contemporary Chicano/a issues. In the letter, Cienfuegos expresses his outrage (and homophobic sexism) with Lopez and her work. â€Å"Firstly, the person†¦representing the ‘Mother of Jesus’ is nothing less than Raquel Salinas, the lesbian lover of the so called artist Alma Lopez. Raquel Sa linas calls herself ‘La Chuparosa’ which Alma Lopez often depicts on her abominable images. † He goes on to assert that such artwork is being â€Å"†¦promoted by many USA based pornographers† and dismisses the museums director’s decision to feature the piece as â€Å"†¦merely ignorant of the facts and not involved in an anti-Mexican effort to destroy our most revered spiritual beliefs and cultural values. † Lopez defends her position, citing her unique perspective as a Chicana artist, and says of the backlash, â€Å"I admit, I was surprised by the violent reaction to Our Lady because I am a community artist born in Mexico and raised in California with the Virgin as a constant in my home and my community. I am know that there is nothing wrong with this image which was inspired by the experiences of many Chicanas and their complex relationship to La Virgen de Guadalupe. I am not the first Chicana to reinterpret the image with a feminist perspective, and Im positive I wont be the last. Cienfuegos‘ letter touches upon a larger, more serious concern for Chicana artists, such as Lopez, who utilize Guadalupe in their art. Such evident venom and blanket disapproval is consistent with aggression received by many homosexual activists, including that of the Mexican-American woman, for whom both gender, religion, and race are inextricably linked. Gaspar de Alba offers insight into why Chicana artists like Lopez have met with so much opposition, even within her own community. Viewed as ‘wannabe’ white women, Chicana feminists are still accused in some inner circles of betraying the Chicano revolution and subscribing to a divisive politics that breaks up the ‘familia’ -both symbolically, by criticizing the ‘brothers’ and ‘jefes’ of the movement and calling them on their sexism and heterosexism, and literally, by not using their sexuality in the service of breeding new revolutionaries for La Causa[. Sandra Cisneros’ essay, â€Å"Guadalupe as a Sex Goddess,† offers an alternative contemporary perspective on the implied symbolism of the Virgin of Guadalupe through her personal experiences growing up in a Mexican-American household. Within this framework, she reconciles her cultural roots with her emerging sexual curiosity. She writes that she looked for signs of Guadalupe as a ‘whole woman. ’ She wanted to look â€Å"underneath her dress† to see if she was a real woman. † Cisneros’ discussion about â€Å"the double chastity belt of ignorance and erguenza† also touches on the double standard that exists in Mexican-American culture as it relates to La Virgen. â€Å"Did boys have to aspire to be Jesus? I never saw any evidence of it. † These types of double standards perpetuate la Virgen as the symbol for a virgin/whore dichotomy deeply rooted in Mexican-American culture. As Emma Perez writes in Sexuality and Discourse, â⠂¬Å"Consciousness is born out of one’s intimate awareness of one’s oppression.

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Fitness Report essays ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS LABREPORT ON CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS. Through this exercise we will gain a bigger understanding of what it means to make a scientific experiment, and we will become better in one of the essential purposes of Environmental Systems: Using our own research to draw conclusions and investigate weather or not we can determine what is going to happen before we actually investigate it (by making a hypothesis and testing it). We will also become better at asking scientific questions and trying to determine their answers, designing our own experiments and working without help from a teacher or advisor. We will also learn how to work together as a class, using the knowledge we have about Scientific Inquiry. The purpose of our experiment was to compare different groups of people to see which group that has got the best cardiovascular fitness. We talked about many different possibilities like for example the difference between vegetarians and meat eaters, or girls who live in the castle vs. Chum girls. Finally we decided to compare Wilderness people to non Wilderness people, because this seemed more relevant and this way everybody would have a role. The Wilderness theme was selected democratically by the students. What we already knew about cardiovascular fitness was that you can determine a persons cardiovascular fitness by measuring the pulse- and respiration rate before and after exercise. A fit person will after exercise have a slower pulse and lower respiration rates than a non fit person. We also know that Cardio means heart and Vascular means vessels. Cardiovascular system: This is when the musccientific questions and trying to determine their answers, designing our own experiments and working without help from a teacher or advisor. We will also learn how to work together as a class, using the knowledge we have ...

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Was royal cult in the Seleukid empire an empire-wide phenomenon, directed from above, or did it belong mostly in the world of the Greek cities - Essay Example (White, 2008; Pp 156 – 159) In any empire that has been inherited from the clutches of a great ruler such as Alexander the Great, there is always a need to ensure that the royal cult is omnipresent in the way the land is ruled. In the case of the Seleukid Empire, the access to documents has been of central importance in studying the direction taken by the royal in directing the affairs of the state. This paper will place special focus on these documents as well as the rituals that demonstrate the extent of the direction provided by the royal cult of the Seleukid Empire. The paper will basically study whether the royal cult of the Seleukid Empire directed the state from above or was simply concentrated in the Greek cities. (White, 2008; Pp 156 – 159) The Eastern territories that include countries like India, Iran, Turkey and many more countries, hold special significance as far as the matters of the state and direction from the royal cult is concerned. The influence of this came from the fact that the citizens in these countries regarded the king as God sent. Therefore, his word was the last word. Influences of Indian and other languages can be seen in ancient Greek history as well as the history of the Seleukid Empire. This is also apparent in the rituals, coins, symbols adapted by kings and various other details that are useful in studying cultural influences. (White, 2008; Pp 156 – 159) The extent of participation of the royal cult in the Seleukid Empire can be studied through a focus on the military, economic and cultural factors to begin with. This will help in setting the stage for understanding the implications of the documents that carved the framework within which the Selukid Empire’s royal cult operated. To begin with, it is imperative to understand that the territory that was inherited by the Seleukid Dynasty was

It has been suggested that the 1960s was a response to the 1950s Essay

It has been suggested that the 1960s was a response to the 1950s Wonderbread Years. cite your position on this argument. (use - Essay Example Though on the surface the United States in the 1950s was a place of growth and opportunity, just below that surface simmered a riptide of dissent. Segregation was still alive, and Jim Crow laws throughout the South kept the African-American population oppressed (Lindop and DeCapua 58). In 1954, the landmark decision of Brown v. Board of Education ruled segregated schools to be unconstitutional, and in 1957 that decision was enforced in Little Rock, Arkansas (Lindop and DeCapua 60). Due to this and other court rulings regarding segregation, the 1960s saw a strong Civil Rights Movement sweep across the United States. African-Americans sent word to the entire nation that in the eyes of the law they were now thought of as equal; thus, they would solider on until society accepted them as such. In Greensboro, North Carolina, four African-American students waged a sit-in at a previously segregated, all-white lunch counter on February 1, 1960, igniting non-violent protests at lunch counters all across the still-segregated South (Farber and Baily 16). The next year saw whites and African-Americans riding buses side-by-side protesting segregation throughout the South while 1963 brought a massive march on Washington, D.C for equal rights (Morgan 23). All of these actions culminated in the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which did away with discrimination based on race, color, creed, or sex, and the Voting Rights Act, which finally allowed African-Americans to vote without being afraid of violence or harm (Morgan 21). While the 1960s saw the main action of the Civil Rights Movement, the 1950s were its predecessor, its catalyst, and its instigator as the African-American population of the nation sought to prove what had been laid out by law. African-Americans were not alone in their quest for equal treatment. Women who had previously enjoyed independence while the men were abroad in World War II were once again relegated to home and kitchen in the 1950s (Lindop and De Capua 130). It was taught that a woman should have little ambition in life aside from finding a good husband and settling down to bear children (Lindop and DeCapua 130). This attitude ceased in the 1960s when alongside the Civil Rights Movement, the feminist movement was also alive and well (Morgan 220). Covered in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which forbade discrimination based on color, creed, or sex, women still fought for equal treatment and pay in the workplace (Morgan 221). Groups, such as the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the Women’s Equity Action League, found no shortage of supporters (Morgan 221). Again, though the actions took place in the 1960s, they were a direct response to the 1950s, when the strong image of a woman supporting the home front was replaced with a woman relegated to shopping, cleaning, and cooking. Had the 1950s not worked so hard on repressing the women that only years before had attained independence supporting their families, then t he 1960s may not have produced such a startling and strong feminist movement. If the 1950s were known to advocate anything, it was conformity. Suburban tracts of homes were

Media Influence and Ingrained Prejudice

Media Influence and Ingrained Prejudice Jeremy A. Dietz The origins of prejudice vary greatly from one culture to another. Some cultures appear to have prejudice ingrained into them over long periods of time, while other forms of prejudice occur much more rapidly. Regardless of the length of time that a prejudice has existed, the media can contribute to perpetuating and strengthening an ingrained prejudice through its multiple outlets. While the origins of prejudice differ, medium such as television, the internet, newspapers, and magazines can have a very strong influence on an already existing prejudice or even help to solidify a newly developed prejudice belief. Origins of Prejudice There are many proposed theories on the origins of various prejudice beliefs and behaviors. One theory is that prejudice actually has a genetic and evolutionary basis. Another possible origin of prejudice is based on societal interactions and laws created by those in authority (Baron Branscombe, 2012). Yet another theory is that prejudice goes hand in hand with racism and is accelerated by certain events or acts which may be deemed as a threat are performed by people sharing a particular ethnicity, religion, physical characteristics, or otherwise common characteristic (Baron Branscombe, 2012). Prejudice when described as having an evolutionary and genetic background is often explained by the process of natural selection. This theory suggests that the brain patterns of early humans were actually wired to establish a type of prejudice against those of differing physical characteristics (Utsey, Ponterotto, Porter, 2008). During the early days of human development, limited resources often caused much competition between various clans or tribes. The tendency of humans then was to give members of their own clan a priority for survival and viewed others as possible threats. One such idea is the resource retention rule theory, which suggests that prejudice views were formed especially during periods of scarce resources (Utsey, Ponterotto, Porter, 2008). During these periods, groups of humans would try to stockpile resources for their own family or tribe which most often tended to be other people with like physical characteristics. Outsiders were avoided or viewed as less worthy of the various resources (Utsey, Ponterotto, Porter, 2008). Another similar type of theory based on genetic evolution is called the theory of inclusive fitness (Fishbein, 2003). This theory states that people who are in the same family group will show preferential treatment toward their family and sometimes show hostility towards people from other groups (Fishbein, 2003). When viewing how prejudice is passed down from one generation to the next, some theories suggest that those in authority are primarily responsible for perpetuating a particular prejudice belief (Fishbein, 2003). This is accomplished by a younger generation being taught by their elders certain prejudice beliefs about those of other groups. The younger generation is expected to accept these views as complete truth and in turn pass it on to their children. It has been suggested that this method is the main source of perpetuating prejudice beliefs throughout human evolution (Fishbein, 2003). These beliefs many times are also perpetuated in modern media. Effects of the Media on Prejudice Today In modern society the media has many outlets available to communicate and influence the thoughts and perceptions of a wide range of people regardless of culture and age. Primary forms of media include radio, printed material such as magazines and newspapers, television, and now the internet with its multi-facets of communication reach nearly every corner of the earth. For example, talk radio programs have been around for many decades and are broadcast in almost every country around the globe. These outlets can have a powerful effect on prejudice thoughts of their viewers. One example of prejudice in the media occurred during Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath of flooding that occurred in New Orleans, Louisiana. During this terrible natural disaster, African-American citizens of New Orleans were often depicted in a negative light by the mainstream media. Many such citizens were reported as being involved in activities such as plundering and anarchy, however most of these claims were showed to be untrue afterwards (Sonnett, Johnson, Dolan, 2015). During the flooding two photographs also appeared in the mainstream media which were widely distributed and showed further prejudice by their captions. One photo was of a younger caucasian couple out finding bread and soda while wading through chest-deep water, while a very similar photo of a youthful black man also in chest-deep floodwater carrying food was labeled as looting (Sonnett, Johnson, Dolan, 2015). In some modern films there seems to be a movement of sorts to portray prejudice as a behavior that everyone exhibits, regardless of race or background. According to Nishi, Matias, and Montoya (2015), the 2004 film Crash is an example of such a perspective (Haggis Cheadle, Crash). The film has several scenes depicting prejudice behavior. One scene shows a black woman being assaulted by a police officer who is white. However in another scene shortly following, an African-American man is himself exhibiting prejudice behavior against his partner. Research by Nishi et al. (2015) suggests that this is a type of colorblindness which in reality is not accurate either historically or in modern times. It has been proposed that this perspective is actually meant to excuse the prejudice behavior shown by white people, as people of minority backgrounds are also showing similar ingrained prejudice behavior (Nishi et al. 2015). Another avenue of the media that has the power to project prejudice behavior is that of advertising, especially in television. Commercials on television have great influence on prejudice, not only by what products are being advertised, but more importantly on who the advertisements depict. According to the research performed by Howell (2012), African Americans are often portrayed in commercials, but there is a clear trend towards depicting lighter skinned African American females in television advertisements. In fact, in commercials which feature an African American couple, there is an approximate five to one ratio where the male is darker skinned than the female (Howell, 2012). This obvious trend would appear to suggest a prejudice in the media against dark skinned females. Conclusion It is clear to see that while the origins of prejudice can be varied, the media has the ability to influence nearly any type of prejudice that may exist. Through its many facets, the media reaches nearly every culture on earth in some form or another. Regardless of whether a prejudice is based on what might be a genetic or evolutionary trait, societal disposition, or racial bias, the media has the power to help perpetuate or tear down these ingrained prejudice behaviors. Sadly, there are many examples of the media contributing to these deplorable behaviors, but hopefully time will prove that the influence of the media will be used to help dissolve ingrained prejudice. References Baron, Robert A. Branscombe, Nyla R. (2012), The Causes, Effects, and Cures of Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination. Social Psychology. (13th edition, pp. 176-213). Boston, MA: Pearson. Fishbein, H. D. (2003). The Genetic/Evolutionary Basis of Prejudice and Hatred. Journal Of Hate Studies, 3(1), 113-119. Haggis, P. (Director), Cheadle, D. (Producer). (2004). Crash [Motion picture]. USA: Lions Gate Films. Howell, L. D. (2012). TV Ads in Black And Light. USA Today Magazine, 141(2810), 58-60. Nishi, N. W., Matias, C. E., Montoya, R. (2015). Exposing the white avatar: projections, justifications, and the ever-evolving American racism. Social Identities, 21(5), 459-473. doi:10.1080/13504630.2015.1093470 Sonnett, J., Johnson, K. A., Dolan, M. K. (2015). Priming Implicit Racism in Television News: Visual and Verbal Limitations on Diversity. Sociological Forum, 30(2), 328-347. doi:10.1111/socf.12165 Utsey, S. O., Ponterotto, J. G., Porter, J. S. (2008). Prejudice and Racism, Year 2008-Still Going Strong: Research on Reducing Prejudice With Recommended Methodological Advances. Journal of Counseling Development, 86(3), 339-347. doi:10.1002/j.1556-6678.2008.tb00518.x

United States Immigration Policy Essay -- Illegal Immigration, Illegal

Immigration policy is a controversial but rarely debated issue in U.S. politics. Politicians usually do not take strong stances on immigration, and rarely does a candidate make immigration policy a key piece of his platform. However, the issue is very divisive and decisions concerning immigration will have a large impact on this country's future. Immigration discussions often evoke strong feelings due to the racial and ethnic issues involved. Often, those seeking to immigrate to the U.S. are part of racial or ethnic groups that are minorities in this country. Therefore, anti-immigration views are often associated with racism and nativism. It can be dangerous, therefore, for a politician or other leader to speak out too strongly against immigration. Even if his opposition is based on population concerns, and not race or ethnicity, he can fall under heavy criticism by minority groups. This effect is partly due to the fact that past attempts to limit immigration were based on racism and nativism. Past opponents of immigration, particularly in the late 1800's to early 1900's, often argued that immigrants were inferior. Anti-immigration stances often evoke thoughts of past nativist movements, such as the Know-Nothing Party. In this paper, I will take a look at various attitudes towards immigration, beginning with Singer. Then, I will give my thoughts on the matter and the policy I feel the U.S. government should adopt. Singer believes that all developed nations have a moral duty to accept more refugees. He bases this view on his utilitarian theory. Since refugees have a great interest in immigrating to a developed country, sometimes a life or death interest, Singer believes immigration should be allowed until the harm to the host ... ...fornia: Greenhaven Press, 1995. 31-33. Hardin, Garrett. â€Å"Living on a Lifeboat.† 246-57. Kennan, George F. â€Å"Immigration to the United States Should Be Reduced.† Immigration Policy. Ed. Scott Barbour. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 1995. 17-20. Meissner, Doris. â€Å"Government Policies Should Be Reformed to Curb Asylum Abuse.† Immigration Policy. Ed. Scott Barbour. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 1995. 28-30. Stein, Dan. â€Å"The United States Should Enact a Moratorium on Immigration.† Immigration Policy. Ed. Scott Barbour. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 1995. 21-23. Wilson, Pete. â€Å"The Federal Government Should Increase Control of Illegal Immigration.† Immigration Policy. Ed. Scott Barbour. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 1995. 24-27. Singer, Peter. Practical Ethics. 2nd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

The Benefits of High School and College Educational Attainment

â€Å"Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes. † Johann Von Goethe wrote the previous quote. He was trying to emphasize that everything in life brings about change. Attending high school and college is a decision that brings about consistency as well as change. Even though they both serve the purpose of educating, there are great differences and similarities in the high school and college experience. Honors and advance placement classes in secondary school prepare one for the challenge of higher educational opportunities in college. On the other hand, the freshmen experience in college is much more challenging. One must dedicate much more time to his or her studies in order to succeed. Essentially, in order to move on to a higher educational level, one must enhance his or her character, mature, and accept and adapt to change. Both high school and college make a certain commitment to each student. They are committed to provide the students with remarkable opportunities to pursue and enhance their education. For example, scholarships, loans, and financial aid can provide the student with an opportunity to pursue his or her education, no matter what their financial status is. Aside from the students, high school and college would be meaningless without its faculty. Most teachers and professors in high school and college are well-educated individuals. They have spent some years studying to obtain a teaching degree. As teachers and professors, their main concern (or goal) is for the student to learn, understand, and master the course they teach. The teacher or professor may accomplish this goal by reviewing the material, emphasizing key points, or providing the students with examples that they could easily relate to. Most of them are willing to dedicate extra time to help the student meet his or her needs. Several high school teachers, as well as some college professors go beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic. They teach you about life in general, all its hardships and all its rewards. Receiving a good education is great, but enhancing your individuality and growing as a person is just as important. Some teachers and professors discuss their own personal experiences and lessons, which they have encountered throughout life. These lessons in life could impact the student and educate them as well. As high school or college level students, countless efforts are required to successfully achieve certain goals. One common goal shared by many high school and college students is the desire to get good grades. This goal is not always easy to attain; therefore it requires much effort. Determination, dedication, perseverance, and patience are all key factors for success in school. It is also necessary to pay attention in class, take down good notes, complete all the assignments instructed by the professor, and study (in advance) for exams. These key factors and study habits will help you attain a good grade. Remember, successfully achieving in school is hard, yet not impossible. Another similarity between high school and college is the multi-cultural and multi-racial school setting. It is quite interesting to observe many different and unique individuals coming together for one sole purpose: to receive an education. Similarly, both high school and college provide the opportunity to meet and associate with a variety of different people. Having group discussions in class, and doing assigned group projects may lead to meeting different students that you normally would not associate with. Meeting these different students could result in the beginning of flourishing friendships and wonderful relationships. There is a distinct variation between the teaching methods in high school and in college. In high school, most teachers lecture and dictate the exact notes necessary to pass the exam. Most classes function and interact on a more personal, one on one level. On the contrary, in college, the professor lectures while the student has to use his or her own judgement to gather important information for the notes. Some college classes consist of about two hundred students, making it difficult to carry on class discussions and to become familiar (or build a student-teacher relationship) with your professor. Another difference between high school and college is the change from being fairly dependent to becoming independent. In high school, you are constantly depending on your teachers. You expect the teachers to remind you when assignments are due, or about quiz and test dates. College, on the other hand, is different. All college professors provide their students with a syllabus. This syllabus explains all the requirements and objectives of the course. It is the student†s responsibility to refer back to the syllabus. You have little or no freedom in high school, whereas in college, you experience much more freedom. Along with this freedom comes great responsibility. College professors refer to the students as mature adults, and they have high expectations from each student. High school and college vary in other areas as well. There is a wider age range in college than in high school. A college class may consist of students that range from the ages of eighteen to forty, or perhaps even more. In college, you also receive the benefit of choosing classes that will accommodate your daily schedule. For example, if you have a part-time job in the mornings, you can choose classes in the afternoon. Unfortunately, you do not get this same opportunity in high school. Although getting good grades is a common goal shared by many high school and college students, they have different goals as well. The goals students set for themselves in high school tend to change when they get to college. For instance, when you are in high school, one of your main goals is usually to get accepted into the college of your choice. However, the college student sets different goals and priorities for himself or herself. Now that they already entered college, they are concerned about their major and starting a successful career. Attending high school and entering college is a path in life that many of us choose. This path in life, along with any other of life†s routes, brings about change. You may view change as being positive or negative. Whichever way you view it, change is a part of life. It can bring forth many challenges, as well as adventures and new experiences. When people are confronted with change, some feel awkward and insecure. Although several people attempt to avoid it, change is inevitable. Despite change, these remain: the importance of setting priorities and goals for yourself, having determination, and doing your outright best. (Faith, hope, and love will also remain constant, steadfast and true. ) Do not only grow intellectually (in book knowledge), but be wise and grow as an individual with morals and values as well. The following quote, written by John Dewey, summarizes the definition of education. â€Å"Education is a social process†¦ Education is growth†¦ Education is, not a preparation for life; education is life itself. â€Å"