WOMEN IN REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS IN LATIN AMERICA

• NCJ Number: 62160
• Journal: Journal of Marriage and the Family Dated: (MAY 1973) Pages: 344-354
• Author(s): J S JAQUETTE
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Family Relations
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE ACTIVITIES OF FEMALE GUERRILLAS AND THE PRESENCE OF FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE IN REVOLUTIONARY IDEOLOGY ARE OUTLINED FOR BOTH THE EARLY LATIN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY TRADITION AND THE GUERRILLA MOVEMENTS FROM 1953-1971.

Abstract

A FEMALE REVOLUTIONARY TRADITION EXISTS IN LATIN AMERICA, DATING FROM STRUGGLES FOR INDEPENDENCE AGAINST THE SPANISH IN THE LATE 1700'S AND EARLY 1800'S. THE PROFILE OF THE TYPICAL WOMAN GUERRILLA IN LATIN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS IS TAHT OF A YOUNG (EARLY TWENTIES), UPPER MIDDLE-CLASS, EDUCATED WOMAN, OFTEN THE WIFE OR RELATIVE OF A MALE REVOLUTIONARY. MOREOVER, FEMALE PARTICIPATION IN GUERRILLA MOVEMENTS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL STATEMENTS AND PLATFORMS AIMED AT FEMINIST ISSUES ARE APPROXIMATELY LINKED IN MODERN LATIN AMERICAN GUERRILLA MOVEMENTS, THE PRESENCE OF FEMINIST IDEOLOGY IS APPARENTLY AFFECTED BY THE TIES OF THE MALE REVOLUTIONARY LEADERSHIP TO INTERNATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY CURRENTS (WHICH INCREASES AWARENESS OF FEMINIST ISSUES) AS AGAINST THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE MOVEMENT IS AIMED AT THE PEASANT (WHICH DECREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF FEMINIST PLANKS IN REVOLUTIONARY PLATFORMS). THE STRONGEST LATIN AMERICAN FEMINIST POLITICAL ORIENTATION HAS OCCURRED IN CUBA SINCE THE REVOLUTION, WITH A LESSER BUT STILL STRONG FEMINIST INFLUENCE IN THE COLOMBIAN AND URUGUAYAN REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS. REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS IN BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA, HAVE INTERNATIONAL LINKS AND SOME FEMALE PARTICIPATION; GUATEMALA AND VENEZUELA REPRESENT PEASANT-ORIENTED PLATFORMS WITH NO SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO WOMEN AND WITH MINOR FEMALE PARTICIPATION IN GUERRILLA ACTIVITIES. BOLIVIA HAS AN INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM APPEALING TO A FEMALE REVOLUTIONARY TRADITION UNDER THE HEROINE IMAGE OF 'TANIA,' WHO WAS ASSOCIATED WITH CHE GUEVARA IN BOLIVIAN GUERRILLA ACTIVITIES. DESPITE EVIDENCE OF CONSIDERABLE FEMALE PARTICIPATION, THE REVOLUTIONARY PLATFORM IN PERU IS LIMITED TO A STATEMENT ON THE FAMILY, A THEME WHICH SUGGEST A TRADITIONAL ORIENTATION TOWARD MALE AND FEMALE ROLES. REFERENCES AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)