Kassandra Yanez
Causal Analysis
English 121

“The oppression suffered by Chicanas is different from that suffered by most women in this country. Because Chicanas are part of an oppressed nationality, they are subjected to the racism practiced against La Raza”(Mirtha Vidal 1971). In American society all women are oppressed. The most oppressed women in the U.S. are women of color. Among them are Chicana women, there are certain expectations of what is acceptable for women through a patriarchal and sexist society which gives men power and privilege over women. These expectations are shown through the concepts of La mujer Buena and La mujer Mala. This is even greater oppression than that faced by other women. Chicana’s oppression begins in their own home, and continues to haunt Chicana women outside their home.
The concept of la mujer buena (the good woman) and la mujer mala (the bad woman) is the root of Chicana expectations that feeds into the patriarchal and sexist society women have to face. La mujer buena is expected to be silent, a virgin, and a care taker. La mujer mala is the total opposite; she is an activist, a “whore”, and is educated. When a woman falls out of the expectations of la mujer buena she is put into the category of la mujer mala simply because she wants her voice heard and isn’t just going to sit there while women are being oppressed. In Elizabeth Martinez’ 500 years of Chicana Women’s History she states, “despite the hard life faced by the working class Chicana- and we have barely suggested it here- she is expected to live according to attitudes and prejudices imposed by sexism. These include ideas about virginity, false definitions of femininity and the double standard (one standard of sexual behavior for women, a different standard for men)”(Martinez pg. 33). Society expects women to act a certain way that is “womanly” if they do anything