(Out)Classed Women

Like so many other ethnic groups, Chicanos and Chicanas have suffered from political, social, and economic oppression in the United States. In addition to the problems they endure as a consequence of their ethnicity, Chicanas are further subordinated because of their gender. As women, they are treated inequitably by a culture in which authority is invested primarily in men, to the point that they are relegated to a separate social class. The experiences of Chicanas are presented in the works of contemporary Chicana writers who explore the inequitable power relations that adversely affect these women because of their gender. This book analyzes the representation of these outclassed Chicanas in the works of contemporary Chicana authors.

The first part of the volume treats the major concerns and themes of Chicana writers in terms of the problems caused by inequitable gendered power relations. Some of the writers discussed include Sandra Cisneros, Roberta Fernández, Kathleen Alcala, Gloria Anzaldúa, and Ana Castillo. The second part looks at some of the solutions proposed by Chicana writers in response to inequitable gender roles. The final portion of the volume explores the relationship between Chicanas and other women writers and critics of color, Jewish feminists, and the mainstream feminist movement.

PHILLIPA KAFKA is Professor Emerita of English and Former Director of Women's Studies at Kean University. Her previous books include (Un)Doing the Missionary Position: Gender Asymmetry in Contemporary Asian American Women's Writing (Greenwood, 1997) and The Great White Way: African American Women Writers and American Success Mythology (1993).