Gender and Sexuality Theme Analysis

When Rigoberta Menchú Tum describes gender norms in her Maya-Quiché community, she often struggles to determine how they contribute to inequality. She wonders whether men and women’s separate roles are a potential indication of underlying machismo, a value system in which men’s behaviors and achievements are valued more than women’s. In addition, as a politically conscious woman in a traditionally minded community, Rigoberta finds herself in a difficult situation. On the one hand, her duty as a woman in the community is to become a mother and have children. On the other hand, she knows that in order to defend the community’s survival, she must take on a leadership role and contribute to the political struggle. As Rigoberta attempts to make sense of her own position with regard to expected gender roles, she concludes that her priority should be activism, because true social change can only take place if women are fully integrated in the fight for justice. And instead of viewing men and women as two conflicting sides, Rigoberta emphasizes that engaging both men and women in dialogue about gender equality is the only way to build a better, more equal society.

Rigoberta initially argues that gender norms in her community reflect women and men’s separate yet complementary tasks, but she also recognizes that this situation is not entirely equal: boys and men are frequently accorded greater liberties than girls and women. Indeed, as Maya-Quiché children grow up, girls are taught household duties, whereas boys learn to work in the field. Rigoberta notes that both tasks are equally valuable to the community: girls’ and boys’ responsibilities might be separate, but they are equal in importance. However, Rigoberta also realizes that boys are sometimes valued more than girls. She notes that her community has special ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a boy, whereas the equivalent does not exist for girls. Although she says that this honors the hard work that boys will be expected to take part in, she does wonder if this might reflect greater pride in boys’ achievements. In addition, Rigoberta notes that this inequality extends to adulthood as well. Unlike her mother, who has a unique role as an elected representative, many Indian women are not allowed to leave their house whenever they please, because of their husbands’ jealousy. Rigoberta’s reflections suggest that, despite its emphasis on complementary tasks, men and women are not entirely equal in her community.

In parallel, the emphasis on motherhood and reproduction as sacred pillars of communal life creates specific difficulties for women. In the community, women are valued primarily because of their role as mothers and are seen as connected to the earth through their capacity to give life. However, the grief and suffering that motherhood brings (given high rates of child mortality among poor Indians), leads Rigoberta and many other Indian women to question whether or not they actually want to have children. Women from Indigenous communities find themselves in a difficult bind: they’re encouraged to become mothers, yet they’re aware that some of their children will likely die.

This emphasis on sexual reproduction also risks marginalizing members of the community who do not conform to heterosexual standards. Rigoberta argues that discriminatory ladino attitudes, such as the condemnation of homosexuality, do not exist in her community, because Indians are taught to accept everything that nature gives in all of its diversity. However, Rigoberta’s description—which compares homosexuality to a harvest that “did not turn out right”—suggests that homosexuality is still considered an abnormality, something that does not correspond to the “right” way of doing things. This attitude suggests that the community might still harbor prejudice toward sexual behavior that does not conform to the norm. In addition, the community’s emphasis on women’s purity can overlook underlying exploitation, as is the case with prostitution. The community blames women who engage in prostitution for not respecting their own dignity. However, blaming women for prostitution disregards the exploitative circumstances—namely, the inability to earn enough money on the fincas to survive—that force them to make such decisions. The community’s focus on sexual reproduction and women’s purity thus creates a difficult situation for individuals who deviate from the norm, whether to avoid the suffering of childrearing, to express their unique sexual identity, or out of economic necessity.

In line with her commitment to activism, Rigoberta concludes that machismo might be impossible to eradicate completely, but that political discussion among men and women is the only solution to solving gender inequalities in Guatemala. Rigoberta’s personal story highlights her struggle to be both a woman and a political leader. Although she ultimately decides to forgo marriage in order to focus on her fight for the rights of the poor, she realizes that misogyny exists even within revolutionary political groups. For example, some of the compañeros she works with sometimes refuse to follow a woman’s orders. In these situations, instead of blindly imposing her authority, Rigoberta believes that engaging in heartfelt discussions is the solution: through dialogue, men can change their attitude toward women and understand that both genders are perfectly equal. Therefore, Rigoberta believes that true change can only take place if women and men unite. She argues against the creation of women-specific political groups, since women suffer from the same exploitation as men. As Rigoberta’s mother argues, true change—including a more favorable position for women in society—takes place when women are capable of making their voice heard in the public sphere. For Rigoberta and her mother, fighting poverty and violence is not enough: the political movements defending the poor in Guatemala should also strive for gender equality. Without the promotion of women’s rights, no political or economic achievement will ever be a full victory.