Anzaldua's Ambivalence Analysis
In Anzaldua’s piece her ambivalence is the mixed signals or signs that she is receiving about the different sections of her identity. s. In a generalized form her ambivalence is her intersectionality as a lesbian, Chicano woman. These three minority groups are splitting Anzaldua’s being and that is the world wind that she faces. Unable to be herself, she is forced into choosing labels that society creates due to binaries and ignorance. This is the ultimate problem that Anzaldua and others face. Anzaldua is happy with her mixed identity, but she is unable to choose which is more important which is something she should not have to do as we progress farther and father away from the binaries that hold society back. She explores this thought with
…show more content…
This is the bridge that she refers to later in the piece. This bridge is one sided where on the left side, you are in the “out” group because you do not identify with the right side and vice versa. As a lesbian, Chicano woman, Anzaldua is not allowed to cross the bridge to be the “real woman” that society defines. The intersection where her sexuality and race meet with her sex and gender causes an imbalance in the bridge if the right side of the bridge is all heterosexual, white women. This nature causes what feels like a battle between people as she highlighted in the text. She speaks of black people offending white gay people, and these same white people coming back with remarks that involves “nigger,” as a way to offend this group of black people. These battles are ones that can be avoided, but they feel like they have to be made because of the bridge and the “us vs you” nature that it imposes. This bridge forces us to choose what we think is more important and disregards the idea that multiple things or identities may be important to
This is the bridge that she refers to later in the piece. This bridge is one sided where on the left side, you are in the “out” group because you do not identify with the right side and vice versa. As a lesbian, Chicano woman, Anzaldua is not allowed to cross the bridge to be the “real woman” that society defines. The intersection where her sexuality and race meet with her sex and gender causes an imbalance in the bridge if the right side of the bridge is all heterosexual, white women. This nature causes what feels like a battle between people as she highlighted in the text. She speaks of black people offending white gay people, and these same white people coming back with remarks that involves “nigger,” as a way to offend this group of black people. These battles are ones that can be avoided, but they feel like they have to be made because of the bridge and the “us vs you” nature that it imposes. This bridge forces us to choose what we think is more important and disregards the idea that multiple things or identities may be important to