Moraga's Home Summary

The men in Moraga’s home were viewed as the power and authority figures. Men were to be served, and women were to serve them (Moraga, 391). For example, growing up, Moraga’s role was to serve drinks and snacks to her brother and his friends when he asked (Moraga, 390). Her father was considered the breadwinner and had little to do with caregiving. The women of Moraga’s home were the emotional and familial caregivers. This was exemplified when her mother was in the hospital, and she had to live with her aunt because her father was unable to emotionally care for his family the way her mother did (Moraga, 391).

Moraga appreciates the role her mother had played in her life and looks up to her. This relation to her mother helped her form her own

However, she also mentions how this was primarily the “white women’s movement” for sexuality and how it convinced her that lesbian sexuality was naturally different than heterosexual sexuality (Moraga, 393). This white women’s movement was problematic in that it excluded non-white, non-middle class women. Another relation between political activism and eroticism was between radical feminism and lesbianism. Moraga mentions how “radical feminism” viewed lesbianism as a political response to male sexual aggression (Moraga, 395). The Civil Rights Movement was a key moment that exemplifies the link between political activism and spirituality. The Civil Rights Movement was viewed as a moral obligation, linking to one’s spirituality. Religion was used for community building, and the movement was about deep spirituality and love (Moraga, 396-397). The issue Moraga points out wit the Civil Rights Movements is that it excluded women. Moraga states that, “...if the spirit and sex have been linked in our oppression, then they must also be linked in the strategy toward our liberation.” (Moraga, 397). According to Moraga, political activism, eroticism, and spirituality all must be linked in order to solve the problems society