The 1960s was a time of great social uprising. Rights for many minority groups were recognized and previously disadvantaged groups were beginning to better elevate themselves in American society. The women’s rights movement was strong in the 1960s and 1970s. As highlighted in “No More Miss America,” groups such as the New York Radical Women’s Collective took steps towards dismantling the structures that oppressed women, such as the societal perpetuation of the “ideal woman,” through beauty pageants, magazines, and advertisements. Other minority groups, like the Chicanos, fought discrimination in the workforce. However, largely forgotten in this Civil Rights era was the large group that did not fit into either movement-- Chicana women. One one hand, the Chicanos and Chicanas were fighting the dominant ideology (or hegemony) of white supremacy, and on the other, the Chicanas were fighting hegemony against not only …show more content…
As women, Chicanas face sexism. As a racial minority, they face racism. WIthin the Chicano movement, Gomez explains, the needs of chicanas as women were largely ignored. Feminism and the women’s rights movement was labeled within the Chicano movement as “irrelevant and Anglo-inspired,” (185). Racism was given priority, and feminism was viewed as a part of the white supremacy they were fighting. In the era of “Vietnam, La Huelga [the farm worker’s strike], police brutality,” (186), the feministas were ignored. Gomez argues that in order for Chicanas to have their needs addressed, more of them must get involved. She points out that that feminism is not an antithesis to Chicano/a culture-- “...not Anglo-inspired[...] There is a legacy of heroines and activists,” (187). Furthermore, Gomez believes that in order for the Chicano movement to truly fight for its people, it must address sexism as