Mexican American Women Dress and Gender

<p>Mexican American women have endured several layers of discrimination deriving from a strong patriarchal tradition and a difficult socioeconomic and cultural situation within the US ethnic and class organization. However there have been groups of women who have defied their fates at different times and in diverse forms.</p><p>Mexican American Women Dress and Gender observes how <em>Pachucas Chicanas</em> and <em>Cholas</em> have used their body image (dress hairstyle and body language) as a political tool of deviation and attempts to measure the degree of intentionality in said oppositional stance. For this purpose and claiming the sociological power of photographs as a representation of precise sociohistorical moments this work analyzes several photographs of women of said groups; with the aim of proving the relevance of other body images in expressing gender and ethnic identification or disidentification from the mainstream norm.</p><p></p><p>Proposing a diachronic comparative approach to young Mexican American women this monograph will appeal to students and researchers interested in Chicano History Race and Ethnic Studies American History Feminism and Gender Studies.</p><p></p>