de género. Palabras clave simbólicamente. colectivo, nivel raza la mejor para futuro un hacia camino un forjar de y fronterizas zonas las en socio-culturales conflictos los intentos como hijos enfrentar de los de culturales desviaciones las investiga artículo Este blanca. América la de normas las también como así padres, sus de heredado que han socio-culturales normas las desafían EE. los de fronterizas zonas las de étnico-racial batalla” de y/o “el en campo criados nacidos hijos los embargo, Sin mexicanas. raíces asus apego profundo un tiempo, mismo y, al americano vida de estilo el aadoptar resistencia cierta una que implica inmigrantes, los de tradicional identidad la representan película la de título el que refiere se ala familia la de (1995) My Family padres Los Nava. película la de Gregory de narrativa la en central tema un Unidos es Estados de Suroeste el en chicana identidad la de transmutación yla desarrollo El Resumen Keywords raza for la future collective symbolically, and, individual abetter towards apath to carve and borderlands the in conflicts socio-cultural confront to endeavors as deviations children’s the cultural examines article This America. of white those but also parents, their from inherited have they norms socio-cultural the challenge US, the in borderlands of the ‘battlefield’ however, ethno-racial the and/or in bred born children, The roots. Mexican to their adherence a close showing while lifestyle American the to embrace ahesitation identity, entails which immigrant traditional, the represent family (1995). My Family Nava’s narrative titular of the Gregory in parents theme The film central a is Southwest American the in identity of Chicana/o transmutation developmentThe and Abstract Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses Estudios de Canaria Revista : Chicana/o Identity, Borderlands, Cultural Conflict, Machismo Conflict, Cultural Identity, Borderlands, : Chicana/o : Identidad chicana, zonas fronterizas, conflicto cultural, machismo, roles roles machismo, cultural, conflicto fronterizas, zonas chicana, : Identidad GREGORY NAVA’SGREGORY FAMILY (1995) MY EN SOCIALES BRECHAS LAS REDUCIENDO DOI: https://doi.org/10.25145/j.recaesin.2020.81.15DOI: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece* of Thessaloniki, University Aristotle IN GAPS SOCIAL BRIDGING MY FAMILY MY Stylianos PapadimitriouStylianos (1995) DE GREGORY NAVA (1995) GREGORY DE , 81; November 2020, pp. 231-240;, 81; e-2530-8335 2020, ISSN: November , tanto a nivel individual como a como individual anivel , tanto . , Gender Roles. Gender , UU.,

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 81; 2020, PP. 231-240 231 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 81; 2020, PP. 231-240 232 this article.this for research of the supervision her and Culture and Literature on Chicana/o course enlightening the for Emmanouilidou Dr.to go Sophia thanks Special Greece. of Thessaloniki, University Aristotle of English, School the at Studies American and English in of Arts of Master Degree the for with the East Los Angeles Angeles Los East the with West Angeles prestigious the Los connecting of bridges the function symbolic the through communicated is My and in Family central tendency is ambivalent, yet more concentrating on and common points gap ofthe (166). contact” Asimilar, opposites, to atendency bridging be toward seems there through itself manifests still cultural structures of the borderlands. and by oppressive overcoming the social community Chicana/o the and society American the both position to attempts their negotiate within as of children the deviations thesocio-cultural examines article this Specifically, cultures. American and Mexican of both ways the challenge and assess children the culture, Mexican to the ties closer identity with represent Chicana/o parents the amore traditional on from generation to generation” passed “something (Fischer 195). while Overall, than rather reinvented generation individual” reinterpreted by each each and in My Family storytelling, ethnic contemporary trend in the Following children. the and parents the between gap generational the century, twentieth emphasizing the of part first the during family American cinematic gaps between the United States and the Chicana/o community. Chicana/o United the the and States between gaps cinematic and to attempts cultural bridge and audiences Chicana/o for white and both written (54). My Indeed, Family mainstream” broader the Hollywood and community as way between it its negotiates practice film of Chicano reality the suggest bridges “[o]n observes, the Williams level, Bruce ameta-filmic relationship. As unilateral However, culture. to My Chicana/o interest Family of exposure little show they while or assimilating, by integrating gap, usually cultural the bridge to Chicanas/os expect invariably almost white Americans that fact to the alludes This Angeles. Los over cross to East rarely white Americans of survival, a matter is basis on a daily bridges the workers, crossing for Chicana/o while apparent that, area’s connotations for each accompanying residents.the Additionally, it becomes all with world underdeveloped impoverished, an and infrastructure and technology world of advanced a“civilized” borderlands; American “worlds” the within distinct two of existence the implies United This States. mainstream from the distanced and slum, secluded side asuburban is East the while industrialized, and prestigious as is depicted develops. relationship The Angeles unequal Los side an West of cultures, Chicana/o and white American between possibilities points and contact create bridges the society. Although American from the exclusionand of Chicanas/os too, of segregation the quite and but ironically interaction of borderlands, the also, * “[a]lthough Lomelí, A. to Francisco culture According much of American Nava’s My Family Gregory Research for this paper has been carried out in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements Requirements the of Fulfillment Partial out in carried been has paper this for Research barrio . The bridges stand as a symbol of the cultural thecultural symbol of as a stand . The bridges (1995) stories of aMexican life explores the shows that “ethnicity is something something is “ethnicity shows that challenges this this challenges is is to Stuart Hall: to Stuart of presence cultural and historical the reinstating towards works acounter-narrative, hegemonic one as disputes emerges representations which and My context, Family this In narratives. dominant to the writing his accommodate than rather lives family’s to authentic present ofPaco his chooses account an Nevertheless, narratives. favor in of racist its own perspectives Chicana/o excluding author 1:09:22-1:09:26). (Nava an as America’sis due whiteto This of history long acareer by pursuing himself not able be to he sustain will that novel, Paco realizes testimonio his writing groups. While to minority meaning assign arbitrarily whole.as a community theChicana/o as of family Chicana/o of aspecific story the United much It States. as is of twentieth-century the for most part the community theChicana/o of overview historical as a serves also film the reasons, these For all testimonio My sense, Family this family. other by members events In of the his these of informed been Arguably, he has not henumber witnessed. of has which events, However,considerable a chronicles significance. Paco symbolic their considering and bridges Angeles Los the of watching act for the is Paco’s writing testimonial of a situation” urgency by moved who the is (17). towitness narrate impetus The is which “toldan authentic narrative” by a as defined be may writing “testimonial level. Furthermore, identifiablecommunal at a also are which experiences, individual (15). collective” and personal simultaneously is which other words, In it relates of to recounted public “an awider identity-formation act “a testimony” as personal of the borderlands and popularizing it through the cinema screen. Furthermore, by Furthermore, screen. cinema the it through popularizing and of borderlands the viewpoint Chicana/o the by providing depictionlife of a valid Chicana/o establishes reliable representation (Fischer 198). representation My afilmic itself, Family As cements Paco’sa commitment acommitment actual,” to which the a as narrative testimonio the nature, community. in autobiographical by being Furthermore, testimonio Paco’s Southwest, American the in experiences life of Chicana/o the narrative insider’san engender Thus, by them. providing that circumstances sociopolitical attention to the by bringing stereotypes these re-semanticizes and it deconstructs activities, involved of pachuco the criminal that in as such archetypes, Chicana/o as atestimonio structured is film the incidents into these aresult, for abook meant publication. writes As simultaneously and Paco, son, eldest the narrates Angeles. Los East in residing family Chicana/o also tackles the issue of how mainstream representations can representations can of how issue the mainstream tackles My also Family offers an overview of themajor of theincidentslives of an in a overview My offers Family While While (4) not outside representation. within, constituted therefore are Identities ourselves. represent on how we might bears how that and represented how been we have become, from’, we might we came what much as so or not ‘where ‘who we are’ being: than rather of becoming process the in culture and of language history, resources the of using questions about are [I]dentities ; it is mediated through Paco, but practically narrated by the entire family. by the narrated Paco, but practically through ; it mediated is challenges the politically-driven misrepresentation of the Chicana/o misrepresentation of Chicana/o the politically-driven the challenges does not outright deny the existence of various stereotypical stereotypical ofMy not various does Family outright deny existence the . According to George Yúdice, to George atestimonio. According la raza la is a collective acollective is . According . According into a “has “has is is

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 81; 2020, PP. 231-240 233 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 81; 2020, PP. 231-240 234 While Chucho’s machismo While of machismo strands separate onzoom of representatives Chucho two Butch and as one’s in forces of external pressure environment. the My Family against by one’s determined be context” (48). machismo sense, this In to oneself not not allowing surrendering, astand, it taking is steadfast; is anliness “[m]explains, Mansfield Harvey downplay non-macho As and imposed the qualities. machismo concept to self-deprecation” the of and self (83). contrary run properties these As of shame andself-effacement, fromexcessive humility suffers “theStates Chicano to United oppressionadaptation the in poverty,” that and fact from the resulting (0:31:49-0:32:04). source to their back explains Anzaldúa Gloria E. anger,” and directed be of “hate amounts cannot which excessive their is actions motivation for their main the and Chucho Butch and have to nothat settle scores Butch. Paco explains rival, Chucho his and confrontations between recurring by the in machismo concept The subscription of quo culture. his pachuco to is the status American the Chucho’s For towards instance, cultures. foremost of resistance act Mexican and American of both oppressive to the structures of resistance lifestyles varying espousing Catholicism. of Mexican mestiza goddess the by her Virgen de frequent Guadalupe, of La evocation highlighted also is which María’s reveals development beliefs of Aztec amestiza/o and of Christian [divine women], to (1:34:37-1:34:52). set” sun the who “helped beings mixture This become “ women the her childbirth in who conviction that die as well as of “the the spirit of river, the of river” incarnation currents the (1:00:05)the an is son, her she and newborn Chucho, as battle owl, appears the which that her belief cosmology. Prominent of Aztec include the examples myths the and Catholicism her devout Mexican in belief through tradition Mexican to the connections spiritual strong has particular, in María, deeply religious. are María JoséFurthermore, and music. and food traditional and number of asizable guests celebration with Mexican (0:28:09-0:28:14). of bankruptcy is followeddistinctly and by a The big wedding of edge at the Irene’s daughter, eldest expense the his brought family the wedding of father’s the towards of magnitude adisplay the affection as that, Paco explains film, when the in communicated is aptly children’s their This welfare. other than desires to have no personal appear they indeed, children; of their upbringing to the lives their entire devote effectively they that is Amajor of indication this importance. of utmost is the homeland. For them, family Mexican to the ties close to their due traditional distinctly is María’s José and lifestyle María. José and parents, the generation, represented previous is the by which with comparison developed in is 1950sreinvention the identity in reinvention This of Chicana/o onwards. the and children’s the My explores Family narratives, white American dominant to falsify communities. broader the American and Chicana/o the between gap My Family life, promoting apositive of Chicana/o account My Family Thesecond generation, however,their parents’ worldviewdenounce by largely one ventures which authentic narrative, an as itself established Having has been an emblematic feature of pachucos and is central in their portrayal portrayal their in central is of and emblematic pachucos feature an been has , men over-perform their masculinity in order in it to bring spotlight to the , men over-perform masculinity their is male-to-male competition, suggested competition, suggested male-to-male My is in Family aspect . Its primal is portrayed as a controlled and assertive act of protest, act assertive acontrolled and as portrayed is seeks to minimize the the to minimize seeks constitutes a reaction machismo spirituality, spirituality, cihuateteo seems to to seems as “an ” . Chucho and the traditional Chicana/o familismo Chicana/o traditional Chucho the and between completes rupture which the household, act Chucho an out of family the throws ladder. eventually father His of social the bottom at ranks the Chicanas/os economic rigid hierarchy, the and confines which materialism American condemns (0:41:34-0:41:49). necessary money means by any obtaining with way, this In he preoccupied asociety in irrelevant outdated and are concerns moral that by claiming and America in symbol of astatus money as importance the choice by highlighting not Icondemn” which wrong lend to the (Thoreau myself 8). Chucho his defends “I do maxim: Thoreauvian the echoes of system injustice the to the aresponse as Interestingly, place. Chucho’s first choice the in thelaw of appealing an breaking crime makes that context sociopolitical by to the pointing criminality Chicana/o la raza la of exploitation economic the in participation and culture to American assimilation both he rejects option, doing of so, In to crime. athird that Chucho undesirable, options resorts as both hesince Thus, regards general. in community Chicana/o the and white America Angeles, Los East and between gap West financial and social the emphasizes further for workprofit West the the in Chicanas/os whiteof sidepeople Angeles of Los that fact The to white Americans. of economic cycle of vicious subservience the part andbecome job to a not find heworking-class does time, wish same at the and, culture to American to assimilate he refuses adoptionhis lifestyle, of pachuco the byChucho not is indicated content As either options borderlands. of the with his in one’s is (0:30:12-0:30:18). possession family most valuable the single Nevertheless, Irene’s during that when he proclaims wedding to this attests family. Hethe further machismo to provide toiling in for one’s “dignity” household (0:43:07-0:43:14).certain His society. of American exploitation lower the the in strata and cycle viciousof in a 107). arestuck who assimilate do Therefore,notChicanas/os (Omi of Winant white supremacy” and maintenance to the linked inextricably a“reproduction “is inequalities,” entails which mobility of class social limited this 162).Ultimately, [relegates] (Lomelí that class” system to a subservient them cultural and political of asocio-economic, of living standard the only “support maintain and can labortheir and classes the working to become confined they culture, to their loyal to stay choose they roots; if cultural their betray they assimilate, they If class. or to join working the options; desirable to assimilate than less given two are os Chicanas/ labor. by low-paid essence, In manual to jobs limited characterized are who assimilate do notChicanas/os recreates, film the that century of twentieth the themajor of part reality grim the (63).in as as well not acculturating” film, the In for other people and ofeconomically color “Chicanos notes suffer that Anzaldúa disrespectful, excessively competitive and gratuitously violent. Chucho’s short-tempered as Butch, who functions and caricature, foil, amacho is delivers a fatal stab to his rival. He later runs away, He later as runs rival. out perhaps that, to his of stab awareness afatal delivers a confrontation Butch, with during Chucho self-defense in accidentally While Chucho’s labor, he a perceives content as class seems working father with ladder. prohibits way social up that the his a society with Chucho faced is Chucho’s resistance to the status quo eventually reaches a tragic conclusion. atragic reaches quoChucho’s eventually status to the resistance adheres to the traditional ideal of the father as aprovider protector as and of father the of ideal traditional to the adheres . In this way, this . In My Family dismantles racist explanations of explanations racist dismantles .

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 81; 2020, PP. 231-240 235 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 81; 2020, PP. 231-240 236 during his imprisonment is a symbol of this resistance. According to B.V. Olguín, According resistance. of imprisonment this asymbol his is during forearm right his on acquires tattoo he The rules. and values to these resistance but jurisprudence, active in American by the on imposed him rules and values the 1:01:11). Arguably, then, Jimmy’s prison not is in with spent time compliance in to have continued prison (1:01:09- in likely more is than which arrested, when he was notes Paco incarceration. Jimmy’s attitude” “bad first his with United begins States oppressive of the the system against quo. Jimmy’s status ofthe resistance act initial life-long oppression to his a response aChicano. as brother, unjust of to loss the his reaction not is but instinctive solely also anger an Jimmy’s racism. institutional unquenchable its ingrained exposes further and States United mainstream the of narratives the theprisonrecycles Thus, species. different belong to they if as to Jimmy’s by referring of human “kind” category from the them excludes but also criminals, are Chicanos that claim essentialist the makes (1:36:17-1:36:25). back” comes always “kind his because not guard only The prison Jimmy’s expected comments that was prison, in whensecond time return aguard his during prison system of American the ataste receive audiences incarceration, of Jimmy’sthe first details skips film into the custody. taken Although eventually is Interestingly, he and skin. follows Chucho’s activities into footsteps minor criminal he oppressed long due is color as to as the of his anger of his free be He cannot him. surround that injustices the equipped to discern he better is achild, as discrimination experience of a first-hand had having and, community Chicana/o marginalized the continuenames” under different injustices (107). these because growsin up Jimmy today, communities these in alive remain “the memories injustices thus ofand past oppressed peoples” and of colonized traumas historical the with along inherited are “some that angers argues Bailey deliberation of anger, his anger. In Alison seething his of the cause thatsole is experience Jimmy’s argue traumatic to insufficient be However, eyes. someonelosing very unjust way before he it his loves an would in from stem to seems anger anger. His with Jimmy filled into grows adulthood America’s racism. to expose institutional aims society. Ultimately, white American Chucho’s in dispensable and unwanted death as Chicanas/os of thestatus agency, agovernmental police, by confirms the death it position (20). of their within indicative is celebrationthe society Chucho’s Thus, of mourned by are way lives the and contends of Violence that Mourning Powers The life for agrievable makes What finally, And, lives? as count lives Whose human? as counts “Who as such questions By asking death. his subsequently and celebrates shoots head Chucho the in later, casually apoliceman (0:52:45-0:52:50).safety theirpersonal Chuchofire of on thesake for scenes A few toopen colleagues his violencestate-sanctioned byalso endorses encouraging officer (0:52:38-0:52:45). killer serial dangerous” extremely “armed and an is Thepolice who criminal,” of a“known Chucho picture as astereotypical paints which speech, barrio at the arrives whengroup a (Omitrue 106).proves Winant policemenjustice of and fear This a “ master category master Jimmy’s anger evolves into a driving force, which orchestrates his defiance of defiance his orchestrates Jimmy’s force, which evolves into adriving anger Chucho’s brother eye-witnessed his Having age, young at avery death ,” the color of his skin will deprive him of any possibility of proper of possibility deprive any him ,” will color the skin of his to arrest him. A police officer delivers to his colleagues a racist racist a colleagues his delivers to officer Apolice him. to arrest ?” Judith Life:?” Butler’s Precarious school at West Los Angeles. As a professional, he anglicizes his name to “ name his aprofessional, he anglicizes As school at West Angeles. Los law to admitted Memois prosperity.studying, his meticulous Due to financial and son. his with life to afulfilling live opportunity father’s love his the Jimmy ofto familismo win espouses Carlitos, efforts by of generations. his Redeemed previous traditions and on knowledge the by passing continuation the of family the symbolizes scene own, this of his children who has only Jimmy second-generation the father. is by character plant corn As his how to taught when scene Jimmy aprevious to mind was to call meant a scene in how Carlitos to plantcorn Jimmy teaches heals, relationship their love son. of As his the gain to considerable efforts makes and plans Jimmy changes Carlitos, meeting (1:41:38-1:41:46). traumas past his hopes of in erasing life a new However, after barrio the and family to leave he his wants release his after that fact by the suggested also is This problems and powerless he to fix. feels feelings overwhelming away from attempt to run an of escapism, Jimmy’s instance to prison an is return life. his of years for first the son, parentless he his leaves Carlitos, aresult, As arrest. previous to his identical amanner movement in arrested when he gets intentionally cyclical anger. Jimmy and concludes to grief this back him plunges and happy life out Jimmy’s cancels a her death aresult, towards priorto efforts As her phenotype. due was Isabel’s it death to Chucho’s back that loves links and by assuming death a “spic” (1:35:37-1:35:40). experience someonethe of losing Thus, relives Jimmy he she was because die let Isabel doctor the purposefully that anger, he since believes his reignites provide family. new However, for his childbirth during Isabel’s death to West in Angeles working Los decision the to start father, he makes his as like he Chucho’s abandons pregnant, is Isabel more becomes that and footsteps he learns common oppressor. their against solidarity for Latina/o a call one’s (1:29:14-1:29:41). age young at avery death and is Jimmy Isabel of Thestory aloved of witnessing trauma the share they that where Jimmybonding, realizes psychological and up to of ascene sexual leading by Isabel seduced eventually is oppression of governmental (1:15:14-1:15:27). instruments on revenge all his Jimmy Jimmy take could Isabel when Toni by persuaded marrying that quickly explains to help, reluctant he is Jimmy initially is United the Although in presence States. her to legalize Jimmy’s citizen sister, American an Toni, marry Isabel proposes that (1:10:50-1:10-52). Salvador to El she returns if fate same order In to prevent this, the suffer will Isabel that likely it highly and is a“union he organizer” was because to her murdered back country. deported on verge of Her was the being father refugee political aSalvadoran is Isabel to Isabel. marriage United the his is in States structures. oppressive its to defy imprisonment, by underlined his Jimmy manages exclusion further defiance” (128).society, Therefore,an in spite American exclusionhis from of of aprominent prison’srecord mark the as permanent persist and and ‘failure’ (125)“a victory” permanently “will tattoo the over prison authorities, the because constitutes subversive which thus, act, and, unlawful an prison is in atattoo getting Memo differs from his brothers in that he takes the path of assimilation assimilation theof path takes that he fromin his brothers Memo differs When transformation. aradical Jimmy undergoes bonding, of aresult this As Arguably, Jimmy’s foremost of discrimination opposition act racial to the and receives an an receives and William and start start and

REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 81; 2020, PP. 231-240 237 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 81; 2020, PP. 231-240 238 liberation, a victory over the religious and cultural norms, which seek to control seek norms, which cultural and over religious liberation, the avictory she becomes she becomes anun from being as from grace, fall this illustrates intercourse, extramarital having Toni which in Ascene seen Toni from grace. are priest the and afall experiences her In parents’ eyes, sacrilegious. her consider shamefully her parents while actions her Toni choices, sanctioned. is union the regarding to have no regrets after appears her marriage only announces and kin without of presence herand the parents marry to order. leave she chooses their as Notably, untraditional, rather is her marriage both after a white priest, love in marries and of she her falls dismay to parents, the independently. her life living and oppression of community her thefrompatriarchal escaping step towards her first 81). mother” and (qtd.roles of wife Carty in Therefore, Toni’schoice constitutes the avoid her and horizons education, assuming expand an only get way she could a1995 in 1950sNava the explains interview, the order “in areligious was joining persons” (17). Toni Gregory director option, as not may this although have had self-autonomous becoming worldentering and the by way of career education and choice: a fourth “have a number of Chicanas times, contemporary in on to say that, goes decision for life Toni,ideal Anzaldúa evils. but of three merely the lesser the aprostitute, or homeas to amother” the (17). as an becomeis to a Thus, not nun anun, streets to as the Church to the turn: she could directions to only three be used “there for aChicana explains, choice not Anzaldúa is due sentiment. to As religious to become anun. decides However, and expectations her all she frustrates a result, her (0:30:51-0:31:03). sister like awife of prospect by becoming the threatened As barrio men the young in the all for virtually partner sexual ideal her an makes her attractiveness that Irene’s she alone. During realizes to left be wedding, not she multiple since does Isabel, to yield his demands Jimmyto to persuade marry her in persistent endeavors manifest brother, also is Chucho. character Her forceful her with household by arguing vigorously of authority Mexican the male traditional (0:24:32-0:24:34).in My scene Family her In first concern. their principal is members family of the welfare that confirm thus and families two the between gap the Memo bridging in assist María José and (22). background However, a positive impression end,secure familial the on in his roots” it, to “Memo to deny ready phrases historical family’s is the Martí-Olivella (1:49:43-1:49:49). heritage Mexican from his himself distances further Jaume As United thus, the and, in States spent entire life he his has in-laws that prospective his assures He fabrications. also stories as family embarrassing potentially dismissing by families two the between gap to attempts downplay cultural the systematically He Angeles. in Los family West from a white a prestigious woman fiancée, his prominent made is barrio to when the he culture brings of Chicana/o betrayal His 860). foreign interests” (Pratt or serves to foreign culture, assimilates foreign values, imperceptible.as amalinchista Therefore, portrayed Memois is accent 148:25). Mexican his and exclusively English he Furthermore, uses Sanchez Toni violates cultural and religious norms to attain this independence. Much this norms to attain religious Toni and cultural violates kind of woman daughter, The younger “bossy” a calls Toni,what is Paco ” (1:39:05) and calls himself “Bill” while in white company in (1:48:24- while (1:39:05)” “Bill” himself calls and la Chingada la [the one].This fucked hersexual accentuates also scene , she is depicted undermining the the , she depicted is undermining , “a person who adopts and feels feels and

insistence of Myinsistence Family thedivision, of and practices symbols and other barriers of artificial importance the stresses thewhen times, contemporary In administration Trump stratification. social of levels various the between gap to the bridge seek predominantly they cultures; American and do Mexican notchildren Thesimply between gap the venture to bridge position forbetter in a one’s of fighting aprocess society. unanimously is and culture American and Mexican of interaction between the aresult identity is Chicana/o the of reconstruction their short, In her activism. through society of white American hegemonic the oppression combating by also a step further this takes particular, in lives. their in mandates Toni, patriarchal diminish to seek chiefly tactics resistance women’s the other On hand, on the dueimposed them color to the skin. of their socioeconomic the injustices to attempts escape are cultures both with frictions theirgender. on the depending themen’s On onehand, differ undertakes child each generations. Interestingly, previous from the that identity negotiations the have inherited they oppressive structures the sociopolitical to overturn a wish reveal represent. parents actions Their identity their Chicana/o traditional away from the independence. of economic degree a certain attaining and a businesswoman roles by becoming gender traditional the undermines role Therefore,also her active she in business. an owner with restaurant asuccessful Irene her becomes had children, shesince has the domestic sphere.in her mother,confined ever stoppedUnlike whoworking has to be her is tradition, refusal cultural Irene’s Mexican from the major departure constitutes also Apossible which reason, to have children. wish the never expresses she however,it her film have may been the choice. throughout It telling, is that extent is impossible knowthus, it what and, to to film the in unspecified is for this The notreason she does have children. of marriage, years many after and parents (1:09:40-1:09:49).of amember Toni of clergy the marrying However, her unlike idea at the some she appalled is of reverence, as her shares parents’ religious She also white chosen partners. at all–have Chuco, Paco and and not whomarry, did marry not from Jimmy, did who to choose who technically of children–apart the rest the while aChicano, only one She the is to course. marry life from atraditional least the society. in to see she wants endeavors about to change bring the involved actively in becomes and culture from Mexican gender roles stemming to (1:20:25-1:20:28). save Isabel’s life brief, In prescribed Toni to escape manages ameans as of union not she marriage does “sacred” hesitate the that to use fact by the 1:13:45). argued over principles further religious is Her preference for humanitarian as bullshit” frequently refer“political (1:09:56-1:09:59; to her efforts family 1:13:43- men the of the that fact by she never the daunted is character, and to her will strong downtrodden. to the Due of aid providing by means activism involved political in gender roles Toni byher becoming sexuality. transcend and continues to challenge In their own ways and to varying extents, the children in in children the extents, to varying and ways own their In away who breaks child Irene the is important, are her deviations Although on bridging gaps becomes all the more the relevant. all becomes gaps on bridging revised paper accepted for publication for accepted paper revised Reviews sent to author to sent Reviews My Family : 12-7-2020; : 2-9-2020 break break

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