I was watching Bolivian Cholita Skaters, who wear traditional attire while fighting for gender equality, the other day, and it made me think about feminism and my culture. I sat with the idea of how they connect when the majority acts like feminism and cultural traditions are opposites. I love my culture, my country, and how it has shaped who I am. People think that when you start questioning gender roles, you have to throw away your holidays, family structures, your food, and even your roots. However, this is false.
For many women, culture is not just “tradition”, it is identity, survival, and history that has existed before colonization or before Western feminism defined what liberation is. Women, especially of color, immigrant women, and indigenous women, are pushed into the either-or view that:
- Be feminist → reject your culture
- Love your culture → accept sexism
This is an assumption that is stuck in time and that patriarchy = heritage. It is not. Patriarchy exists everywhere, and sexism lives in “traditional” communities and in Western ones. Loving your culture does not mean you have to accept and love every rule and tradition. There are degrading practices and views in every culture that are deemed acceptable. In Spanish, there is the term “Machismo”, which practically means male superiority over women, and it is accepted in a way that we say “that’s just how men are”. And this has further fueled the toxic Latino man stereotype that is enforced throughout generations, and this is yet to change.
However, culture evolves, what we call “traditional” was once new, customs shift, gender roles, and clothing do too. But the ideas of what genders look and act like remain the same and are deeply rooted in our ancestors, which I think calls for a change. Feminism does not mean you have to abandon culture, I sure haven’t. It can mean participating in its progress, development, and questioning what parts in your culture build and strengthen community and belonging, and which parts were influenced by colonial forces or outdated power structures. You can listen to the music, be in rituals and celebrations, while standing your ground that we deserve autonomy, rights, and change.
Loving your culture can be feminist. I cook my mother’s recipes and braid my hair the way my ancestors did because I choose to, not because it is a “woman’s duty” to act and look a certain way. I learn my native dialects, and I dance typical dances that, over time, are more open and accepting. And you can too. Feminism is not about rejecting care, family, or tradition. The problem is when tradition becomes a limited trap instead of a connection. This isn’t necessarily easy. You can feel guilty, get into arguments over things your elders have never challenged, who grew up a certain way, you may feel judged, or feel like you don’t belong in spaces. But we have to remember that there is no single feminist lifestyle, there is no order or rules to follow. You are allowed to be proud and fond of your culture and still advocate for freedom, dignity, and a voice.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 