1) Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (c. 1651-1695 Mexico)
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a 17th century nun and scholar, celebrated for her writing and fierce advocation of women’s rights. She is famous for defending the right for women to have a solid education, famously stating, ‘One can perfectly well philosophise while cooking supper.’ Her inspiring dedication to her studies encouraged women to be more proactive in fighting for their right to have a substantial education.
2. Flora Tristan (Peru)
Flora Tristan was a French-Peruvian writer and socialist activist. She made important contributions to early feminist theory. She argued that the progress of women's rights was directly related to the progress of the working class.
3. Frida Kahlo (1907-1954 Mexico)
Although Kahlo didn’t consider herself as a typical feminist, her political activity and dedication earned her the status of the feminist icon that she holds today. Through her rejection of fixed gender norms, Kahlo deconstructed the patriarchal ideologies that dominated society and inspired female autonomy.
4. Eva Perón (1919-1952, Argentina)
Despite being a contraversial figure in Argentine politics, Eva Perón broke both gender and class barriers to access a level of power unthinkable for both a women or for anyone of her social standing. Some of her fercest critics were women of the elite that she found herself in, yet she took advantage of her role as the first lady of Argentina to advocate women’s rights and suffrage. Despite her unofficial roles within her husband’s government and successful political activism, she turned down the opportunity to run as vice-president due to poor health, but continued to be a prominent political power and a national icon.
5. Comandanta Ramona (1959-2006 Mexico)
Born into poverty and peasantry, Ramona’s transformation into a feminist revolutionary has branded her a national role model in Mexico. As one of the seven female comandantes in the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, Ramona dedicated her life to promoting social equality among the lower classes, a dedication evident through her famous words, ‘I believe that it is better to die fighting than to die of hunger.’ Ramona took control of the city of San Cristóbal de las Casas, the former capital of Chiapas, during the January 1, 1994 Zapatista uprising. Ramona began a long fight with cancer the same year; in 1995, she received a kidney transplant, which extended her life for over a decade. In 1996, she broke through a government encirclement when she traveled to Mexico City to help found the National Indigenous Congress. After her death, Subcomandante Marcos suspended The Other Campaign activities for several days in order to be present at Ramona's funeral service.
6. Rosarios Castellanos (1925-1974 Mexico)
Castellanos is celebrated for her creative exploration of the existentialism of the Mexican woman. Her pivotal work, Sobre cultura femenina (“On Feminine Culture”) inspired a new wave of self-awareness in the Mexican woman, inspiring the assertion of one’s autonomy. Despite her profound Catholicism, Castellanos challenged traditional social structures through her poetry and prose.
7.) Marvel Moreno (Colombia)
Marvel Moreno was A writer who challenged patriarchal society in her work, providing a, genealogical perspective on women's resistance. born in Barranquilla, Colombia, in 1939. She maintained a close relationship with the members of the “Barranquilla Group” including Gabriel García Márquez. She is well known in Colombia and is considered one of the most important Colombian writers. Moreno died in poverty on June 5, 1995,
8. Isabel Allende (1942-, Chile)
A widely celebrated author, Allende frequently employs magical realism, which functions as a thin mask of the very real social injustices dominating many cultures. Allende’s contribution to women’s rights does not stop at her influential literature, but far beyond, as her foundation (The Isabel Allende Foundation) continues fighting to empower women and to promote social and economic justice.
9. Berta Cáceres (Honduras)
Berta Cáceres was an indigenous environmentalist who fought against land exploitation and violence against women and co-founder of the COPINH organization. A winner of the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize, she successfully fought to stopped Agua Zarca dam project, which threatened the Gualcarque River and Lenca lands. She was assassinated in 2016 following years of threats.
10. Adriana Guzmán Arroyo (Bolivia)
Adriana Guzmán Arroyo is a leading figure in Anti-Patriarchal Community Feminism in Bolivia. She is recognised by social organisations for her studies and political experience in Popular Education, Educational Sciences and Feminism, tools that strengthen the energy of Community Feminism
OTHERS TO MENTION...
Hermila Galindo (Mexico): A 20th-century writer, suffragist, and advocate for sex education and women's rights.
Rita Cetina Gutiérrez (Mexico): A 19th-century educator who founded a school for poor girls.
Cecilia Palmeiro (Argentina): A key figure in the "Ni Una Menos" movement against gender-based violence.
Maria Lugones (Argentina): A philosopher known for her work on "coloniality of gender" and intersectional feminism.
Cecilia Vicuña (Chile): A poet and activist.
María Pilar Aquino (Mexico): A theologian who has advanced feminist theology in Latin America.
AND WE CAN'T FORGET THE LATINA FEMINISTS IN THE STATES
Ellen Ochoa (1958-)
Ochoa made history in 1991 when she became the world’s first Hispanic female astronaut. Since then, she has become the Director of the Johnson Space Centre and has received many awards for her work with NASA. Her work has inspired women all over the world to pursue their ambitions despite social and cultural barriers.
Dolores Huerta (1930-)
Dolores Huerta dedicated her later life to campaigning for the improvement of the quality of life of migrant workers. She focused on women’s rights, fighting to minimize discrimination. She helped co-found the United Farm Workers (UFW), and despite stepping down from her official role in 1999, Huerta continues being politically active to support the wider community of farm workers and women.
