A contextual interpretation of "This Bridge Called My Back": nationalism, androcentrism and the means of cultural representation

Abstract

Gloria Anzaldúa’s and Cherríe Moraga’s important contribution to women of color feminism, the anthology "This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color" (1981) and Anzaldúa’s masterpiece "Borderlands/La Frontera – The New Mestiza" (1987) represented a significant milestone for the evolution of contemporary Chicana literature. This essay proposes to contextualize Gloria Anzaldúa’s and Cherríe Moraga’s revolutionary approach and expose its theoretical and activist depth that has impacted both Chicana writing and –more broadly– contemporary feminist thought.

La contribución fundamental de Gloria Anzaldúa y Cherríe Moraga al feminismo de las mujeres color, la antología "Esta Puente Mi Espalda: Escritos de Mujeres Radicales de Color" (1981) y la obra maestra de Anzaldúa "Borderlands / La Frontera – The New Mestiza" (1987) representaron un hito significativo para la evolución de literatura chicana. Este ensayo propone contextualizar el enfoque revolucionario de Gloria Anzaldúa y Cherríe Moraga y exponer su profundidad teórica y activista la cual ha impactado tanto en la escritura chicana como, más ampliamente, en el pensamiento feminista contemporáneo.