The Right to Autonomy and Self-Determination

Sor Juana's most radical position was her assertion that women deserved autonomy—the right to shape their own intellectual and spiritual paths rather than serve others' purposes. This principle extends powerfully to animals. Most animal exploitation denies creatures any autonomy; they exist entirely to serve human interests. Factory farming, research, entertainment, and sport hunting all treat animals as means rather than beings with their own projects and preferences. Sor Juana would recognize this as a fundamental injustice. Animals have preferences: they seek comfort, companionship, play, and freedom from confinement. Respecting their autonomy means recognizing their right to live according to their own nature rather than human designs. This shifts animal ethics from asking 'How should we use animals?' to 'What do animals deserve to do with their own lives?' Autonomy becomes not a privilege granted by humans but an inherent right deserving recognition and protection.