The parent's right to be heard as a knower and truth-teller within family systems, resisting the diminishment of parental knowledge and authority by patriarchal or institutional structures.
Epistemic injustice—the dismissal of someone's knowledge or credibility—is what Sor Juana fought against: her knowledge was deemed threatening, her intellect questioned, her truths unwelcome. Parents experience epistemic injustice when their knowledge of their own children, their bodies, their needs, and their limits is overridden by experts, institutions, cultural narratives, or partners. A parent may know their child best yet be pressured to follow rigid parenting advice. A parent may understand their own limits but be told they should do more. A parent's experiential knowledge of what it takes to sustain them is often dismissed as selfishness. Sor Juana's legacy insists on epistemic justice: your knowledge counts. Your experience is data. Your truth about what you need deserves to be heard and honored within your family system. This concept empowers parents to resist the internal and external voices that diminish their authority over their own lives and choices, restoring them as knowers and decision-makers in their parental journey.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
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