Genealogy as Resistance Practice

Sor Juana deliberately positioned herself within lineages of classical philosophy, theology, and women's writing, citing predecessors to establish that her intellectual work was not innovation but inheritance. This genealogical practice claimed authority not from institutional hierarchy but from intellectual tradition. Genealogy as resistance practice means intersectional movements intentionally mapping their historical roots, naming predecessors, establishing that current work continues long struggles. This is particularly crucial for movements whose histories are erased or distorted—Black feminism, Indigenous resistance, queer liberation, disability justice all require genealogical work to claim they are not recent inventions but continuations of centuries-long resistance. In practice, genealogy means citing elders, acknowledging influences, creating historical records that refute dominant narratives of progress. Sor Juana's genealogical citations operated as resistance—they claimed that women's intellectual work had history, that her arguments echoed previous thinkers, that she inhabited traditions. Contemporary intersectional genealogy works similarly: tracing contemporary movements to historical struggles, naming invisible labor of previous generations, establishing that current work has precedent and authority. This practice builds intergenerational power and locates movements within longer histories of resistance.