Intellectual Autonomy as Gender Justice

Sor Juana's central claim was that intellectual autonomy was a human right, not a privilege for the few. Applied to cisgender identity, this concept insists that individuals have the right—and responsibility—to form their own understanding of what gender means to them, rather than deferring to religious authorities, medical experts, or cultural gatekeepers. This is profoundly different from mere individualism; it is a justice claim. Cisgender individuals practicing intellectual autonomy might resist simplistic narratives about what their gender requires, question the expertise of those who claim to know their gender better than they do, and develop nuanced understandings through reading, reflection, and dialogue. This concept honors both Sor Juana's fight for intellectual freedom and contemporary justice movements that center individual voice in matters of identity and bodily autonomy.