Justice Through Articulation and Naming

Sor Juana used writing as her primary tool for justice—articulating wrongs, naming abuses, making the invisible visible through carefully constructed language. Corruption persists partly through silence and euphemism. Calling bribery 'facilitation payments,' labeling exploitation 'flexibility,' describing assault as 'miscommunication'—these linguistic moves obscure reality and prevent justice. Fighting corruption requires refusing euphemism and insisting on clear naming: this is theft, this is coercion, this is abuse. Public articulation matters because it creates shared reality; once a thing is named clearly, it becomes impossible to unsee. Justice begins in language. Sor Juana's insistence on precise, challenging language—even when that language made her vulnerable—modeled this practice. In modern anti-corruption work, this means supporting journalists, advocates, and artists who name corruption clearly, protecting those who speak truth publicly, and building cultures where euphemism is recognized and rejected. Articulation is not sufficient for justice but it is necessary: you cannot address what you cannot name.