Naming Justice: Claims and Counter-Claims

Sor Juana was subject to numerous names and categories assigned by her society: bastarda, mujer sapientísima, heretic, saint, depending on who was speaking and for what purpose. Naming justice involves recognizing that these names carry real consequences and contesting the authority of those who impose them. This framework examines how identities are weaponized through language and how individuals can practice naming resistance. When dominant groups name marginalized people through stereotypes, slurs, or reductive categories, they claim power over identity itself. Naming justice involves developing counter-narratives and self-naming practices. Across cultures, social movements have reclaimed terms once used as insults or asserted the right to self-designation rather than externally imposed labels. This concept empowers individuals to examine which names they accept, which they resist, and how they actively participate in naming themselves and their communities. It recognizes naming as a fundamental justice issue tied to dignity, representation, and the right to determine one's own meaning.