Naming and Renaming as Power

Throughout her work, Sor Juana paid careful attention to naming: how women were named, how roles were designated, how authority was attributed. She understood that whoever controls the language controls the framework for understanding identity. By writing herself into discourse, by naming her own intellectual pursuits and worth, she claimed power over her own definition. This concept is crucial for adopted identity: naming yourself—claiming terms, frameworks, and categories that reflect your truth—is an act of power. It moves you from being named by others to participating actively in your own definition. This might involve rejecting imposed labels, creating new terms, or reclaiming words that previously limited you. Sor Juana's example shows that this linguistic work is not merely symbolic—it's foundational to claiming authentic identity.