Rhetorical Autonomy and Libertarian Speech

Sor Juana's famous 'Reply to Sor Philothea' demonstrates how the choice of rhetoric itself is an expression of freedom. She selected wit, layered argument, and self-defense rather than contrition—a choice that asserted ownership over her own communicative strategy. This concept extends libertarian property theory into language: if I own my labor, I own the particular way I express ideas. Sor Juana resisted prescribed feminine rhetorical modes (humility, deference, submission) and instead claimed the right to deploy her intellect as she saw fit. This matters for libertarian justice because speech freedom isn't merely about avoiding censorship; it's about proprietorship of one's voice and argumentative method. Her rhetorical choices were acts of resistance against attempts to control not just what she said, but how she could legitimately say it. This principle protects marginalized voices from being forced into approved communicative styles.