The Right to Question Origins

Sor Juana lived in an era of strict Church authority where questioning doctrine risked punishment, yet she persistently pursued truth through inquiry. She modeled intellectual courage in the face of institutional opposition. For adopted persons, questioning your origins—biological, genealogical, psychological—mirrors this epistemological courage. Too often, adoptees are discouraged from seeking information about their origins, as though curiosity itself is disloyal or transgressive. Sor Juana's life teaches that the right to question is sacred. Adopted identity—chosen and given—requires space to ask: Who am I? Where do I come from? What parts of myself are chosen versus assigned? These are not betrayals but essential acts of intellectual honesty. Sor Juana's commitment to inquiry legitimizes your right to investigate your own story without apology.