The Right to Self-Definition

Sor Juana fiercely asserted her right to intellectual authority and self-determination despite living under patriarchal colonial structures that sought to confine women's roles. This concept articulates that identity cannot be imposed from above but must be claimed and defended by each person. For individuals navigating poverty, this principle becomes revolutionary: refusing to accept others' definitions of who you are based on economic status. Sor Juana's life demonstrates that poverty does not authorize others to define you; instead, you retain the sovereign right to shape your own narrative. In the context of poverty and identity, this framework empowers people to resist internalized shame and external stereotyping, asserting that their self-understanding supersedes society's categorizations.