ABOUT THIS BOOK

This critical anthology of writings by Carlos Monsiváis represents a foundational set of texts by an exceptional (yet under‑translated) Mexican cultural critic. Fatefully, Faithfully Feminist situates the urgencies of social movements as they developed in real time. Spanning from 1973 to 2008, Monsiváis’s essays, which were originally compiled by scholar Marta Lamas, analyze the role of women in a patriarchal culture from pre‑Columbian times to the present. This critical edition offers extensive annotation and cultural background to understand the cogent, but particularly Mexican arguments that Monsiváis makes, many of which are extremely relevant in today’s political economy in the US and the world. Norma Klahn and Ilana Luna’s translation, critical introduction, and commentary consider issues of context, history, and conventions, framing Monsiváis’s debates in relation to global feminist history and human rights struggles.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Carlos Monsiváis (1938–2010) was and continues to be recognized as one of the most renowned Mexican cultural critics of the second half of the twentieth century.

Norma Klahn is a professor emerita and research professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Ilana Luna is an associate professor of Latin American studies and Spanish at Arizona State University.

REVIEWS

"The essays collected in [Misógino feminista] are . . . stunning for their style and expression, from a thinker who delves deep into the reality of Mexican society, particularly women's condition, through heartfelt feminist beliefs."
—Magdalena Galindo, Debate Feminista

"What I like most about this book is its unflagging appeal to intelligence from which it sustains its arguments that, coming from his pen, sounded unquestionable. Feminism, for Monsiváis, wasn't just a political position. It was undeniable: a question of reason."
—Hortensia Moreno, Debate Feminista

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Notes on Translation
Prologue by Marta Lamas (2013)
Chapter 1. Dreamy, Flirty, And Fiery: Notes On Sexism In Mexican Literature (1973)
Chapter 2. A Salute For The Optimist (1978)
Chapter 3. But Were There Ever Really Eleven Thousand Machos (1982)
Chapter 4. We Don't Want Mother's Day, We Want Revolution! On The New Feminism (1983)
Chapter 5. Mexico's Young Women In The International Youth Year (1985)
Chapter 6. On Constructing "Feminine Sensitivity" (1987)
Chapter 7. Love On (The Eternal Eve Of An Impending ) Democracy (1990)
Chapter 8. How One Day Pro-Life Woke Up To The News That They Were Living In A Secular Society (1991)
Chapter 9. On Women's representation (1991)
Chapter 10. A Crying Lesson (1992)
Chapter 11. Let Us Now Praise (1994)
Chapter 12. An Open Letter To Nancy Cárdenas (1994)
Chapter 13. The Fourth Papal Visit: The Spectacle Of Faith Fascinated By Its Own Spectacle (1999)
Chapter 14. The Second Sex: One Is Not Born A Feminist (1999)
Chapter 15. Women in Power (2000)
Chapter 16. Bones In The Desert: Listening Through The Eyes Of The Dead Women (2003)
Chapter 17. The Saintly, Long-Suffering Mother: The One Who Loved Mexican Cinema Before She Ever Saw It (2004)
Chapter 18. Susan Sontag (1933-2004): Imagination and Historical Conscience (2005)
Chapter 19. Mexico At The Dawn Of The 21st Century: Globalization, Determinism , and The Spread of Secularism (2006)
Chapter 20. Frida Kahlo: The Stages Of Her Renown (2008)
Appendix: Bibliography Of Carlos Monsiváis's Writings In English Translation In Chronological Order