For example, Latinas are often imagined as hypersexualized beings, or as not having the capabilities to inhabit roles like ‘teacher’ or ‘mentor’. Sexuality and intellect are almost never considered in conjunction.
To this she essentially says, “Hold up––we can be sharp as tacks and wear red dresses too.”
Latinas can be quirky intellectuals and make grandma’s killer tamales. Acosta should know – she is a professor with a PhD in Latinx literature and totally rocks a red dress. She disrupts narrow images of the Latinx spirit and brings their voices into the broader American intellectual conversation. It’s about time, right?
Let’s talk about the plethora of kickass Latina intellectuals that just haven’t had a chance in the spotlight. Step 1: listen to exactly what Acosta has to say about this:
“There are so many more Latina intellectuals out there who we don’t know yet. Let’s flood social media with them. Let’s write songs where Demi Lovato and Christina Aguilera quote them. Let’s tattoo ourselves with their words. Let’s become just like them, and still wear a red dress, just to confuse our colleagues. Yes, you can be a Latina and an intellectual,” Acosta said in a personal essay on VIDA Women in Literary Arts.
