The Burden of Representation and Self-Justification

Much of Sor Juana's written work involved justifying her intellectual pursuits to the Church hierarchy and defending her right to study subjects deemed inappropriate for women. She spent enormous energy on self-defense and self-explanation that a male intellectual would never have needed to expend. The burden of representation is a concrete intersectional reality: when you're the only woman in the room, the only person of color, the only disabled person, the only queer person, you're often expected to be a spokesperson for your entire category, to explain and justify your existence, and to prove you deserve your seat. This emotional and intellectual labor is real and exhausting. Intersectional practice means recognizing this burden, resisting the demand that marginalized people justify themselves, and creating accountability for gatekeepers who impose these requirements. It means allowing people to simply exist and contribute without constantly having to prove their legitimacy.