Epistemic Justice in Family Systems

Sor Juana fought epistemic injustice—the dismissal of her knowledge and authority based on her gender and status. In parental identity, epistemic justice means recognizing that parents possess genuine expertise about their children, family systems, and lived experience that deserves credibility. Too often, parents (especially mothers) face their knowledge being questioned by institutions, partners, or cultural narratives that devalue their expertise. A parent's understanding of their child's needs, their insights about family dynamics, or their intellectual contributions beyond caregiving should be honored as legitimate knowledge. Sor Juana's battles with religious authorities over her right to think and teach illuminate how parental identity can be diminished when society refuses to credit parents as knowers. Restoring epistemic justice means rebuilding parental identity as including recognized authority and valued expertise.