Identity and Dignity Independent of Use

Sor Juana fiercely rejected the reduction of women to their reproductive or domestic functions. She insisted that women possessed identities, interests, and value independent of their roles in male-centered social structures. This principle profoundly challenges how we treat animals. We categorize animals by their utility: cattle for meat, dogs for labor, primates for research. These functional categories obscure the individuality and dignity of each creature. A cow is not 'a meat-producing unit' but a being with personality, preferences, relationships with other cows, and a life that matters to her. Industrial systems deliberately obscure this individuality to enable exploitation. Following Sor Juana's insistence on women's value beyond their instrumental roles, we must recognize animals as beings whose identities and dignity exist independent of human use. This reframing—seeing each animal as having inherent worth rather than as a resource—transforms moral obligation. We cannot simultaneously recognize an individual's dignity and subject them to exploitation.