Questions as Act of Resistance

Sor Juana's life was marked by relentless questioning—of authority, doctrine, gender roles, knowledge itself. For the chronically ill, dominant narratives abound: you are broken, you are less productive, your life is diminished. This concept positions questioning as resistance. What if your illness is not a personal failure but a systemic condition? What if your reduced capacity reveals ableist structures rather than your inadequacy? What if the stories you tell about yourself deserve interrogation? By asking rigorous questions—of medicine, of culture, of your own internalized beliefs—you reclaim critical agency. Sor Juana's tradition shows that questions need not be answered immediately or perfectly; they are powerful in their asking. For those with chronic illness, the practice of questioning can dismantle false certainties and open space for alternative understandings of self, capability, and value.