Refusal as a Form of Justice Work

Near the end of her life, Sor Juana refused—she stopped writing publicly, renounced her intellectual pursuits, and withdrew from the intellectual life that had defined her. This refusal is often read as tragic capitulation, but it can also be understood as a reclamation of agency: she chose to stop performing for a system that demanded everything while granting her nothing. Refusal is not failure but sometimes the only available form of power. In intersectional practice, this framework legitimizes strategic disengagement, boundary-setting, and withdrawal as justice work. Not everyone is obligated to be visible, productive, or compliant. People navigating multiple oppressive systems sometimes preserve themselves by refusing to participate in the very systems that claim to value them. This concept teaches that justice-oriented work includes protecting oneself, knowing when to step back, and recognizing that not all productivity is liberatory. Sor Juana's refusal stands as a monument to the right to stop.