Our Lady of Guadalupe

by Jeanette Rodriguez

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the most important religious symbol of Mexico and, along with La Malinche, one of the most powerful female icons of Mexican culture. In this study, based on research done among second-generation Mexican-American women, Rodriguez examines the role the symbol of Guadalupe has played in the psychosocial and religious development of these women. She discusses the contribution of popular religion to the development of ethnic identity among Mexican-Americans, going beyond the thematic and religious implications of the symbol to delve into its relevance to their daily lives. For those interested in women, religion, sociology, and Mexican-American culture, Rodriguez's study offers an important reinterpretation of one of the New World's most potent symbols. Her conclusions dispute the common perception that Guadalupe is a model of servility and suffering. Rather, she reinterprets the symbol of Guadalupe as a liberating and empowering catalyst for Mexican-American women.