Date of Award

6-2020

Document Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Political Science

Second Department

Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies

First Advisor

Lori Marso

Second Advisor

William García

Keywords

identity, Latinidad, stereotypes, race, gender, class

Abstract

This thesis highlights and explores the performances of four diasporic Caribbean artists–Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and Rihanna. Their performances inhabit intersectional factors of race, gender, class, sexuality, creating a multifaceted experience of moving in the world. Their existence is marked by stereotypes that criminalize and sexualize them. United States representation of these communities is riddled with stereotypes that justify racial and gender injustice. These four artists both reinforce and undo these stereotypes in fascinating ways. Using Latinx cultural theorist Isabel Molina-Guzmán along with political theorist Judith Butler's theory on performativity as my theoretical guide, I conceptualize Latinidad and Caribbeanness, analyzing what performance can do in order to subvert stereotypes as they risk reinforcing them. These artists engage in gender and racial patriarchal scripts while simultaneously critiquing the norms that dictate the performances they present.

Download

Share

COinS