Brainstorm 10

The Ovarian Psycho is “tapping into a long legacy of women of color. Organizing that links intimate forms of violence that does not just happen in their homes, but in the streets,” (Ovarian Psychos, 31:07). They work in response to post-colonial Latino households that suppress and abuse women and girls. The group wears bandanas around their faces proudly displaying an image of the uterus, “they are also Co-opting gang culture there. Co-opting cultural signs and signals and reworking them to be a form of empowerment” and “often the victims of violence over they, you know, claim it as their own and put it up front,” (Ovarian Psychos, 31:20). This is a form of resilience practice by reclaiming and proudly displaying what society hates about them, early criticisms called them a gang due to their race, so they reclaimed these  symbols.

The older women in the community question this gathering, saying that they should be more feminine, men criticize it saying that it’s sexist and not a legitimate feminist movement. But how can they say that when there is rampant violence against Chicana women? Are they meant to stay docile and agreeable in the face of this? It truly exemplifies how ignoring this violence is what is truly “psycho” and that these women are healing their community through Convivencia and celebration of true, traditional culture. Ovarian Psychos provide a space for Chicana women to connect and feel safe, in a world where they are harmed, secluded, and forgotten. It is a true form of resilience through celebration, community, and love.

In the Chicas Rockeras camp they started the conversation, “Are we embarrassed of where we live?  If so, why?” “Having that conversation, by the end, they were crying, and they were just like, ‘I love where I’m from,’” (Wolfe, Chicas Rockeras). It exemplifies the inaccessibility of music in Southeast LA that contributes to the divide created by colonialist thinking. But this group provides a space for your girls to feel empowered and to know that they have a place and future beyond the roles imposed by society. This is a form of Chicanafuturism through art, girls get to be loud and proud, carving out a place for them in the future.