Long ago, our ancestors fought a decade-long war to lead a new life of freedom. The plan was to decolonize the Americas from the Spanish rule of Spanish commander Hernan Cortes and his soldiers. Cortes aspired to conquer Latin America and did just that - Cortes conquered the Aztec and Mayan empires for over 300 years since the early 1500s. The first person to declare war against the Spanish was Miguel Hidalgo and Father Costilla, who were Criollo priests and recognized as the nation's fathers. They delivered a legendary speech (Cry of Dolores), spurring the population of Dolores in Guanajuato, Mexico, to revolt against Spanish rule on September 16, 1810.
This day is known as Independence Day in Mexico, while most countries in Central America would not gain independence until more than a decade later, on September 15, 1821.
Frequently, war leads to more than hundreds and thousands of wounded, ill, and deceased soldiers. For example, over a decade of fighting to gain independence from Spain led to many being sick, wounded, crippled, and dead. Sometimes, new diseases would manifest. Yet, during the decade-long war of decolonization of the America's, most men were sent to fight and remained on the battlefield.
So, the question now bares: who helped, fed, and relieved the wounded soldiers', and the ill?
Despite the little record, young girls and women of all ages (including trans women who later fought during the Mexican Revolution - Amelio Robles Ávila) participated in the Spanish War of Independence. These women acted as soldaderas (female soldiers), nurses and helped with domestic chores such as cleaning and daily meal preparation. In other words, women were and have always been essential during wars. Women have always been brave and a necessary part of history, although men believed otherwise decades ago. Simultaneously, we owe a lot to the women who have participated in wars, including those who sacrificed their lives for the independence of Spanish ruling, such as Father Miguel Hidalgo and Costilla. As a proud Latina with strong Latin American roots, we Latinx's thank our ancestors and the women who continue fighting for our people. Viva la Mujer! Viva los Valientes!
References:
https://medium.com/texas-veterans-blog/women-in-the-u-s-military-american-revolution-to-the-spanish-american-war-58f9b5fdbada
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/mexico-independence-day-confusion-cinco-de-mayo
https://Wlatinostories.com/latin-american-independence-days/
https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/mexican-revolution-and-the-united-states/viewpoints-on-women.html
Who has paved the way for you? Let us know in the comments below.
