Perception and Reality

After reading the memoir Lieutenant Nun, I began to consider some ideas we have discussed in lecture, such as how women are considered inferior to men and how this was true in the autobiography as well. Catalina de Erauso seemed to constantly be getting into sticky situations when she was acting as a man, and even though nobody knew she was biologically female, people seemed to constantly be rushing to her aid. She always had people looking out for her regardless of where she went, making her appear more sheltered and feminine than the average soldier. She seemed almost invincible, being the only one of her companions to escape the elements and winter unscathed, and always getting into sword fights and winning every single one.

Also, perception is key in how one sees oneself and how others see you. For example, because Catalina de Erauso dressed like a man, she seemed to be more confident in herself than most women would have the nerve to be in that time when women were considered inferior. She seemed not only tougher, but braver as well because she was constantly ready to fight and killed many people everywhere she travelled. This idea that just changing one’s outward appearance and what others see can change how people look at you takes away the significance of the defining ideas of femininity and masculinity. More specifically, what makes one feminine and masculine and that it may not be genitalia as so many believe. I can see this being true in the way that butch women who dress in a more masculine fashion tend to be tougher than women who dress in fancy dresses and heels.

-Bella Narvaez