Girlhood in the Southern Cone

Summary

Girls have played a central role in the history of the Southern Cone, traditionally defined as the modern nation-states of Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. During the pre-Columbian era, girls were important to the political, economic, and religious vitality of Indigenous communities. When Spaniards colonized the region beginning in the early 16th century, they brought over legal and cultural norms that gave male figures more power over girls’ marriage choices, religious formation, and labor, among other areas of life. When male authority figures were absent or negligent, particularly during and after the wars of independence, girls often turned to the law or the Catholic Church to gain more control over their lives. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Southern Cone, particularly its large cities like Buenos Aires, Santiago, and Montevideo, experienced tremendous population growth due to the influx of migrants and female participation in the labor market. Girls were at the center of discussions on reforms related to criminality, hygiene, domestic service, and sexual violence. By the mid-20th century, a more globalized media environment gave rise to a new consumerism and cosmopolitanism among adolescent females. Girls were also participants in the struggle for workers’ rights, and they joined groups that reflected the broader partisan left–right ideological rifts that characterized the period encompassing the world wars and the Cold War. Repressive anticommunist military regimes came to power in Argentina (1976–1983), Chile (1973–1990), and Uruguay (1973–1985) and were responsible for the deaths or disappearances of tens of thousands, many of whom were minor females. The daughters of political detainees were often adopted by families sympathetic to these regimes. As these countries transitioned to democracy starting in the late 1980s and early 1990s, human rights organizations across the Southern Cone not only pressured governments to hold members of the military accountable but also to pass laws protecting minors. By the early 21st century, inequality have masked deep social problems within the region. The rise in the numbers of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and murders of girls have grown at an alarming rate. These concerns have sparked massive protests across the region and the world. Young female leaders have called on politicians to pass legislation to protect girls but also on a variety of other issues related to educational reform, past human rights abuses, human trafficking, and reproductive rights. Thus, in spite of what might be an overwhelming sense that girls are powerless in the face of more powerful forces or social actors, scholars agree that girls have been important agents for change in the region.