The Victim, the Angel and the Seducer: Challenging Ideas about who Evita Peron was in 'Power'

Roles of power in ‘western’ societies have traditionally been held by men. Through the spreading of ‘white-western’ ideals the concept of power has also become gendered. What happens then, if a woman occupies a position of power? Can women evade the boundaries placed on power and redefine the role of power as a leader of a nation? Our perceptions of masculine power make it difficult for a woman to overcome those barriers. When a woman succeeds in gaining a position of power, what does she become? Can a woman be ‘feminine’ and occupy a ‘masculine’ role? Evita Peron had great power in Argentina in the 1940’s -1950’s. She was married to the president, Juan Peron, at that time and became a figure loved by many people in Argentina. Some believe her husband’s success was due to the relationship she developed with the Argentineans. In exploring the way different people perceive her position of power, I will discuss ideas about the masculine-feminine power dilemma and the constraints that are imposed on Evita and on other woman who achieve positions of ‘power’.

Evita has been constructed as a victim by biographers sympathetic to her story. This *‘Evita signifier’ was victimized by her parents, whose actions caused her to be born an illegitimate child. Because of this disgrace, we are led to believe Evita lived a difficult childhood full of ridicule. At the age of fifteen, some sources say, Evita ‘ran away with’ a tango player (Biography: Evita - The Woman Behind the Myth, A&E Home Video). At this point in her life, those sympathetic of Evita’s situation, feel that she was enticed by a tango singer to believe he was her ‘hope’ to escape the ridicule of her childhood and to make her dreams of stardom come true. From that moment forward we can see a continuation of the insecure, victimized Evita who sought comfort in male figures that appeared to be offering her security and happiness. We could even venture to say that Evita was victimized by her husband who used Evita, her beauty, and love for the working people, to further his own political agenda.

This victimized Evita cannot be a woman of power. Victims are not leaders of people and ‘victim’ is gendered feminine. If power is masculine and victim is feminine, the victim Evita is incapable of ruling a nation. By drawing Evita as a victim we cannot acknowledge that she had any power. This ‘Evita signifier’ is weak, and powerless. She is affected by her surroundings. Her destiny is out of her control. Because of her desire for comfort and happiness, she is constantly victimized by those who see her need and weakness.

Evita has also been constructed as an angel. (Evita Peron Historical Research Foundation; www.evitaperon.org) She was the person who pulled herself up from the dregs of society and ‘made’ something of herself. She struggled to develop an identity and to be desirable. This Evita, because of her love and beauty, was the perfect choice for Peron, a personable but recently widowed man. This ‘Evita signifier’ was a help and an encouragement to Peron. She was the link between him and the people. She knew what is was like to be working class and she wanted to help make the lives of her (Peron’s) people better. This Evita was modest, and content to be at Peron’s side as his helpmate. She graciously declined credit and power, channeling the people’s love for her to Peron, their ‘true’ leader.

The angelic Evita cannot be a figure of power any more than the victimized one can. Historically, we know what happens to angels who defy ‘God’. They become devils. An angel does much work for the ‘leader’ and their credit is the gratitude of the people as well as the appreciation of the leader. An angel does not desire anything more than to please the people and the one in power. An angel follows the demands of one who is greater. The angelic ‘Evita signifier’ is happy to serve the people at the instruction of her husband, the leader. She is the link between the people and their leader; the one that helps both sides understand and communicate with each other. The angelic Evita is not political or powerful, she is a mediator.

The third Evita is constructed as the seductress. This Evita, at the age of fifteen, escaped her ‘rotten’ childhood by begging a tango singer to take her to the city. Evita is depicted as a girl so traumatized by her past that she seeks vengeance by abusing all males she encounters; using them to get what she desires in life. (Madonna’s ‘Evita’; 1996) This Evita was unfeeling and relentless. Eventually, Evita the seductress was able to become the mistress and finally the wife of a very powerful man. Through him, Evita was able to access a position of power unknown to women in Argentina at that time. This Evita ‘slept her way to the top’ almost succeeding in becoming vice president.

Finally, an ‘Evita signifier’, the seductress, is in a position of power. However, sadly, Evita or any woman cannot be in a position of power without having ‘abused’ their feminine characteristics as is depicted by the seducing ‘Evita signifier’. If a woman enters a position of power she challenges the definition of power. Because society seeks to define and categorize they must find a place to fit this woman of power. She does not fit conveniently and therefore ideas about women in power have been construed to explain her role. Often women in power play the role of seductress. Evita seduced men with her ‘femininity’ and then convinced them to place her in a position of power. This Evita completes many seductions, and finally is granted with what must have been her most desirable opportunity; the seduction of the Argentineans. By drawing Evita as the seducer we reject the idea that she received her position of power by merit or legitimate channels. As a seductress, she cannot achieve success by ‘intelligence’ and ‘hard work’ – and in her quest for power she is presented as femininely feeble because she has to ‘resort’ to this weaker avenue of appealing to the people. A seductress uses people. A seductress does not deserve power.

Interestingly, the admirable characteristics seen in men of power are unbecoming when applied to women. Because power is masculine, a woman who has power cannot be totally ‘female’. If she is not female, or male then what is she? How can this woman be defined? How can women be in a position of power? Men in power ‘befriend’ people who will help their career advancement and their actions are considered ‘smart’. If a woman were to make the same choices and perform the same actions however, her colleagues would be more apt to say “She’s using him to get more power” or even go as far as to say the woman is a seductress, using her ‘feminine’ characteristics to ‘blind’ the poor befuddled male into promoting her advancement which consequently illegitimates any action or decision she will ever make.

When a woman occupies a position of power society offers an excuse, an illusion or a “whore”. Evita was not any of those specifically, nor is any woman in power. However, because power is gendered masculine, it’s hard for a woman to escape the feminine tropes associated with that position. Evita was not a victim, or an angel or a seducer. She could have been a combination of all three. But more than that, she was a woman who affected the lives of many people. Regardless of the way people perceive her, she was a human, not perfect or completely flawed. Our limited categories for woman in power do not leave room for a person. Certainly we can construct three plausible ‘Evita signifiers’ but none of those signifiers is Evita. Evita is multi-dimensional, like any human male or female, and her position of power in Argentina should not construct her as a caricature.

Sadly, the definition of power is still not gender inclusive. Until society defines power as ‘gender free’ or ‘gender inclusive’ Evita Peron and many women trying to evade the borders of masculine power will fall into the grossly exaggerated definitions of what women in power are. Our only hope for challenging the ideas about women in power is by continuing to critically look at perceptions of women in power. By uncovering those perceptions, exposing them to others, perhaps the confines placed on women in power can someday be eradicated and we can have a global, ‘gender-free’ power.

Sources cited:
Evita Biography: A&E Home Video, 1996
Evita: starring Madonna, 1996
Evita Peron Historical Research Foundation: www.evitaperon.org
*’Evita signifier’ terminology borrowed from Professor Rita De Grandis

LASOM - Chiapas

I have been meaning to explain how and why I am going to be living in San Cristobal, Chiapas, Mexico for 4months in the new year. Finally I am. :)

After Latin American Studies class a few weeks ago, Alica and I were talking to Marv (one of our profs) about the Chiapas semester. She was going and I was sad because obviously I would miss her and thought it unfair that I would have to slog away at Chemistry and Biology in the rainy winter months while she got to study interesting things in Chiapas. :) Anyways, I expressed my desire to go with her. It was a very casual "I wish I could go..." Marv asked me why I hadn't applied and so I explained that I was only first year and the exchange was for 3rd and 4th year students. His response? That might not matter. If I really wanted to go I was supposed to talk to my other prof, Bill and see what he thought.

To condense the story. Talked to Go Global. Talk to my faculty. Talked to Bill. He wanted to make sure I would have a good time in Chiapas and not be overwhelmed with the work load so he told Marv to look at two of my essays to see if he thought I would do okay in his Art History courses. The next day Marv emailed me and said I was good to go. wow.

Now, here I am - in a matter of 24hrs. the path of my life has changed drastically. I didn't even need to think about if I wanted to go at that point. Any obstacles to my going I would just remove. You get to a certain point in life when every decision seems crucial - like it needs exorbitant amount of thought. And for once in what seemed as forever I made a decision without all the rationalizing, the analyzing, the debate. Never in the past few years has any decision been so easy to make. I guess I was meant to go.

Things I've done since then:
- picked my courses;
Latin American Political Science - pretty self explanatory
Spanish Literature in Translation - I get to read two novels written about or set in Chiapas and translate english to spanish.
Mayan Artifacts - Art History course with Marv yay!
Family and Community in Latin American - pretty self explanatory
Food, Nutrition and Health - interdisciplinary course involving food science as well as specific cultural relations to nutrition and health.
- studied for finals
- arranged to sublet my apartment
- celebrated with alica and andres at our 'salsa' party
- looked for accomodation
- booked flight home
- booked flight to Mexico
- planned glorious beach vacation with Alica before we start school
- had many people over for dinners and to study

:) It's been such a busy time but amazingly rewarding. In the past few months my goals, dreams and purpose have been molded, rejected, raised to high levels, sunk to low ones and just generally changed. It is so great to feel as if I have this new purpose - new place - new life - new opportunity. I am so fortunate.

Adios Quimica!

I have emerged from the place called studying continuously - my worst exam is over. I have two more exams this week and then party time! I fly home for the holidays next week on Dec. 19th after special mtgs. Sunday. I am looking forward to reading, sewing and baking. If I see any of you please do not expect me to look at any sort of chemical equilibria - I do not plan on looking at any of that until September 2007.

The past 48hours seems like an excerpt out a dream. Vancouver is an amazing city....what I find most fascinating about it is that in a matter of minutes you can be in a different world. Everytime I cross the bridge into downtown I feel like I am on vacation...it's so far removed from my everyday life and yet only a 15 min bus ride away. Anyways more to the point of this story - last 48hours - met Joy downtown late Sunday afternoon. We went to All India - mmmm...one thing I am going to miss about Vancouver is the food. my consolations are that a: I will be back next year and b: that mexican food is really good. :) After dinner Joy and I went to the library to study - extraordinary building - a must see if you are ever in the city. After we were asked to vacate the library, we went to her house. Studied until 1am and crashed at Joy's place. Got up at 6 to catch the bus to UBC. Wrote exam 8:30-11:00 and then we went for lunch. After lunch took bus waaaaay past China town to the Gelato place with 318 flavours. Do not ask why two girls after a chem exam felt the need to eat ice cream on a day when Van had wind speeds of up to 90mph. haha. But it was tasty. and then I came home.

I felt like I had been on vacation...strange perhaps given that I was studying the majority of time, not really an ideal vacation setting, however I think what I am refering to is the place.
You get used to your place, your routine, and your life - when things are switched up and you do things you normally wouldn't it's sort of like a holiday, a break from the norm. Refreshing - which is especially good when you are trying to force feed yourself 4months of chemistry.

People often get too attached to a place - they cannot adapt in other settings or they see changes as gliches in the grand plan rather than a holiday. I am excited for many reasons to be moving to San Cristobal. One of them has to do with 'place'. When I move there, at first, it will be like when I moved her, like I am a visitor - a holiday. But I do not think it will stay like that....I feel that anywhere I go I will make a home, a routine, a life. This isn't bad. Everyday life would be boring without vacations, but vacations would be nothing without the consistency of everyday life. Adaptability - my key to survival and happiness. For what purpose is there if one cannot embrace the ebb and flow of change.

It's pretty cool don't you think when you can vacation in your own city and be at home in another part of the world?

So this is it....

At this time I should be studying chemistry. I came to the computer to see if I drew the resonance structures for SO3 correctly. And...of course I have become distracted. I keep telling everyone about this blog...this space where they all can come and read about my experiences in Mexico and hadn't created. There's no time like now right? Especially when the alternative is to memorize hybridization theory, orbital diagrams, and elemental properties.

Since I am not in Mexico and will not be ther until Jan. 17, 2007 the blog will be sparsely populated with entries until then. Do not despair - I hope to fill it with conscious inspirations, critical thoughts, and wonderful exclamations.

Soon I will put up some pre-trip photos and tell you WHY I am going to Mexico.

Hasta luego,
Marella