At the age of fourteen María entered primary school and studied for three years, which was the maximum time of study for most women back then. Still, she yearned to continue her education so she enrolled in a private high school and continued to teach herself. In 1910, by the time she was thirty, María began writing as a columnist for popular newspapers such as "El Comercio," and "El Diario" in Peru. That same year she collaborated with First International Women's Congress and wrote a paper on the problems women in Peru faced. A year later, she held her own conference titled "Feminism" at the Geographic Society of Lima, where she spoke out about the country's need to grant women equal civil and political rights due to the changing social climate around the world. Fresh off the heels of this, she released "El Feminismo" (Feminism), which became known as one of the first revolutionary works of Peru's twentieth century. She then went onto release a novel titled "Nueva Cumbres" (New Heights) which detailed her vision of a utopia where men and women lived as equals.
Continuing her fight for women's rights, María helped form Evolucíon Femenina (Female Evolution) in 1914, which was a group that focused on women's progress in areas such as education, access to various jobs and professions, and being seen as equal to men. The following year she formed the Moral and Labor Workshop School, which was an alternative school for young women and prostitutes to help prepare them for the workforce. In 1923, after meeting with fellow women's right's activist, Carrie Chapman Catt, she founded and organized the National Council of Women of Peru, which focused on fighting for women's right to vote in the country. Unfortunately in her fight for women's rights, María made herself a target by the Peruvian president at the time, Augusto B. Leguía. After being arrested while defending a group of union workers, she was sent to Santos Tomas prison for three months and wasn't allowed to speak to those around her. Eventually she was released, on the promise that she left the country immediately, and was effectively deported to Argentina in 1925. While in Argentina she made an easy life becoming a teacher and managing the drama's she had written.
She eventually returned to Peru eleven years later in 1937, and attempted to rebuild her life by continuing her fight for women's right to vote. María also began encouraging the use of radio theater and national cinema, this led to her creating the Academy of the Dramatic Arts "Ollantay." In 1941 she was appointed the Councilor of the Municipality of Lima, and in 1945 she asked the Congress of the Republic through her group Evolucíon Femenina, to consider approving the bill that allowed women to vote. Nearly ten years later she would get her wish when the congress of Manuel A. Odria approved the bill.
María passed away on May 6th, 1971, on the eve of her 93rd birthday, after living a life of adovcating for the rights of not only women, but marginalized individuals such as indigenous people, union workers, and children. She raised her voice and wasn't afraid of the wrong person hearing what she had to say. The Peruvian rebel stood her ground and fought hard for every small victory in her effort to instill feminism in the country around her, which helped many future activists gain their own footing.
Sources
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From what I’ve read, this woman was very strong in fighting for what she believed was right. I found it very interesting that she helped to get the bill approved for women’s right to vote, and she kept trying no matter what obstacle came her way. America compared to other countries passed this bill in 1920, and it was crazy to read that it took so many years for the bill in Peru to get approved. This woman seemed to really fight for what she believed was right for women and feminism at the time and it’s overall inspiring to think about.
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