Abstract

ESPINOZA REYES, Ester. Between the religious discourse and practices of female sexuality in a Pentecostal church in Tijuana, Mexico. Culturales [online]. 2015, vol.3, n.2, pp.17-45. ISSN 2448-539X.

Pentecostalism has been identified as a source of benefits for women who convert to its beliefs; such gains, however, are accompanied by a series of mechanisms of control over their bodies, especially as far as sexuality is concerned. On the other hand, women who have been Pentecostal all their lives do not experience those same gains, but they do experience the same control. This article explores the relationship between the discourses and practices of female sexuality in a Pentecostal church, interviewing 12 women who have been socialized into the Pentecostal faith from birth. Based on the information obtained, the way in which the institutional doctrine and the interests of the believers are negotiated is analyzed through diverse strategies. The results reveal that while sexuality is one of the most strictly regulated areas of the ought of these women, it is actually found to be in a transition period, and the way it is lived by each of them is affected by various factors such as their education, religious lineage and the generation to which they belong.

Keywords : sexuality; gender; religion; Pentecostalism; Tijuana.

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