Women of the Young Lords

The women of the Young Lords, originally integrated into the organization from a women's auxiliary group in Chicago, Illinois, made significant contributions to the organization. Despite their substantial involvement in its activities, they initially faced marginalization. Often assigned menial tasks, they were unable to pursue leadership positions. As a result, they published a position paper on women in the organization's newspaper discussing the expectations placed of women of color. In early 1970, the women of the Young Lords organized an informal "women's caucus" to discuss their grievances with the organization's gender dynamics.

Despite opposition from some male members of the organization, a group of women issued an ultimatum to its Central Committee in May 1970. As a result of this ultimatum, the Young Lords modified their Thirteen-Point Program, created a men's caucus focused on domestic skills and emotional vulnerability, and promoted of Denise Oliver-Velez to the organization's Central Committee. Following the resignation of José "Cha Cha" Jiménez, the leader of the Chicago Young Lords, Angie Navedo became the chapter's leader. Meanwhile, Gloria Fontanez joined the Central Committee in 1970, spearheading the Young Lords Party's (YLP's) expansion into Puerto Rico in early 1971 and eventually becoming its sole leader as well.

Scholarly discussions highlight how the women of the Young Lords resisted various forms of oppression within the organization, pushing for structural changes and embodying an early form of intersectional feminism. Some, such as Frances Negrón-Muntaner, have also analyzed the women's style, concluding that they adopted masculine and militaristic attire such as combat boots to challenge gender norms and advocate for equality. Others, such as historians Johanna Fernández and Jennifer Nelson, discuss the Young Lords' positions on reproductive rights, which, it is argued, influenced later organizations and positioned the Young Lords as early advocates for reproductive freedom.