Divorce and marital equality in Orizaba, Mexico, 1915-1940

Mexico's legalization of divorce in 1917 generated tension in working-class communities such as Orizaba between traditional forms of gender relations that afforded men the right to control and discipline their wives and budding legal opportunities that provided women the opportunity to question their husbands' familial power. The state's legal reforms and its emphasis on protecting women and children were not, however intended to create equality between husbands and wives. Rather; officials believed that new laws would enable women to carry out their familial responsibilities more effectively. Nonetheless, mothers and wives were quick to understand how their ability to challenge their husbands' power overlapped with the state's mission to protect women and their children.