About: Chonga
Chonga is a Spanish-derived term used especially in South Florida, often to indicate a working-class, sexually liberated, very sassy, and emotionally expressive young woman. Chongas are also a distinct subculture, believed to have developed in Miami in the late 20th century. Members are typically young, working-class Hispanic women. In South Florida the term is usually considered a pejorative, though some young women are proud to identify themselves as such. While feminist scholarship on chongas is limited, early work by gender studies scholar Jillian Hernandez has suggested that the chonga identity is an "emerging icon", and that it can be empowering for working-class women.
