Jamona (unmarried woman)

Vivian Baez
Nov 7
3 min read

There’s a word that carries both sting and spice in Puerto Rican culture, Jamona. If you’ve ever been called it, you know that tone. A little teasing. A little judgment.“¿Y tú? ¿Todavía jamona?”

It’s supposed to mean an unmarried woman “past her prime.”But today, I’m reclaiming it. Because I’m in my Jamona Era and it’s glorious.

The Origins of Jamona

The roots of the word are debated, but here’s what we know:

Some say it comes from a “shelf life” analogy, comparing a woman’s desirability to how long a ham stays fresh. Others tie it to the idea of being buxom, “una jamona bien buena,” a woman with substance, with meat on her bones. Over time, it turned from playful to cruel, another way to tell women that their worth has an expiration date.

Esmeralda Santiago captures it perfectly in When I Was Puerto Rican, when the protagonist's father calls her a Jamona to shame her as if a woman’s success, beauty, or fulfillment means nothing if she doesn’t have a ring. Don't get me wrong, I believe in love and marriage. These are wonderful things, but the absence of love from a romantic partner or the absence of marriage does not diminish a woman's value.

It’s a double standard we’ve been carrying for generations, one rooted in patriarchy and fear. But that story ends here.

Redefining What It Means to Be Jamona

For me, Jamona doesn’t mean “unwanted.”It means uncompromised.

It means waking up in the morning, stretching across the whole bed, lighting my candles, and knowing I don’t owe anyone my peace. It means owning my choices, even the ones that don’t fit neatly into society’s timelines.

I’m not expired; I’m seasoned. I’m not leftover; I’m layered. I’ve lived, loved, healed, and grown. That’s flavor. That’s sazón.

So yes, call me Jamona. I’ll take it. Because what was once used to shame women is now a symbol of freedom, of wholeness, of self-worth that doesn’t need validation.

Aging and Power

There’s something radical about aging as a woman, especially a Puerto Rican woman. We’re told to fight it. Hide the gray, smooth the lines, shrink ourselves. But what if aging wasn’t declining, what if it was ascension?

I don’t see fading beauty; I see a woman coming into her most whole self. Confidence. Wisdom. Calm. Sensuality that doesn’t perform, it just exists. We were taught that our value decreases with age, but I think it multiplies.

Every year that passes adds another layer of yo no me dejo.That’s power. I feel more confident as a 50-year-old than I did in my twenties and thirties.

Desire, the Reverse Age Gap, and the Shift in the Culture

Scroll through TikTok or Instagram, and you’ll see it: younger men talking about why they prefer older women.

These men aren't craving youth; they’re craving substance that comes with age and wisdom. They’re drawn to women who know who they are, who’ve built lives, healed wounds, and learned that peace is sexier than drama.

And here’s the thing: that shift matters. For decades, women were told that the clock was ticking. Now, the narrative is changing. We’re no longer the ones being chosen; we’re the ones doing the choosing.

So when people say, “Oh, she’s in her Jamona Era,” let's smile because maybe this era isn’t about missing something. Maybe it’s about being so complete that love comes looking for you.

The New Meaning of Jamona

Jamona now means freedom. It means independence. It means choosing joy, passion, and purpose, not out of fear, but out of fullness.

We’re not waiting for permission anymore. We’re not shrinking to fit a definition that was never ours. We’re taking up space, beautifully, boldly, unapologetically.

So yes, embrace the Jamona Era, an era of peace, sensuality, and power. An era where women are not chasing, women are choosing. An era where women get to define what womanhood looks like for them.

Because maybe being Jamona isn’t a curse, maybe it’s the ultimate glow-up.

con mucho amor,

Viv

If you want to wear your Jamona pride, visit my Printify store for merch.