[J.J.]

Has the institution of "Machismo" hindered the speedy development of Chicanas' feminist rights?

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Name : J.J., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Catholic, Age : 33, City : Sacramento, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Law, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[ACC25108]

You might want to start off by realizing you have a faulty perception of your own culture based on white stereotypes and racist cliches. Try reading 'The Meaning of Macho' written by Matthew Gutman, who is himself a white anthropologist trying to make amends for the enormous damage his profession did to Latinos. 'Machismo' was a term invented by white anthropologists in the 1940s. The word and the images it conjures up did not even exist prior to white racists using it to justify their hatred and perceptions of us as inferior. So to say 'machismo' is an institution is a huge error which blames the victims, kind of like claiming lynching was 'a black institution'. Is there sexism among Latin males? Sure, but first show me a culture where that is not also a huge problem. Sexism is not unique to Latin cultures, nor is it worse. In fact it is many ways it is far less, which is why feminists have always had a hard time finding Latina recruits. I've never met a submissive Latin woman in my whole life, but I've met plenty of Latinas who were POd that whites thought they were. Latin cultures have their own sets of gender constructions such as 'calle y casa' (the street and the home). Briefly, women are in charge in the home and men...we are allowed to PRETEND to be in charge in the street or in public. Hardly the picture the stereotype of machismo paints. Latin women have had property rights many decades, sometimes centuries before women in Anglo countries. They've also been elected to office, including as the leaders of nations, long before the US or much of Europe. In my opinion, a big problem facing Latinas is to not let the far worse sexism of other cultures worm its way in. For example, much of hip hop culture is encouraging a mindset where males refer to women as bitches, hoes, etc.

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Name : ACC25108, Gender : M, Race : Mexican and American Indian, Age : 37, City : Phoenix, State : AZ Country : United States, Occupation : Teacher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Kathy]

Probably has.There is a way to have your rights, but it shouldn't mean disempowerment of your men. The feminist movement was good for a while but they've taken to man-hating and putting women's rights ahead of their families. Men are natural leaders and for almost all of history they have been born and conditioned to protect their families. Taking away a man's role is the same as making them irrelevant in your life. Don't let the feminists turn you into a man hater.

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Name : Kathy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 37, City : Fresno, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class, 

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