Cals374 Gender Roles

Sabrina Zavala

Nora Wilkins

CALS 374

3/52018

Gender Roles

Gender roles have had an effect on how people socialize since the beginning of time and are constantly changing how people act, live, and even characterize themselves. These roles may affect many groups of people but for some reason do not have much of an impact on the Latino community. Being traditional and continuing typical family rituals are very important to Latinos, therefore people typically do not conform to modern gender roles. The short stories from “Woman Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros compare different Latino families and how they have a continuous idea that gender roles are suppose to remain constant even if the family goes through difficult times. Even though the Latino community is not use to gender roles gender roles, they do have an impact on marriage, family, masculinity, femininity, and the culture itself as generations continue to develop. The film Mi Familia, directed by Gregory Nava shows how Latino families have difficulties conforming to gender roles, as each child breaks a traditional way of living they start to understand that they do not necessarily have to reside with the gender role they were originally taught.

Marriage is a very special and sacred commitment in the Latino community.  In the film, Mi Familia gender roles are very well displayed for the duration of the film. When Irene decided to get married everyone was thrilled.  There seemed to be no greater honor than to be getting married. When there was about to be trouble between gangs the only way of stopping a fight from breaking out was the fact that there was a wedding going on. Out of respect, they did not want to fight during a wedding. When the time a bouquet was thrown and the other sister Toni had caught the bouquet she did not want it. Toni's parents were very confused and concerned when Toni wanted her sister to re-throw the bouquet. In wedding traditions when a bouquet is thrown to all the single ladies that are attending the wedding. Whoever catches the bouquet is rumored to be the one to get married next after catching the bouquet. When Toni rejected the bouquet and informed her family that she wanted to become a nun instead it made everything okay. If women are not married in the Latino community, it is seen as taboo. Becoming a nun and serving under the Lord himself is the only exception to not getting married that is seen as positive.

When two are married under the house of the Lord it is known that the two are committed to each other until death. Gender Roles within a marriage are traditional in the sense that a man is the provider of the family and the wife is the person taking care of everyone. The man is the one that makes all the money so the women can stay at home and take care of the children, cook, and clean the house. During the film when Jimmy got married to a woman he did not even know he still was told that he had to honor the commitment of marriage.  Jimmy’s wife Isabel stayed devoted to him even though he did not want anything to do with her.

Divorce is unheard of in the Latino culture.  No matter what the conditions are people are frowned upon when they get a divorce.  For example, Cisneros says "when the moment came, and he slapped her once, …she didn't fight back… she didn't run away as she imagined she might when she saw such things in the telenovelas" (pg. 47).  Cleofilas never imagined wanting to leave her husband. Latina women know that they took a vow to stay with their men and even if they are abused they do not leave. Since a woman's role is at home they know that they cannot leave their husbands because they can not support themselves if they decide to leave. Cleofilas was not an acceptation to this role because she was at awe of a women owning her own truck. Cisneros states “The pick up was hers. She herself has chosen it. She herself was paying for it” (pg.55). Typically, the man is the one that provides for the family, therefore, when Cleoflias saw that another woman was able to buy and drive a truck was impactful. Seeing someone else not conform to gender roles helps Cleoflias realize that everything is going to work out fine.

Masculinity is important to men in the Latino culture. The word that describes masculinity in the Latino culture is machismo. They are the very macho men that are very aggressive and get into fights. They have to prove themselves to everyone how much of a man they are. They cannot stay with one woman because they need to be with multiple women in order to feel like a man. Even when they are married to other women they will be unfaithful to their wife. Sandra Cisneros states “and sometimes I get so tempted” (pg.120). A man was writing a prayer while away from home and during that time he finds himself having a hard time staying faithful. Man that have machismo is very prideful. For example, Cisneros says “Can you please help me find a man… who’s not ashamed of cooking... a man who acts like an adult” (pg.117). Latino men are known for not being able to do anything inside of the house. In the prayer the woman asks for everything opposite of what makes a man masculine in the Latino community. Woman in the Latino culture do not want a masculine man because the women end up doing all the work. When Barbara wrote her prayer it ended with “don’t send someone like my brothers who my mother ruined” (Sandra Cisneros pg.118).  Musicality is not always seen in a positive outlook and often many women do not want a man who is considered very masculine.

Femininity in the Latina community consists of doing what you are told. People try to be like La Virgen which is the best Latina women can be like. Having long hair is important to Latina women. Having long hair is a gift and Latina women do not tend to cut it off unless for breligious reasons. Long hair is a symbol of femininity "I've cut off my hair just like I promised I would and pinned my braid here by your statue" (Sandra Cisneros, pg.124). Cutting off your hair and offering it to La Virgen is an acceptable thing to do.