Stereotypes and Myths about the Mexican Family
The Mexican family has been subject to popular stereotypes, including an extreme machismo and a submissive and powerless woman. This vision is real in some families but is not the norm. In many cases, the moral and psychological strength of women withstands the initial pledge for power of their mates, and women end up with control and authority in all family matters. In a growing number of families, the men do the housework, and the women earn part of the family income (Leñero 1982).
Other stereotypes center on the role of religion in the family, giving it a sacred and ideal tone. This is reflected in proverbs such as, "what God has united cannot be separated by man," or "you must have as many children as God sends you." These statements have affected the behavior of Mexicans for ages, but are more strongly held in the rural areas, towns, and small cities. However, in spite of the official religious character of the Mexican family, there is a large disparity between religious fervor and the practice of religious values in everyday life. Many do not practice the religion they profess (Bermúdez 1955; Lafarga 1975).
Along with stereotypes there are myths about the Mexican family. These tend to be deeply rooted in the collective memory and are expressed in the form of feelings of cognitive structures that guide the interpretation of events or traditions that confirm group identity. Thus, myths are the vehicles for the creation of beliefs and behavioral patterns of family life. Their origin is in the culture and they influence the values, feelings, and perception of how one should conduct oneself in everyday family activities. Among the most popular and widespread myth systems are:
Families in the past were more stable and harmonious.
The only place to satisfy the vital needs of love and protection is the family.
Family agreement and consensus is natural.
Virginity should be kept until marriage.
He who is married wants a house.
Until death do us part.
Fidelity exists in marriage.
Men always say the last word. (Salles and Tuirán 1997)
Suscribirse a:
Enviar comentarios (Atom)
8 comentarios:
The Stereotypes and Myths about the Mexican Family in countries like USA have a really bad effect on Mexicans in order to find good job oportunities. Also in their own country Mexican workers have to fight hardly to get a high position.
In Mexico the machismo is not a myth and the society encourage every day this behaviour.
I think as Mexicans, we have a big responsability to change all these myths and stereotypes.
The Steretypes and Myths their origin was the religion and culture and I think is too hard if we want to change maybe because the traditions never chages. I can see that problem more serious in towns than in the cities. For example I have relatives who live in Hidalgo and all the men are machos.
The most serious problems are the women never acept.
Mexican Stereotypes and Myths affect the form in which the people of different countries see us because unfortunately they contain a form to think old-fashioned and/or reactionary and that consequently give the image of an underdeveloped and devoid country of education reason why this into the hands of the new generations changing the image that we projected to the outside
I think that these problomas (machismo) is caused for that many times the education that you/they received nnuestros grandparents and parents are those that we receive in our house but they don't realize that with the time the man and the woman are entitled the same so much of having a better work as of a personal superacion and not to be good discriminadad that it is my point of view.
Stereotypes and Myths about the Mexican Family is a very interesting subject and it´s very important to me because I lived in a family where the machismo was practiced and I know perfectly what´re the consequences. Fortunately now a day I´m living in my own family and the things are different. I think that the machismo is common actually but it´s true that the time has changed too and the women don´t accept all the old rules. Actually the women have more freedom than before and they can to do everything that they want, but there are still many cases where the old customs and the belief religious are more important than dignity and self. We have to be carefull with the education that we are giving to our children; the values that we are teaching them. We have to change the things, we have to create a world where the people take conscience that men and women have the same freedom but have the same responsibilities too and where the respect, especially for self are the most important.
In my personal opinion the machismo is one of the greatest problems in Mexico for us (women) and of course the reason is the religion, and our education in the house, because the men think that the women have to take care the babys and do the hosework, so the women don´t have time for another things. So now a days the things have changing, we do these and more things, but in some works where the important people are men don´t give us good oportunities. In spite of that we are changing.
In my opinion, I think that we as women sometimes we're guilty of this situation, first because we let to our husbands, fathers, brothers to take control because "they're are the men of the house" second because the mothers said you're the women you "should close your eyes to something," "if he says the sky is black and you're seeing blue you should say yes your right"
and third, in Mexico exist "matriarcado" so who teaches to the men to be like this? so we need to share the same responsabilities because to exist a family should exist a couple.
Unfortunately, the Mexican Stereotypes not only remain here if not that also we are indicated from other countries, and that affect too much to us. It is for that reason that we have to speak with our descendants and to say to them that not all the stereotypes that we can listen or see they are truth.
In conclusion, I believe that the Sterotypes and Miths block our way towards the development.
Publicar un comentario