Let's Talk Machismo at Home

Machismo is described as strong or aggressive masculine pride. It’s a sense of exaggerated pride in masculinity. Sadly, machismo is deeply rooted in Latin culture. The Latin community strongly believes that men are superior to women in aspects such as work and society in general. Men are viewed as the head of the household and having an urge to assert dominance. 

Machismo can be observed in Latino households from a young age. It can be seen when parents tell their daughters that they should learn how to cook and clean while guys don’t have to. Guys are told that they will eventually be the ones providing for their families, so they shouldn’t have to learn to do that. 

Women are told that they belong in the kitchen and that their job is to cook. They are told that if they don't know how to cook, they won't be able to keep a man. Men are praised for the bare minimum while women are looked down upon for trying to do what they do too. 

From a young age, men are told to suppress their emotions because only women should be viewed as sensitive and weak. This should not be how little boys grow up. They should be free to express themselves as well. 

Men sometimes get shamed if they learn basic skills such as cooking, and maintaining hygiene. They are told, “that’s what a woman is for.” Therefore, when they are looking for a partner, they rely on their partner to do all that for them. 

Growing up, we see machismo in our families. Our moms do everything for our fathers and brothers with little to no appreciation or acknowledgment. We grow up thinking this is the norm. Then, it gets passed down to us as daughters to serve our fathers and brothers and to listen to what they say because they are the “men” of the house. It can be a bit frustrating to see how your brothers are allowed to behave a certain way and do certain things, while as a girl you are not allowed to do simply because of your gender. 

Children need to be taught from a young age that it does not matter if they are a boy or girl. Everyone is equal. Everyone should learn basic skills like cooking and cleaning and not depend on another person of the opposite gender to do it for them. 

As there are newer generations, there is a hope that we will see less and less machismo in our culture. We want to break the toxic cycle that promotes this behavior.