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Tess Castanon
Professor Ditch
English 113B
3, April 2014

Mexican Culture Gender Roles
In Mexican culture gender roles play a big part of a childs life turn when they grow
up. Women are taught to cook and clean from day one, and men are taught to provide and
work hard for their families. Growing up in a Mexican American family, I was taught to
be independent and work hard for what I want in order to achieve, but also have the so
called female values and learn to cook and clean. I was taught both men and female roles
inside and outside of the house, meaning getting a job and then do all the housework
after. Since I have continued my education and am one of the first generations to attend
and want to finish college, I receive academic and work pressure from my mother and
fathers families. Expecting me to succeed, expecting me to be the child that didnt mess
up, when both of my older brothers are just expected to get a job and work. I argue that
gender roles in my culture are changing, specifically the way that women are now
allowed to get an education and career, but that in some ways they are staying the same
by the housework still being for women. Therefore, there is even more work that is
expected to be done for women and is a double duty.
On my fathers side of the family it is a type of tradition that women take care of the
household, I could say that they are very old fashioned. Most of my grandparents and
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aunts did not even finish high school because it was not necessary and was not valued as
much to their families rather than learning to raise a family. Men in the family are raised
to work hard and be providers. According to U.S Census Bureau, there are 5.2 million
stay-at-home mothers nationwide in 2013; compared to 214,000 stay-at-home fathers.
This statistic shows those women are more involved in the household rather than men.
Although the women on my fathers side love their families and have a good home
providing system, I still wonder if they ever wanted to do other things with their life or
goals that they wanted to achieve. The women value their homes and beliefs and thats
how they were raised but I have noticed that in recent years, the newer generation has
become more independent. I do not know of any man in my family that does not try his
hardest to provide for his family. But there are no stay-at-home fathers in my family, but
many stay at home mothers.
I interviewed my grandmother, Rosalinda Powell and my own mother Corina Preece
and asked them specific questions about how they thinks times have changed and how
things are different from when they grew up. I wanted to see the difference of my
grandmother and mothers experiences growing up in Mexican American culture. My
grandmothers values and beliefs are definitely more traditional then my mothers and
mine. My grandmother has not really evolved personality wise all the way down to the
way she dresses. She is stuck in her generation she was born raised in because till this day
she acts and dresses from the past. My mom said that she is closer to her beliefs now then
she ever was because her mother did not enforce it upon her. Also my mother feels the
need to keep some of the rules her mother and grandmother taught her. Throughout time
though my mother said, Ive realized I have became more lenient, now that all my kids
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are grown, their future is up to them, which was completely different form what my
grandmothers response which was, Throughout time I have stuck to my ways. I believe
that now people are letting their kids run loose, but you need to remind them as they grow
up that they still respect their authority which is me. This shows how the older
generations have a different mind set and is changing throughout the younger
generations.
After interviewing my grandmother I found that she was very old fashioned and
when raising my mother, she was a single mother for most of the time so had to work
multiple jobs and be the head provider for my mother and aunt. Through my grandmother
having to step up and provide for her family, my mother learned not to rely on any man
and to support herself. My mother was very into education and wanted to pursue her
education but simply could not afford it. This explains why my mother has always
spoken so highly of education and how important it is for me to succeed in life. My
mother raised me and provided my which opportunities she was not able to have because
of her living and money situation. Although my mother and grandmother push my to
excel in my education and to work hard and be independent, they still teach me to cook
and clean and want me to learn the values of a wife. Sometimes this confuses me because
I am learning the roles of a woman and man, but I believe that many things have changed
since my grandmother and mother were raised and brought up. Men and women are equal
and have equal rights, whether it pertains to the work force or educating himself or
herself. Mexican Women are excelling in Education and the work force, so there
shouldnt be any doubt in any womens abilities.
Gender Roles in Mexican American Culture play a huge role in how gender
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relates and plays a part in education and work. For example in the journal article
Mexican Women and Work on Both Sides of the U.S. Mexican Border by Mary C.
King, it says that Mexican Women in the U.S. appear between 37 and 76 percent more
likely to participate in the labor force than Mexican women in Mexico. This percentage is
showing how Mexican American Women are excelling in the work force. I asked my
mother, What does it mean to be a member of the Mexican culture? She replied with,
I have a better outlook on life, growing up I wanted more then just to be a wife, so I
worked hard for what I have. Mexicans have so many opportunities, you just need to go
out and find them. My mother always tells me that I should not depend on men to
support myself and be independent because this is the twenty first century and the change
is now. Females now have plenty of opportunities and are capable to have a better life
and provide for their families more, rather than before. I believe what my mother says is
true because my mother for many years in my household was the head provider until one
day, she was injured at her job and had to take some time off for disability. Even though
she took time off she still continuously supported her family and always gave a good
example of a provider with the help of my father.
Many people may say Mexican families should still teach the women how to cook
and clean and the values so the culture will not vanish. So the ethnicity will not lose its
value, keeping the culture alive. In comparison Coming home to Van Nuys by Sandra
Tsing Loh, it says, More common are the ethnic restaurants that are slowly dying on the
vine. They have a certain lost quality I can identify with. No one seems to understand
what they are doing here. It is the way of the Grid. Through this, I would probably agree
with the person that culture should still be taught, but I would also argue the fact that
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Mexican culture is not just women, there are men too. Therefore, the men should learn
how to cook the ethnic food and the beliefs as well. But in the article Culture and
Communication by Anastacia Kurylo it says, When generalizing about a specific
culture, people can erroneously view members of that culture as one-dimensional
caricatures. In this way, generalizations can lead to stereotyping. Stereotyping occurs
when people expect all cultural group members to have the same characteristics and
engage in the same behaviors( 7 ). This can also fall under why some people may have a
counter argument to mine. Most people have a certain idea, and picture of what Mexican
women, and mothers should be and that can either be perceived in a good or bad way.
Good or bad images can all be stereotypes. Stereotypes in any culture can be in a way
offensive because people do not realize what the culture is about or what meanings some
of their beliefs even stand for.
Although growing and having to learn male and female roles, it has made me a
better, more independent person as a whole. I am culturally diverse with an open mind on
the world. Media often perceives Mexican women as either two things, spicy hot Latinas,
or a maid/ housewife. Knowing that media might not have the best image of what a true
Latina is or can be, I can only strive to be something better. I know I am able to pursue
what I want in life and have it possible to achieve. My culture has allowed me to see
things differently through my religious and cultural beliefs that have been taught and
passed down form generation to generation. I can see beauty out of what is damaged. I
can see true potential in something that others may think is worthless. I believe this is a
virtue that was brought upon me in my Mexican Culture. Gender roles in my Mexican
Culture are changing and there are less limitations.
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Works Cited

KING, MARY C. "Mexican Women and Work on Both Sides of the U.S. Mexican
Border." American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 70.3 (2011): 615-638.

Kurylo, Anastasia. Culture and communication. Marymount Manhatten College.
Print. 1, April 2014

Sadd, Lydia. "A Stay-at-Home Moms in U.S. Lean Independent, Lower-Income."
Gallup. Gallup, Inc., 19, April 2012. Web. 1, April 2014.

Tsing Loh, Sandra. Coming home to Van Nuys. Publisher.
Print. 1, April 2014

U.S. Census Bureau. " Women by the Numbers." Infoplease. Pearson Education, Inc.,
2007. Web. 1, April 2014.