Essay On Latin American Women

Identity is a group of characteristics, data or information that belongs exactly to one person or a group of people and that make it possible to establish differences between them. The consciousness that people have about themselves is part of their identity as well as what makes them unique. According to psychologists, identity is a consistent definition of one’s self as a unique individual, in terms of role, attitudes, beliefs and aspirations. Identity tries to define who people are, what they are, where they go or what they want to be or to do. Identity could depend on self-knowledge, self-esteem, or the ability of individuals to achieve their goals. Through self-analysis people can define who they are and who the people around them

Death squads and disappearances caused mental anguish to so many citizens of countries plagued with war all over Latin America, just like Lupe and her family. Gabriel Garcia Marquez poses the question, “why could social justice not be a goal for Latin America?” Countries in Latin America like Nicaragua, Guatemala, EL Salvador, Argentina, and Chile were striving for social justice. Some even had democratic elections and were on the right path but the fear of communism that plagued the United States since the beginning of the Cold War halted any of the progress Latin American countries could have even made. Any sort of progress, whether it was farmers and peasants like José forming unions and organizations fighting for human rights, or democratically elected presidents like Arbenz or Allende that fought for agrarian reform and nationalization of resources was completely shut down either directly or indirectly by the United States. Social justice was definitely a goal for Latin America. The region is not filled with savages that can’t grasp democracy; even Marquez “rejected the idea that ‘violence and pain’ was the natural condition of the region.” The United States halted and set aside any progress for social justice in Latin America because it feared losing its powerful influence in the

In her essay “The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria”, Judith Ortiz Cofer analyzes the harmful outcomes that often result from stereotypes. Cofer states that mixed culture signals maintained stereotypes and they are promoted by the media. Today, stereotypes are displayed throughout the media. Stereotype is a generalized standard for a particular group or type of people or thing. Mostly groups of people are stereotyped ever since several decades ago. Over the years, stereotypes have grown to consist of categories such as race, gender, and ages. Her statement stands corrected until this day as the media continues to show stereotypes. In recent years the media has been promoting racial stereotypes just as Cofer’s statement in her essay.

In 1971, Women took to the streets to protest Salvador Allende's presidency. This protest was called “ March of Empty Pots and Pans”. The women banged on their pots and pans and this became a symbol of oppression. Women had no other way so they protested the only way they could. Women didn't have to leave their homes to protest and this was the beauty about “cazerolazo”. Poder Feminino was an Anti-Allende group. They were all about protecting motherhood and their children. Mothers were allowed to protest because the factor of “who would hit a mother?” came into play. In 1973, Women threw corn and feathers at the military. They did this because they felt the men weren't protecting their home lives and they were

At birth, many families struggled to keep their children alive until adulthood. The countries poverty prevented people from feeding their children, leading to the malnutrition of thousands and the negative health effects that come with it. But even after reaching maturity the lives of people remain a struggle. Many women are forced to raise their children alone while struggling to provide a living for themselves and their offspring. Lack of education in Central America prevent men and women from finding work, making survival very difficult. Death squads murdered thousands of innocent lives in brutal ways. The human rights movement CO-MADRES was started to call out against the extreme lack of civil liberties. Other groups like the FMLN and the FPL fought against the government to stop the social injustices the Salvadorian government committed. The government needed to help eliminate the massive problem of poverty. But because it did not, guerrilla groups were formed by El Salvador’s people in hope to change what the government could not. By forming death squads in an attempt to stop those groups, the countries situation led only to more death and

When people hear the word prejudice, they think that refers to it as a racial prejudice among those who have fair skin and those with dark skin. However, prejudice is more than skin color. Prejudice is among gender, religion, culture, geographic origin and race. Prejudice has become a complex problem in our society. In the story "The Myth of the Latin Woman" written by Judith Ortiz Cofer, she discusses how people impose the identity of Latinas as terms of social stereotype.

While studying Latin American region I was questioned why this region has more numbers of female presidents. Therefore, in this essay, I did some small analyze with a list of female representatives as a head of states.

Caught in the crosshairs of a vicious war fueled by military aid from the United States, Salvadorans throughout the 1980s and 1990s strived to make a life for themselves. Running from El Salvador in hopes of a better future, they found themselves deadlocked in a marginalized life north of the US-Mexico border in Los Angeles. Without the law on their side, many Salvadorans struggled to obtain legal admittance to the United States due to inconsistent and inadequate immigration policies implemented throughout President Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan’s administrations. In Los Angeles during the mid-80s, a young group of Salvadorans emerged and called themselves the Mara Salvatrucha Stoners 13 in hopes of defending their neighborhood from other

“The quinceañera is like a rehearsal wedding without a groom, and it sends a clear message to the Latina girl: We expect you to get married, have children, devote yourself to your family” (49). This shows the expectations young women are addressed in Latin American families. At every quince there are a set of rituals before finalizing the entrance of woman. Besides the party a mass is conducted before hand. They're “promising God that you’re not going to have sex till you’re back at the altar, getting married” (Priscilla 52). A quince is a celebration constructed through society but built on conservative religious values. Unfortunately, this is not one hundred percent effective to young girls to give insight that they have a whole life ahead

Individuals use stereotypes when they judge others based on their own thoughts and opinions. In today’s society, individuals show prejudice towards others based on what they have heard previously from their friends and families. With that being said, individuals tend to express negative comments against people who have different ethnicities. When people hear the word “stereotypes”, they often forget how there are both positive and negative expressions. In this essay, there will be examples of positive and negative stereotypes and how there is a resemblance of both cases.

In past centuries, Latin American women have always been there to fulfill their duties as wives and mothers at home. Women were use to working inside the home while their husbands worked outside of the home. During the 20th century, women around the world started to seek changes for themselves. They wanted to be considered equal to their husbands and wanted the opportunity to obtain a job outside of the home. A decrease in the need for traditional craft workers, such as weavers and sewers, greatly influence the decision for change in women. They were no longer needed to make clothing or prepare food and candy the traditional way. Handmade items were pushed aside for the new and improved “factory-made products” (Murray 158). Latin American women made a living off of selling their handmade items; now they were no longer needed.

The guerrilla movements changed from a foco strategies (small groups) to a mass mobilization which need a large am The movement in El Salvador, 40% of Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN) membership were women, 30% of women

When I was child, I read the newspapers, magazines, and books to my mother while she cooked dinner. Some of my best days were spent learning together new words, stories, histories, and current events especially from my country, Peru, and Latin America. Until something changed my life: my mother attended school up to third grade. Since then, I helped her to increase her knowledge and I also have wanted to be a Spanish and Latin American history teacher at the community college level. To do this, I need a master degree. My skills in understanding the Spanish language fluently, my background in working for and with the Latino community, and cultural upbringing have thoroughly prepared me for the UCLA’s master program in Latin American Studies.

My friend has accepted that there is cultural differences and seems to heavily embrace many aspects of the Latin American culture. Although my friend is struggling with some “attitudes” in regards to gender roles in this culture. By increasing her knowledge of the Latin American cultural perspectives on this issue, it can create a broader understanding of why gender roles are the way they’re in this culture.

Over the course of the semester, we have examined a multitude of issues facing women across Latin America. The complex struggles are diverse and vary greatly throughout the region, however parallels can often be drawn based on shared historical roots and influences. The access to full sexual and reproductive health and rights, is one of these parallel-presenting instances – and is the issue confronted in Gideon, Leite and Minte’s article titled “What is hindering progress? The marginalization of women's sexual and reproductive health and rights in Brazil and Chile.” Along with summarising the nature of this specific issue as described in the article, this paper will be connecting the phenomenon to other occurrences and realities that we have