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Quinceaneras Analysis

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Quinceaneras and the Heterosexual Imaginary The “dream come true” narrative that surrounds quinceaneras is extremely similar to the way weddings and marriage are framed. In Ingraham’s White Weddings, she discusses how weddings are framed as the most important moment in a woman’s life, and how common it is for young girls to dream of their wedding days from the moment they can walk and talk. A large part of Ingraham’s work relies on the relationship between weddings and the heterosexual imaginary. As she writes, the heterosexual imaginary relies on “romantic and sacred notions of heterosexuality in order to create and maintain the illusion of wellbeing” (Ingraham pp. 26). Though Ingraham was writing about weddings and not quinceaneras, the …show more content…

During Spanish and French colonialism in Mexico during the nineteenth century, the quinceanera tradition became influenced by the Spanish tradition of presenting marriageable daughters during a formal social ceremony. At fifteen, Mexican girls entered womanhood and thus became eligible to participate in traditionally feminine activities such as wearing make up, dating, and marriage. In many ways, quinceaneras are reminiscent of a wedding ceremony. A typical quinceanera features a formal father daughter dance, a court of honor, a fancy dress, and a dance with a select boy— practices which can all be found either in identical or similar fashion during weddings …show more content…

Oftentimes, quinceaneras are the subject of reality TV shows such as MTV’s Quiero Mis Quinces or TLC’s Sweet 15: Quinceañera. Shows like these generally follow the most hectic parts of the planning process and thrive on the over dramatization of the situation. Quiero Mis Quinces (first aired in 2009) is described as providing the viewer with a “behind-the-scenes peak at the lavish affairs” as well as “the accompanying squabbles with jealous siblings, stressed out parents and school rivals.” The TLC show Sweet 15: Quinceañera is a more recent show, having first aired in 2016, however it still emphasizes a similar narrative. Reality TV often portrays the teenage girls on its shows as crazier than the average person, essentially as a tactic to turn people into entertainment rather than complex individuals. This narrative is problematic especially when it relies on the stereotype of the crazy woman of color, or the racist narrative that Latina woman are “fiery” or

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