Machismo is a burden that plagues the Latin American community. As a queer Latin American myself, I’ve often faced machismo, whether it’s been within my own family or outside of it. From hearing the stories of abuse victims, to witnessing catcalls directed at my sisters, to seeing my father transition from being my greatest role model to becoming a life lesson I’ll never forget, machismo continues to inflict harm upon the Latin American community. Even when establishing ourselves in new countries where such values are seen as problematic and are mostly unwelcome, the shadow of machismo still looms large.
Another form of toxic masculinity
To put it into perspective, machismo is a form of toxic masculinity most prominent in Latin America. It’s a set of cultural norms that emphasize hypermasculinity, dominance, and male superiority. Men are often expected to be strong, aggressive, and sexually dominant, while women are expected to be submissive, nurturing, and dependent. This cultural ideology perpetuates gender inequality, reinforcing traditional gender roles and limiting the freedom of both men and women to express themselves authentically.
Machismo is deeply ingrained in many aspects of Latin American culture, including family life, religion, politics, and the media (Stunt, 2020). It often manifests in behaviors such as physical aggression, emotional suppression, and the objectification of women. This can have serious consequences for individuals, families, and communities, contributing to high rates of domestic violence, gender-based discrimination, and social inequality (Stunt, 2020).
Machismo and Queer men
Machismo often leads queer Latino men to adopt maladaptive behaviors toward themselves and others (Arciniega, & Tracey, 2011). Queer Latino men who grow up in a family that promotes machismo regularly exhibit signs of internalized homophobia and may have trouble reconciling their sexuality with Latino culture (Estrada et al., 2011).
Queer Latino men are often marginalized within their own community because of machismo. It has been stressed that “Latino men occupy a contradictory position within a system of privilege, one that offers them advantages but concurrently disadvantages those belonging to devalued social categories,” including but not limited to those who are gay (Hurtado, 2016). When Latino men identify as gay, they are perceived as feminine, making them appear more subservient in the eyes of their heterosexual peers (Guarnero, 2007). Seen as deviant and abnormal, queer Latino men struggle to be accepted by their families.
Even when Latino men came out to their families to feel accepted by them, they may continue to experience homophobic microaggressions and have their queerness rendered invisible through the continued machismo. Thus, participants’ families function both as a support network and a source of insecurity (Antonio, 2017).
Source: Emily Ascencio, “The Effects of Machismo”
Negative Mental Health Outcomes
Queer Latino men might internalize these negative beliefs about them due to machismo, and it can lead to negative mental health outcomes (Dawes, 2023). In addition to already facing other issues such as racism, heterosexism, and cisgenderism, machismo adds to the feeling of being out of place and experiencing higher rates of depression (Dawes, 2023). The pressure to conform to traditional masculine norms while simultaneously navigating their queer identities can create a significant psychological burden for queer Latino men.
Internalized homophobia, a byproduct of machismo, can lead to feelings of shame, guilt, and self-hatred, which in turn can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues (Dawes, 2023). Furthermore, the fear of rejection and discrimination from both the Latino and LGBTQ+ communities can exacerbate feelings of isolation and loneliness. As a result, many queer Latino men struggle to seek out and access mental health support, fearing further stigmatization and marginalization.
It is imperative to promote a culture that celebrates diversity and respects individuals’ autonomy to choose their own paths in life and leave machismo behind. By fostering a more inclusive and accepting society within the Latine community, we can ensure that queer Latino men, as well as all members of the community, feel supported, valued, and empowered to live their lives authentically and with pride. Through ongoing efforts in awareness, education, and advocacy, we can work towards a future where toxic cultural norms like machismo no longer hold sway, and where everyone is free to express themselves fully and without reservation, creating a more equitable and just society for all.
References
Dawes, H.C. 2023. “Experiences of Queer People of Color in Mental Health Care and Substance Use Treatment: A Systematic Review.” University of Chicago Press Journals. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/678012
Guarnero, P. A. (2007). Family and community influences on the social and sexual lives of Latino gay men. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 18, 12-18.
Estrada, F., Rigali-Oiler, M., Arciniega, G. M., & Tracey, T. J. G. (2011). Machismo and Mexican American men: An empirical understanding using a gay sample. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58, 358-367.
Hurtado, A., & Sinha, M. (2016). Beyond machismo: Intersectional Latino masculinities. Austin: University of Texas Press.
Ascencio, Emily. 2021. “The Effects of Machismo, Marianismo and Minority Stress on Mental Health in the Latinx LGBTQ+ Community.”
Stunt, Verónica. 2020. “How Men in Latin America Are Unlearning Machismo.” Quartz, July 9. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://qz.com/1866266/how-men-in-latin-america-are-unlearning-machismo#:~:text=About%20300%20men%20every%20year,become%20violent%20using%20body%20signals.
