Written by Bailey Curry
Introduction
Latin Americans have been stereotyped as illegal immigrants, poor, lazy, and having huge families. They have gender roles where Machismo culture is strong, and women must remain submissive to men. Heteronormativity is also another issue Latin Americans face, where homosexuality is shunned and not accepted. By showing Latin Americans pursuing their dreams through a career or college, and subtly showing lesbian couples, the films A Better Life, East Side Sushi, Mosquita Y Mari, and Real Women Have Curves have subverted Latin American stereotypes, gender roles and heteronormativity that has been portrayed by the media. The common trend between all these films is the act of progression.
Research and Analysis
Progressive film is crucial to subverting racist stereotypes the media has put on Latin Americans. Popelková (2015) states that films, media, and specifically Hollywood has a major impact on how we perceive the world around us. Poelková (2015) also states that Hollywood has created Latin Americans to be stereotyped as loud, catholic, poor, uneducated, Spanish speaking, and having big families. Throughout the course we have viewed films with progressive stories that highlight hard working Latin Americans that are trying their hardest to survive in the United States of America.
Latin Americans are constantly trying to provide a better life for their children which is present in the film, A better Life by Chris Weitz. Throughout the film, the father Carlos, is seen continuously working for a better life for him and his son. Carlos’ character proved against the lazy stereotype when Carlos is seen trying to sell himself up on the side of the street as the best candidate for a landscaping job opportunity surrounded by other Latin American men. This scene captivates the progressive, hard-working mindset Latin Americans have in wanting to better their life as well as their family’s lives.
- In this scene Carlos is seen up in a tree, with little protective gear during hard labor
As progressive films continue to be released, we must recognize the impact it’s had on gender roles of Latin Americans. Films made by Hollywood are consistently portraying women as the caregivers of the household, being curvy and feisty, as well as being incapable of furthering their own education. Navarijo (2003) states that through Latin American film producers, they try to dismantle these stereotypes of Latinas. When cultures tell their own story through film, specifically Latin American women, progressive viewpoints on gender roles are pushed.
Films that promote women being strong, powerful, independent, and beautiful, is the progressive ideology that is needed to push against current gender roles. Uplifting women to choose their own path, like in the film Real Women Have Curves by Patricia Cardoso. The promotion and glorification of going to college that is shown in the end of the film when Ana is walking in New York City after accepting a full ride to college. Ana is the perfect portrayal for progressive gender roles, in which women are truly able to choose their own path.
- Pictured above, Ana has made it to New York City where she will be on a full ride to college
Just like Ana, Juana in the film East Side Sushi by Anthony Lucero, overcomes gender roles and implement progressive standards for Latin American women. Throughout the film Juana is constantly hit with stereotypes that are subverted by the end of the film. Sexism is expressed when Juana is meeting the other contestants at the sushi competition and is told that it isn’t a baking competition.
- Pictured above is a stereotypical gender role of woman baking
Deeply embedded stereotypes of women baking should be a thing of the past. Progression is made when Ana wins second place in the sushi competition, subverting the stereotype that women can only bake. With Juana’s role in the film, the progressive movement is pushed that fights back against sexism towards women.
- Pictured above is Juana making her own unique sushi recipe
Conservative viewpoints have normalized heteronormativity, but progressive films are taking steps to subvert heteronormativity. Rarely do you ever see a film that doesn’t present heteronormativity, much less a Latin film. Progressive films are trying to break this heteronormativity by subtly showing homosexuality much like how film Mosquita & Mari by Aurora Guerrero subverts heteronormativity in a subtle way. During the film we witness a bond between two girls, Mari and Yolonda, who question their sexuality in a Latin household. A scene that subtly shows homosexuality is when Mari and Yolonda are on the couch together, cuddling and feeling each other’s bodies. This progressive visual of homosexuality between youth is what is needed in order to show the Latin American community homosexuality is normal. Throughout the film the words gay or lesbian are never spoken much like how they are never spoken about in Latin households. This powerful subtleness of the film is the progression that is needed to over come heteronormativity.
