Inherited Masculinity: Machismo within the Chicano Community

In the 1960s, the Chicano Movement sought to give Mexican-Americans a new way to navigate the space between their identities. Caught between two cultures in an experience layered with racism and social ostracization that prohibited neither Mexico nor the U.S. to truly be called “home”, Mexican-Americans reclaimed “Chicano”—once a classist term—and reshaped it as a symbol of pride and unity. Also reshaped in this movement was the concept of machismo, a form of hypermasculinity meant to indicate self-reliance. While often associated with strength, machismo can also reinforce patriarchal prejudices, creating pressures that affect mental health and social expectations. Understanding its nuances can help us in exploring how masculinity is defined in Chicano culture.

Language plays a large role in shaping how machismo is understood. According to Pew Research Center, English-dominant Latinos are more likely to describe machismo as “acting with emphasized or prideful masculinity”. In contrast, Spanish-dominant Latinos often define it as “the belief that men are superior to or better than women” or “the belief that certain roles in society should be based on gender.” These differences also vary by generation and place of living, exemplifying the dynamic nature of our understanding of machismo as a system of inequality.

Personal experiences further reveal the emotional impact of machismo. As writer Hugo Quintana describes, “Whenever I compared myself to other Hispanic men who appeared to be more masculine than me, I always felt alienated and constantly feared rejection from my family.” Quintana notes “this way of upbringing affects the mental health of Hispanic adolescent” and has been associated with increased domestic and sexual violence,” emphasizing that when machismo promotes harm “[it] must be dismantled.”

These expectations often also include the idea that a man must be a breadwinner in the household, reinforcing traditional gender roles. This often results in the development of “machistas”, which scholar Xochitl Villarreal describes as “Generations of women [who] have internalized misogyny that creates an unconscious preference for men.” These, often matriarchal, figures continue to pass down these ideals focused on domestication, which Villarreal describes as being done “by setting standards around their daughters’ pureness and submissiveness” while “Latino sons are given more liberty with household duties, responsibilities, and social norms.”

Machismo within the Chicano and broader Latino community is also not necessarily a fixed concept. Rather, it is an ever-changing set of beliefs shaped by history and lived experience, much like masculinity continues to evolve generation by generation. However, by acknowledging the stereotypes reinforced by machismo, individuals and communities can begin to challenge their limitations. In doing so, masculinity can continue to be redefined, and identities, like culture itself, can shift and become healthier, more equitable, and layered with compassion.