Yes. That quote right there in the sub-headline was something I basically yelled at my communications professor as we were discussing the “biology” of men and why it’s responsible for the way men act. Hence the penis reference.
Studying abroad in a Latin American country has a ton of advantages. The culture is extremely different in it’s own beautiful way, the ecology is vast, and the food is great. However, there exists the “machismo” culture; something widespread across Latin American countries, and something especially directed at skinny little American study abroad students who walk 10 minutes to school everyday, alone.
Think of the word “macho.” It evokes an image of unrelenting manliness, strong muscles, a gruff voice. This isn’t a new concept, and it’s not something that’s disappeared even in our own culture, but if you think America has a masculinity problem, I want to welcome you to the life of a woman in Latin America.
Costa Rica makes you think of “Pura Vida,” of waterfalls and lush mountains, colorful amphibians and birds, and probably rice and beans. Truthfully, it’s all this and more. The “more” is where it gets a little tricky. This country is underdeveloped in the terms of “modern society,” and both racism and sexism prevail in many aspects of life. Imagine being a liberal American thrown into this kind of situation.
At this point, home is only a few days away (I’ll probably be home by the publishing date of this article). Three months of being cat called more than ten times within a five block radius will be over, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less disgusting in my eyes. As anyone who's experienced cat-calling or public advances in general can attest to, it feels exposing in the worst way possible to have a stranger expect some kind of sexual attention from you. It’s even worse when it feels like no one is listening to or understanding your confusion.
The problem with Hispanic culture is that women are still oppressed, and it’s still completely normal. The men are the providers, the strong ones, the “machos.” The women are the domestic caretakers, the emotional support system, the “eye candy.” And for the most part, this traditional concept is widely accepted.
It’s when we start making excuses for these kinds of ideas that the problem worsens, and never gets better. This is what led to my outcry during communications class; even my professor, an elderly and educated Costa Rican women, felt that men and their “testosterone” are to blame for unwarranted sexual advances. Doesn’t matter that young boys are taught how to cat-call; it’s all about the power of erections.
And women? Their sexuality isn't something that's really talked about. Women who participate in sex are usually considered promiscuous, unless it leads to a happy family. If a man has an affair, it's normal. If a woman has an affair, it's an outrage.
Women are taught that they should want an emotional connection. Sex for the sake of pleasure isn't accepted. No matter how traditional you are (speaking to the readers), you have to admit that women like sex. Undermining the sexuality of one gender in order to convenience another only hurts global societies even more.
Strong, independent hispanic women are not a folk tale. They exist. Yet, they are most often patronized and criticized. Even being a woman who was raised to be independent, most notably by independent Hispanic women, it’s been unnerving to feel “less than” in this culture. Voicing my opinion among Costa Ricans makes me out to be some paranoid tourist, but it’s become obvious that the rest of the study abroad students I’m surrounded with have also, and continue to, experience this.
Machismo culture has had a negative effect on my experience. Of course, it hasn't tainted the better memories I have here. Yet seeing the women grow to become submissive to this kind of behavior hurts the feminine parts of my soul. It's all a learning experience, however. And don't you worry, the tide of Hispanic women is out there, and they're getting ready to bring down the machos.
