Meaning Of Machismo

Machismo is a very common factor that exists throughout the whole world, especially in Hispanic cultures. Machismo can be defined as a strong sense of masculine pride and domination and that women have no say. Only men are allowed to control their household and wives as if they were their property and that the women’s job is to clean, cook, take care of kids and their husbands. A “macho man” thinks that it is right to treat their wives like their slave, with no respect. In the article “The Meaning of Macho, changing Mexican male identities” by Matthew C. Gutmann, he explains how machismo exist precisely in Mexico. However, he clearly states that it is changing. Machismo is not the same as if it was a long time ago. The reason behind this is because now women have more rights than before and they can go ahead and get their own jobs and work outside their home. Now it is both –husband and wife– that need to share the household duties, but it is only “por necesidad” which means that they only do it because it is a necessity, not because at the end of the day it is the right thing to do. It is very common now to see men washing dishes, cleaning, making the beds in the morning, feeding the kids or changing diapers. Gutmann mentions that a friend of his once told him that he has no problem at …show more content…
This statement is actually true because women are the ones who are making the men change their attitudes and behaviors. Men are allowed to clean and take care of the children just as women are allowed to work outside their homes and that is something that some people are trying to teach their children just like Gutmann mentioned in the article. Nonetheless, he still sees how little girls still don’t like to get dirty and little boys are embarrassed if they cry in public because that is something that normally girls