A Black Girl Ranting

Hispanic Women Stereotypes

"You're hispanic? Why isn't your hair straight (or curly) if you're hispanic?"

See the media just absolutely love to capture the lighter things in life. Nature, trees, white people, light skin people, ya know the usual.

Whenever people think hispanic or latina, the image of straight flowy hair comes to mind. This isn't true. There are different hair textures and considering the history of many hispanics, black is along the blood line. Usually, USUALLY, the light skinned hispanics have 1-2 textured hair, but if we go darker we see more with 3A-4C hair. My mother, who is fully Puerto Rican, is light skinned with 3A-3B hair. I'm half Hispanic (my father is fully Black), and I came out brown skinned with 4B-4C hair. Some people assume because I'm half I should at least come out with my mother's hair, but not all mixed kids have that curly ass hair with light colored eyes.

"I thought you would act sexier."
Hispanic women are the most sexualized in the world. People automatically expect you to carry yourself to be more promiscuous and to get the attention of people everywhere you go. Wear something like a dress, and they think you're trying to show off your "Latina features" and trying to be scandalous and slutty. Wear something too modest, and they think you're too conservative. When I went through puberty, like many other girls, my mother and grandmother had to teach me to cover up any parts of the boy that would attract men. Being Hispanic this was almost a tradition. It's like they knew how much us Hispanics are sexualized and treated as objects, they thought covering up was going to protect us when speaking out about it will.

"Happy Cinco De Mayo!"

Do not, please do not, say this to someone if you are not sure if they're Mexican or not. A lady went up to my mother and told her this while my mother politely told her she wasn't Mexican. If I was her, I would've told the lady off. Don't assume someone is Mexican. I'm not saying it's offensive, but it just shows how Non-Hispanics assume we all just look alike and are alike, when we are definitely aren't. We all have different cultures and would like people to see and respect that. Btw wearing a sombrero and drinking tequila is not appreciating the history of Cinco De Mayo and the culture of Mexicans.

"I need me someone who's gonna be a housewife and a freak ya know."

"Basically a Latina."

When Hispanics are casted in American roles, they're usually portrayed as a housewife, a cleaning lady, someone who is great in bed, and all that nonsense. Sofia Vergara is the perfect example. Her role on Modern Family (from what I see) is the stay at home mother who cleans and cooks and makes sure the husband and children is taken care of. The typical 1950s woman, yet has been extended out to Hispanics. 

Like I said before, Hispanics are labeled as promiscuous. Racy. Sexy. And while there is nothing wrong with these words and being this way, but people must understand that you cannot label a group of people that way. It makes those Hispanics who aren't called sexy, feel insecure about themselves and as if they shouldn't be Hispanic because of this stereotype. 

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So yeah these are the stereotypes that are well-known, and that I have faced. If you have any stereotypes that you know of, comment them below.