Machismo

Patriarchy is alive and well throughout the world. But the English-language media flatters itself by one-sidedly portraying machismo as a particularly Latin American malady, all the while overlooking significant feminist gains made in the region. Take, for instance, the entry under “machismo” in the latest edition of Britannica which asserts: “It has for centuries been a strong current in Latin American politics and society.” But the encyclopedia makes no such recognition for its own Anglo society. An article in the AP on sexual bias in Mexico blames “Mexico’s ‘machismo’ culture and strong Catholic roots,” calling out patriarchy as a defining and harmful feature for the whole of Latin American culture.