Machismo In Latin American Culture

In Latin American macho culture having a homosexual child is usually cause of shame for most parents. In some settings, men are supposed to have sex with women, besides their own wives, as a manner of proving not just their conquering abilities, but their sexual prowess. A friend of my husband used to behave in such a manner, and bragged about it. To this man, getting a sexually transmitted disease was not just an inconvenience, but a motive of pride —"it is nothing more than an occupational hazard," he used to say, when he experienced those problems. The extent of his absurdity had not limits. Quiet often he said that he was such a man that he would **ck other man if he had to. In his machismo, he perceived the “active” or “masculine” role of a man during sex with an effeminate, passive men, as an act of power and dominance, not as homosexualism on his part. Not surprisingly, this man tried to instill his machismo on his oldest son even at a very early age. His son was supposed to become as strong and powerful as he considered himself, and to that effect he displayed his conqueror skills even in front of him, with little regard for the feelings of her
wife or his two minor daughters. Unfortunately for this man, his son hid his actual sexual orientation during his whole life, until he entered the university. During the second year of his career he decided to come out of the closet, and the reaction of his father was that of absolute incredulity at first, and then of shame and anger. As soon as he learned of his son's orientation, he gave him a brutal beating. To this date, they do not talk to each other. We learned about what happened because the victim himself us told us what his father did. His father expected to see in his son a reflection of his own being, and his son expected understanding and tolerance, or at least simple acceptance of his nature.

Regrettably, the culture of machismo is deep rooted in some sections of Latin American culture.
Certainly, its role is so damaging, that instead of reacting comprehensively in order to protect the emotional health of their children, as well as their personal safety, parents distance themselves from their gay children. In most cases they expel their gay children from the parental home and from the family as his primary source of support. This culture of intolerance is increasinly changing, thanks to the efforts of educators, psychologists, and the judicial authorities. Gradually, Latin American culture is moving from a reactionary, repressive stance against homosexualism, to one of tolerance and respect. Although the road is still long, a more progressive attitude is making things more difficult for the macho
culture.