woman in latina culture

Women in the Hispanic culture are pressured by family and the men in their lives to be successful in both school and taking on the traditional rolls of a housewife. The Hispanic community is so focused on making sure Latina students become great mothers and wives that they disregard the more important and prosperous ways to succeed in life. However, women are stepping out and obtaining college degrees and making strides in changing the traditional gender roles. Latinas are becoming more aware of the economy stimulating women to challenge their traditional roles and soar above the expectations.
In the article “But Can She Cook?’ Family Expectations Weigh Heavily on Latina Students”, Ines Pinto Alicea reports the experiences with gender expectations that are encountered by many Latina students while attending college. It also shows how heavily influenced Hispanic women are by their family and husbands to portray this imagine of what a traditional Latino woman should be. The study conducted by Dr. Lois Mendez-Catlin on a few hundred Latina students showed the amount of pressure Latinas face while in college. They are encouraged to attend college and follow their dreams but are also expected to take on the role of homemakers after graduation. Hispanic culture traditionally is associated with distinct gender roles for men and women. Alicea mentions how reserved and compromising Latina students are because they are taught to be silent. While some women who spoke out where lashed at by the Latino men who thought they were disobeying their traditional roles. Latina students also faced stereotyping in college where they felt unsupported by staff that thought it would take them much longer to graduate than the majority students. It is obvious that family is extremely important in providing these women a sense of belonging and encouragement. Furthermore, Alicea discusses the importance of showing Latina women a path they can follow from offering a mentoring program.