Chloe Gill

Research Paper Draft

4/29/2023

Gender and Development in Latin America

Fierce, Fabulous, and Forgotten: Reimagining Latin American Women in Media

Representation of Latin American Women 

From the first episode, I was hooked on the television production of Modern Family. The popular TV show gained a large following for tackling issues confronted by the dysfunctionally functioning extended family. Modern Family has been one of my comfort shows for the past few years, and I always loved coming home after a long day to watch this funny and heartwarming show. I knew I wasn’t the only one obsessed with this show because all of my friends loved it too. Modern Family has won a total of 22 Emmy Awards, out of its 75 nominations. Among other aspects of the show, America fell in love with the humorous character, Gloria Delgado-Pritchett.

However, looking back on the show now, Gloria’s character is extremely problematic and contributes to the harmful way Americans often depict Latin American women. Gloria, portrayed by Sofia Vergara, a Colombian-American actress, is the wife of character Jay Pritchett. Jay is an older man in the show, which reinforces Gloria’s role as a “trophy wife”. Sofia portrays her character, Gloria, by using a very thick accent, and is cast as “hot-headed”, materialistic, and oftentimes overly sexualized. Throughout the series, Gloria has moments of behaving as an “airhead”, or struggling with societal norms, placing her as a comedic brunt of the joke. Many times, Gloria would be sexualized in the show, even by her own family. The writers of the show did not hesitate to include these negative stereotypes, with Gloria having a short, violent temper in the very first scene she was in. “SOCCER MOM: ‘Come on, Coach, you gotta take that kid out.’ GLORIA: ‘You want to take him out?! How about I take you out?!’ Jay grabs the back of her jacket” (Levitan & Lloyd).

Hot-tempered and violent were not the only stereotypes used to characterize Gloria. Within the first few minutes of the first episode, she was disturbingly sexualized by almost all of the characters in the show, purely as a means to elicit a humorous response from other characters and viewers alike. Despite the negative stereotypes reinforced throughout this popular sitcom, these serious issues were entangled with light-hearted humor. The show reinforces the idea that Latin American women are valued for their physical attractiveness and not the essence of the character. The humor in these scenes disguise the negative stereotypes being reinforced, making it easy for viewers to continue to laugh off the long-standing racism that has been occurring for centuries. Whether intentional or not, the perpetuation of negative stereotypes contributes to racist sentiments in society; Latin American women are often subjected to such negative stereotypes in the media. According to Maria Jimenez Moya, “These media portrayals create a single story, a negative narrative that sticks and shapes public opinion of Latinas, reducing them to one-dimensional characters. Whether it is implicit or explicit, racism is racism, and it is important to understand how harmful these portrayals can be to the Latinx community” (Moya).

Modern Family, unfortunately, is not the only example of the misrepresentation of Latin American women in the U.S. media. Latin American women continue to be harmed by negative characterizations, and subsequently have to overcome the consequences of this negative portrayal in real life. The media often characterizes Latin American women in a way that is exoticized, which further contributes to their dehumanization. The media often defaults to a typical characterization of a “fiery Latina”, or the “sexy maid” when portraying characters or women in real life. The objectification of Latin American women, across all channels of various media, has reinforced and perpetuated the gender-based violence and discrimination that they endure.

A contributing factor to this issue is that Latin American women are underrepresented in the media, which eliminates and distorts their voices and identities. This issue in the media exemplifies the power that the media holds in shaping the ideologies and opinions of the public. When people see stereotypes in the media, they create an overall representation and generalization of diverse and expansive culture. It is important to recognize how we represent marginalized groups in the media, and the strong influence it can exert on the public perspective. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate how the media in the United States perpetuates negative stereotypes and the hypersexualization of Latin American women by creating a harmful single story for their characters, ultimately leading to their dehumanization in their everyday lives.

Looking at the Biased Media

The oversexualization of Latin American women stems from both racism and sexism. Looking at the United States, it is not surprising that society tends to oversexualize women, especially considering the way that children are brought up in their childhood. Karin Martin describes the all too familiar sexist childhood in her book, “Becoming a Gendered Body: Practices of Preschools”. She describes how the United States uses a sense of “traditionalism” as an excuse to let sexism of young girls continue. She states, “Adults treat girls in ways that foster the construction of the girls as objects to be looked at rather than subjects in their own right” (Martin 494). It is taught from a young age that little girls are dainty and should focus on being pretty for boys. Boys are perceived as the tough and aggressive champions that should win over the girls. When these roles are continuously reinforced by adults, children will begin to believe that it is okay and normal to act in a way that promotes sexism. Martin also states, “While all children are socialized into gender, the process is much more intense for girls who are more likely to be subjected to strict dress codes and norms that emphasize their physical appearance, setting the stage for their objectification and sexualization” (Martin 494). It is undeniable that boys go through their own struggles of portraying their masculinity. However, like Martin explains, young girls face the struggle much more severely. The notion that society sets up females  to be sexualized at the age of a preschooler is disturbing. Looking at the issue of the hypersexualization and fetishization of Latinas in America emphasizes the intersectional dynamics of being a woman and Latin American.

It is important to recognize that the sexualization of Latin American women is even more severe and apparent than the characterization experienced by white American women. Latinas are often portrayed as exotic and erotic, and that they are something to be “explored” and “pursued”. One of the significant aspects of this issue is the power dynamic and objectification between men, in general, and Latin American women. The portrayal of Latin American women allows men to have a power dynamic where they are dominant and in control, whereas the women are submissive and passive. Since they are seen as exotic, or in other words “less human”, many people will believe that they are not deserving of respect or dignity, and therefore treat them more like objects, and less as complex humans. The marginalization of Latinas is expressed through hypersexualization, creating a form of “implicit” discrimination. People are more likely to dismiss this subtle form of racism due to its implicit nature. The representation of Latina bodies as sexual objects leads to the dehumanization of Latin American women. Ediberto Roman explains the consequences of this issue through the lens of intersectionality: “As Linda Alcoff explains, this exoticism is often a consequence of the racialization of Latina bodies[…] are seen as distinct and non-European, and thereby highly sexualized. This objectification of Latina bodies, in turn, functions to legitimize their subordinate status within the larger society” (Roman 47).

Clara Rodiguez says something similar, “This exoticization and sexualization of Latinas reinforces the idea that they are inherently different and viewed as outsiders, and it perpetuates harmful stereotypes about their character and behavior. Furthermore, it objectifies and dehumanizes Latinas, reducing them to mere objects of desire and reinforcing their subordinate position in society” (Rodriguez 6). These ideas highlight the sexualization and objectification of Latina women throughout the media. Latina women are constantly being presented as the “other”, making it acceptable to treat them inappropriately. “Othering” people, where they are viewed as fundamentally different, contributes to their subordination in society and reinforces their status as objects of desire, rather than full and complex human beings with agency and autonomy. According to Maria Lugones, she argues that this issue is linked to the historical and ongoing legacy of colonialism. The hypersexualization of Latinas in the media is a representation of the coloniality of gender, which is intended to control women of color by reducing them to sexual objects for the pleasure of men (Lugones). This objectification of  Latina women has real-world consequences, such as an increased amount of sexual harassment or violence. If the media continues to inaccurately portray Latinas, the consequences will only continue to grow for Latin Americans.

PEOPLE, Not Characters

One of the main issues related to how Latinas are represented in the media is the negative outcomes that representation can foster in real life. As we have seen, a significant goal of the storytellers is to dehumanize stereotypical characters. Isadora Bueno, a Brazilian woman who has lived in a variety of countries, discusses how Latinas are perceived as inferior, which ultimately affects the way they are treated in society. “It is important for the media to move away from harmful stereotypes and to represent Latinas in all their complexity and humanity. This includes providing opportunities for Latinas to tell their own stories and to take control of their own narratives, rather than being defined solely by the limited and often damaging representations that have been created for them” (Bueno). Society’s description of Latin American women cannot be boiled down to how they are represented in the media for many reasons. Latina characters are often based on stereotypes, and one can’t characterize a whole ethnicity and put them into one box, as everyone has their own dynamic and unique personality. Alena Popelková’ states, “Racial stereotypes about Latin Americans in movies are not only simplifications of reality but also constructs that have historically served to justify social and economic inequality” (Popelková 22). Media is a powerful source that can alter a person’s life, for better or for worse. Media is responsible for shaping this negative opinion on Latin American women.

The actress Sofia Vergara is a good example of the negative representation of Latinas and how it directly translates to real life. Ellen DeGeneres, a famous TV show host, faced criticism for her behavior towards Vergara during multiple shows. DeGeneres made multiple comments, making fun of Vergara’s accent, sexualizing her body, and critiquing her English. She mimicked her accent and her pronunciation of words, along with interrupting her while she spoke. The belittling, invalidating, and racist behavior by a major television icon reinforced the negative stereotypes that were depicted by Vergara’s character in Modern Family. DeGeneres insinuated that Vergara’s accent and ethnicity makes her less intelligent and less worthy of respect. DeGeneres had racial undertones in her jokes, taking cheap shots in exchange for some laughs. DeGeneres even came up with a humiliating game where she gave Vergara uncommon and hard-to-pronounce words in English, and made her say them back to her. When Vergara attempted to say the words back, but pronounced them incorrectly, she was laughed at by Ellen and the crowd. Ellen: “I have been trying to teach myself Spanish, so I have been doing a Spanish word of the day. I thought I would teach you an English word, so that uhh…” *crowd laughs* *Vergara looks offended* Sofia: “Okay… I know English very well but…”. *Ellen proceeds to cut her off*. At the end, Vergara tries to ease her humiliation with some comedic relief by saying, “That is not even a word. You are just doing it to ruin my reputation” (The Ellen Show).

Ellen Teaches Sofia Vergara an English Word of the Day

During the show, Vergara has had to endure multiple exchanges, similar to the “pronunciation game” proposed by DeGeneres. In the exchange, it is very clear that Vergara is extremely uncomfortable by the commentary and the humiliation she was put through. Even though she laughs through it, it is obvious that it was hurtful to her. The stereotypes that surround her character on Modern Family, unfortunately, translate to Vergara’s real life and occur frequently. There are numerous stories similar to Vergara’s that go untold or unresolved, so it is important to reveal how and why these negative depictions go on in our society and make a change.

There are numerous  other stories of negative characterization and discrimination that go untold. Latin American women, specifically, are the most underrepresented group amongst all media. According to the National Hispanic Media Coalition, “In film, Latinas represented only 4.5% of all speaking characters, despite making up 18% of the US population. On broadcast TV, Latinas represented only 6% of all speaking characters, while comprising 12.4% of the population. And in digital/streaming programs, Latinas represented only 7.6% of all speaking characters, while comprising 18% of the population” (National Hispanic Media Coalition). As we have seen in Modern Family, even when Latinas are “represented”, they are not represented in an accurate or positive way. The media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinions, so being underrepresented in the media can have destructive  consequences.

The Long Term Damage 

The misrepresentation of Latinas in the media have long-term effects that are detrimental and multifaceted. As stated, the negative stereotypes perpetuates Latina women as objects of desire, compared to real human beings with a sense of autonomy. One aspect that people don’t consider is the fact that many young people consume the media, often as part of their daily lives. Young children are highly impressionable and process  everything that they see. Media is actively shaping young people’s perception of others and themselves. When young Latina women see people that look like themselves in a negative way, their self esteem is majorly affected. This audience can feel marginalized and invisible, which can affect their sense of self worth or belonging in society. There can also be significant pressure for them to look or to act in a way that is deemed pleasing to others. In Bueno’s article, she says, “Latinas are bombarded with messages that they should look and act a certain way in order to be accepted and beautiful, and these messages begin early in life. A study conducted by the Girl Scouts of the USA found that one-third of girls ages 8 to 17 in the United States say they do not like their body, and 38% of girls ages 14 to 17 report feeling pressure to look a certain way because of images they see in the media” (Bueno). The media should strive to make young people feel beautiful, so it is so important to make sure that they keep that in mind when they are writing shows, especially ones that are targeted to families and the younger community.

Unfortunately, self esteem is not the only issue. Across the country and world, there is a much larger issue at play, which is the economic, political, and even violent impact these media portrayals have on society. Going back to the National Hispanic Media Coalition, Latinas are less likely to be seen as professionals, and instead more likely to be seen in a low-paying service job. This limits the amount of job opportunities for Latinas because employers are less likely to hire them. In turn, this  contributes, in a significant way, to the economic inequalities that we see in our society. According to Roman, “In the post-welfare reform and anti-immigrant climate of the 1990s, negative stereotypes have served as a basis for justifying economic policies that have reduced welfare benefits to immigrant and non-immigrant Latinas, such as restrictions on Supplemental Security Income, food stamps, and Medicaid. Additionally, stereotypes about Latina mothers and their children have been used to promote anti-immigrant policies, such as the denial of citizenship to U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants and the use of anti-immigrant referenda to curtail social services and other benefits to undocumented immigrants and their children” (Roman). The media representation has a strong impact on public policy, including immigration policies, which disproportionately affect Latin American women. Roman emphasizes how the media contributes to Latinas as “illegal aliens” which contributes to the public opinions and policy surrounding the rights and opportunities of Latin American immigrants.

The media also works to justify violence against Latinas. According to Moya, “This objectification of Latina women has real-world consequences, such as an increased amount of sexual harassment or violence” (Moya). The representation of Latinas as exotic and hypersexualized allows people to believe that they are allowed to use them for abuse and objectification. This has lead to an increased rate of sexual harassment and violence against Latin American women. The media often portrays them as criminal and violent which can also be used to justify the violence against them . The media actively reinforces the prejudices against Latina American women and continues to justify and ignore the horrific consequences of it.

Focusing on the Future

There is no question that there has been irreversible harm directed toward the Latina community as influenced by the media, however that doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to improve the negative climate, and prepare future generations for success. The consequences have been detrimental for this marginalized group, but we can’t give up hope and change needs to be enacted right away. Many filmmakers have already begun to combat this issue by including  a wide diversity of Latin American women in the media. According to Bueno, “The NHMC has created initiatives such as the Latino Scene Showcase and the Latino Television Writers Program, which aim to increase the amount of Latino representation in Hollywood and to give Latino writers a platform to showcase their work. There are also increasing numbers of Latino-led and -produced shows and movies, such as “Jane the Virgin,” “One Day at a Time,” and “Vida,” which provide a more authentic portrayal of Latinas in the media” (Bueno). Characters can still be portrayed as sexy, but writers should also showcase other characteristics. As with any other character depiction, it is important to add more depth and complexity when developing Latina characters.

Finally, it is crucial to create a safe space in the media for every single viewer to feel like they belong. As a society, we have to combat and challenge the harmful stereotypes that have been perpetuated on Latin American women for so long. More importantly, we need to open up this conversation to Latin American communities as a whole. We need to include them in the conversation  about what is occurring in the media because they are the ones that are the most affected by it and who can implement the most impactful change. We need to use the media as an accurate platform because we have seen how influential it is. It must start now.