In “The Myth of the Latin Woman,” Judith Ortíz Cofer argues that stereotypes of Latina women as hypersexual, uneducated, and submissive perpetuate their marginalization in Anglo-American society. These narratives, Cofer argues, originate in cultural customs from Latin American countries, but they become powerful—and oppressive—cultural tropes that are manipulated and promoted by the Anglo-American media. Cofer describes experiencing throughout her life instances of people with power (particularly those who are male, white, wealthy, or educated) making assumptions about her class and sexual desire because of her race, Puerto Rican heritage, and traditional style of clothing. These stereotypes are so pervasive that they persist across decades, national borders, and cultural environments. For example, Cofer mentions being serenaded with famous songs about Latina women both in England as a graduate student and later in her life and career at a professional event in the United States. Cofer details how, from a young age, Anglo-American men have harassed her, verbally and physically, because they make assumptions about her sexual availability. These stereotypes are not limited to sexualization by men, however: Cofer also recounts a story in which a woman assumes her to be a waitress at Cofer’s own poetry reading, subjecting her to the stereotype that all Latina women work in menial service jobs—a stereotype that has developed because of the unfortunate reality that there are limited employment opportunities available to Spanish-speaking immigrant women. Ultimately, Cofer depicts how neither advanced education, nor perfect English, nor changes in appearance or clothing can protect Latina women from the stereotypes forced onto them when they leave their countries of origin.
Related Themes from Other Texts
Gender and Stereotypes ThemeTracker
Gender and Stereotypes Quotes in The Myth of the Latin Woman
Maria had followed me to London, reminding me of a prime fact of my life: you can leave the Island, master the English language, and travel as far as you can, but if you are a Latina, especially one like me who so obviously belongs to Rita Moreno’s gene pool, the Island travels with you.
But it was painfully obvious to me that to the others, in their tailored skirts and silk blouses, we must have seemed “hopeless” and “vulgar.”
It is custom, however, not chromosomes, that leads us to choose scarlet over pale pink.
I do understand how things can be lost in translation. When a Puerto Rican girl dressed in her idea of what is attractive meets a man from the mainstream culture who has been trained to react to certain types of clothing as a sexual signal, a clash is likely to take place.
[T]o him, I was just an Evita or a María: merely a character in his cartoon-populated universe.
Since I do not wear my diplomas around my neck for all to see, I too have on occasion been sent to that “kitchen,” where some think I obviously belong.
Every time I give a reading, I hope the stories I tell, the dreams and fears I examine in my work, can achieve some universal truth which will get my audience past the particulars of my skin color, my accent, or my clothes.
