You’d be surprised at some of the ideas non-Mexican people have about Mexican-Americans.
Most of us are quite aware of the divisions and fragmentations within our own Comunidád. Differences in culture, politics and religion as well as social and economic disparities criss-cross the face of Mexican-American communities today. Even geographic and regional borders become a significant factor in defining one’s identity. Aside from some common cultural bonds, we have difficulty finding a common opinion and approach to many social issues. So, when I come across the popular media’s and marketer’s attempts to homogenize us as an ethnic group and try to define that “One Voice†for their own benefit and for their own sense of feeling that they have us figured out, I can only shake my head and laugh. (Ha-Ha-Ja-Ja…).
Based on lengthy debates over the years I’ve had with numerous and diverse Babosos, I find the need to make out this short list in order to present us in a more realistic picture.
The following statements are intended to illustrate generalized misconceptions of Mexican-Americans in America as a group as sometimes perceived by other groups. There are obviously exceptions to everything, but I’ve made these points as obvious as possible for the ethnically impaired. Please assume that you can precede most of these points with the words “Most†or “Many†at your own discretion or just ignore the whole thing altogether.
13 Myths, Misconceptions & Stereotypes About Mexican-Americans
•   Mexican-Americans vote Democrat.
•   Mexican-Americans are Liberals
•   Mexican-Americans will vote for a political candidate if that candidate is Hispanic.
•   Mexican-American are against border/illegal immigration control.
•   Mexican Americans Speak and Understand Spanish.
•   Mexican-Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence day.
•   Mexican-Americans are Catholic.
•   Mexican-Americans like to dance Salsa.
•   Mexican-Americans are loved and supported by the citizens of Mexico.
•   Mexican-Americans love Mexican Music.
•   Mexicans and Central-Americans are the same thing.
•   Mexican-Americans love Soccer.
•   Mexican-American women like to cook & clean.
Interesting post, I’m glad you addressed this issue…What is your response to, “mexican americans are such strict catholics they don’t use birth control and that’s why they have so many children.”??
I’ll add some:
Mexican-American food and Mexican food are not the same thing.
Not all Mexican-Americans are in gangs. Nah, just kidding, we are! 😉
BLARGH Mexican restaurants don’t serve chips & salsa. That’s a Tex-Mex addition.
Al, Cheech dispelled some of these myths years ahead of you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrDjYT3eqWs
Lindsay- After considering answering your question, I’ve decided to instead pass it on to my esteemed and respected friend, the one & only GUSTAVO ARRELLANO of “Ask A Mexican” fame, so that he may respond to you himself in all his infinite wisdom. Please stay tuned to this thread………
Chavo- Excellent points! If you try to order a “Burrito” in Mexico, they won’t know what the Hell you’re talking about!
Soledadenmasa- Yes, but remember, there are new Babosos born every minute! We need to keep refreshing the data continually!
By the Guey, I’d LOVE to hear about some common misconceptions regarding OTHER ethnic groups out there too! I invite you to share some about yourselves…
“Mexican-Americans like to dance Salsa.”
This one made me laugh. I hate it when I’m watching some movie or TV show featuring Mexicans and/or Chicanos and they have Salsa or those fake Spanish guitars as part of the soundtrack. The only Mexicans who were really into Salsa were Chilangos and now it’s only Chilangos of a certain generation. Many years ago, I saw Celia Cruz perform at the Zocalo in DF and it’s apparent not all Mexicans know how to dance to Salsa either. 😉
On another note, I was telling a co-worker the other day how Mexican-Americans are equal opportunity lovers. It seems Mexican-Americans are fairly comfortable with dating/marrying/being amorous with people of other ethnicities. Based on my observations, and on my own multi-cultural family, it seems to be pretty acceptable.
I grew up two exits away from the border in south bay san diego. i didn’t really know salsa music until i transferred to long beach state and went to my first puerto rican festival where i found out about the puerto rican/mexican hatred. now i love salsa music.
my experience in my family and where i grew up is that dating/marrying/being amorous with people of other ethnicities was not really a solid go, though whites were more acceptable than asians(my neighborhood was mostly mexican and fillpino) and blacks were never accepted. as friends okay, to date maybe, but to marry?, hell no. i’m glad i didn’t stick to how i was brought up.
“divisions and fragmentations within our own Comunidád” is a very interesting issue to me. i have a very Aztec/Mayan nose and I’m fine with it but get shit from mexican friends like its a diss or something. I just say, “that just means my line of peeps weren’t raped as much”
either you’re not mexican enough or your too mexican all “india” and shit.
its frustrating at times.
i do love how we can be soo different but when it comes to drinking even if you are 1/3 mexican or straight from Mexico, we all become one cuz we are professionals at doing it big and being hella prideful.
!QUE VIVA MEXICO CABRONES!
but el chavo is correct we are all in gangs! pleeze beleeeevit!
My experience is that people accuse me of not being proud of my heritage because of my taste in things. Come to think of it, no one has ever stereotyped me in a derragatory fashion outside a joke. Even if someone did I would just laugh it off or punch them in the face. Huh ? I never realized that until now. Go figure.
“I’d LOVE to hear about some common misconceptions regarding OTHER ethnic groups out there too! I invite you to share some about yourselves”
I’m Nigerian and Honduran so I have a variety of people assuming things about me.
So depending on what they see they have different misconceptions.
Lots of people think black people aren’t smart, but then they think Nigerians are smart, so when they find out I am half they go “Oh yeah that’s why you’re not a complete idiot.” Not in so many words but it comes off like that.
I never viewed this response as a compliment and I’m not that smart I just know how to regurgitate the lies that need to be regurgitated in a formal academic setting.
Some people think African-Americans are mean. I’ve always been extra friendly and people from that would always asked me questions about where I was from, which was really a “what are really” question and then when they heard Honduran people would go, “Oh that’s why you’re nice.” Or when people heard Canada they would go, “Oh that’s why you’re nice.” Or when people heard Nigerian they would go, “Oh that’s why you’re nice.”
I never really liked these responses either. I never like it when people treat me better when they find out I’m a little closer to them than they thought. I never cared about people treating me like a jerk because they didn’t like me personally, but I see up close and personal that some people base liking and not liking people strictly on appearance.
And in general most of my experience with people’s misconceptions of me in the past ended up with some pseudo compliment towards me and a nasty slam against African-Americans. I realized I was going to hurt someone if I heard one more time, “You’re not like black people,” or “You’re not really black.” So no more laundry list of my cultural background in a general conversation, because no one ever appreciated it as anything more as a justification that it was completely acceptable for them to continue to be complete jerks to “real†African-Americans.
In the dating arena racial stereotypes come in all kinds of forms most popular in my world is me being a sex expert. I should be extra “hot blooded” since I have the potential of being two stereotypes put into one human being. I’ve dated (and quickly stopped dating) several people who thought this and brought it up to me in a very matter of fact way. I am not especially skilled in the sexual arts.
People tend to ignore what I am, even when I tell them. I’m sure this applies to everyone. Everyone has an idea of who they are, but society doesn’t care. It’s easier for marketers to place everyone in a box and it’s easier for the average person to just go with that.
People only see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear and then whatever validates the stereotype that’s what everyone ends up being. People would rather be right about the lies in their head than getting the gift of the truth and being wrong.
i’d like to add that all mexican-americans think the lebanese guy at autozone speaks spanish…or, wait, maybe that only happened once yesterday when i was at autozone. let me get back to you on that one.
“What part of Mexico are you from?”
East LA bitch! I got a nice view of the king taco, you can see people get shanked every weekend.
Lindsay: Per request by Aldesmadre, I say this to your stereotype–just walk around a parking lot in the barrio and count all the used love balloons. Any questions?
but the evidence shows that the balloons are defective… count the used diapers on the parking lot =)
I couldn’t resist.
Al Desmadre,
have you been to Sonora? Lot’s of burritos — and they have the best machaca in this great state.
No, I have not been to the great state of Sonora. I’m allergic to kidnapping.
But seriously, the Mex states that border the US have typically been more
familiar with stuff we have up here. I had a great carne desebrada burrito
in Villa Ahumada, Chihuaha once.
Lindsay is probably right but I dont know of any other race as the white that has as many abortions, maybe thats the difference between the hispanics and the white, we have more heart.
Love the poster!!!!!
An awful lot of Mexican-Americans can’t speak Spanish, which is fine. But I find it funny when Mexican-Americans get totally offended when anyone, including other Latinos, assume they might speak Spanish. It’s like, chill out “Skyler” Jimenez, I meant no insult! Assuming a Latino speaks Spanish is a venal sin at worst, though you’re always safest assuming they speak English.
A lot of Mexican-Amerians voted for Prop. 187, and growing up, the only people I ever heard using the word “wetback” were Mexican-American kids insulting the immigrant kids. And God forbid you wore clothes your mom bought in TJ, cause then you were a “TJ.”
More and more Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and central Americans are not Catholic. But MOST are probably Catholic, so I don’t know why that would be a “myth” or a “misconception.” More than 50% qualifies as most and certainly as many. Not a myth.
I like to dance “The Robot” and “the Cabbage Patch,” and am wont to bust out the “Funky Chicken” from time to time–but I don’t dance Salsa.
MANY Mexican-Americans ARE “loved and supported by citizens of Mexico.” But that’s cause we have a lot of relatives in Mexico! So most of us are bound to be loved by some Mexican or other, que no? Other than that, we’re a bunch of pochos to a lot of Mexicans; and if you don’t speak Spanish and are Mexican-Amerian and go to Mexico–forget about it!
MANY Mexican-Americans do love Mexican music, but I wouldn’t say most. I think there’s a mariachi/norteno divide. A lot of Mexican-Americans–the Luminarias crowd–like mariachi music because it allows them to safely tap into their Mexican roots, without getting too Mexican. It’s elegant, ancestral, and refined. But norteno music–now that tattoos you as Mexican with a capital M.
And for some Mexican-Americans–there is no worse thing. Unfortunately.
As a school kid, I remember the one thing that could out you as a “TJ” was if you were wearing ZAPATOS CANADA.
not all mexican americans r strict catholics and not all have a lot of kids. i’m a chicana and my mom only ahd 3 kids. and we do belive in birth control pills. duh.i don’t like salsa, and salsa originated from puerto rico, not from mexico. and not all of us celebrate cinco de mayo, it’s just another excuse to get drunk, it’s just like st. patricks day and we do not all celebrate mexican independance day. i don’t even celebrate the 4th of july. and know after taking my ethnic studies class i’m ashamed to be called an american. u should ask y do americans like manifest destiny? why do they think they r superior to everyone else who is not white? why do they think they r the shit? and maybe we should ask if all white people listen to country western? and why white people lve in trailers and are called trailer trash?
i am mexican- american and cuz i am does not mean i vote democrat. And before i vote for anybody i research i dont just vote on theyr ethnicity. Us women do not like to cook and clean we just like things to look nice not be dirty. And no not all mexicans are in GANGS haha. Thats just a waste of time in my opinion my parents came here to give me a better life and im goin to take the oppurtunity to succed in life and not depend on the government. And i just want to be SOMEBODY.
Right On Janette! Thanks for your comment. I like the way you think.
ATT: I don’t mean to generalize but this is how I’ve seen things. There are exception though and I don’t mean everyone just a great majority.
From what I have seen, Mexican-Americans in CA are more interested in Gangs and not education. Those that are more interested in getting ahead are naturalized Mexicans and those that are born here but are raised on traditional Mexican values or still have strong ties to the country or Mexican family.
I attended schools that were 99% caucasian growing up in IL(that just how things were) and can say that the education level of schools in CA that are prodomently hispanic are far lower. The Mex-Americans that are raised in CA speak with accents and broken English specially where gangs are more common like Salinas, LA, Modesto, ect. It’s funny because most would like us to believe that they don’t speak a word of spanish but yet their english is very bad.— And why would you not want to speak Spanish specially when you have the opportunity of learning it and using it as an asset? It’s like saying no to being able to speak Russian or German, who wouln’t want to? They look at it as a negative thing when everyone else in the world would love to speak a second language given the chance. BTW, I was born in Michoacan but raised in the USA.
When I have kids my priority for them will be education, family and respect. When it comes to it, I will teach them spanish and english becuase that way they will have an advantage over another person when getting a good job. It’s an asset. I grew up on both languages and can write and speak , no accent either.
Ok, did i just read that right?
First of all, this post makes no sense. Most Mexican-Americans like most of those things. I’m not going to say all those are wrong because the ones that are stereo types apply to both Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. But if you’re trying to deny many of those things or no longer like many of those “stereotypes” on your list well might as well just call yourself just American. A Mexican-American is proud of their heritage and their language. A real Mexican-American would not say that it is a stereo type that people think he/she speaks Spanish just because he/she looks Mexican”Damn i would be proud because guess what I do. Anyhow It might be different here because it is a newer Hispanic community
My sister and I thought this was hilarious. I have a totally different take on all of this. We call ourselves “Not quite white” our mother is Spanish and Mexican and our father is English and German. We live in Pennsylvania where there are very few Mexicans and we find ourselves defending a lot. I take after my mom’s side more than her and get called out for my “Mexican temper” a lot, I think it’s more of a pride thing, I just don’t let people mess with me. She on the other hand takes after my dad’s side and if she didn’t have me to defend her then would be walked over her whole life. I take pride in all my nationalities and try to find out as much as I can about my distant cousins. I was raised in a black neighborhood and then moved out to a white rich kid high school, except we weren’t rich by any means. The Mexican Americans in this part of the country are so far removed from the Mexican culture that I have to get my little insights this way.
Thanks!
Tina
Al- YES!!! “LA CANADA” was the biggest giveaway!!! Wasn’t that on the NorthWest corner of Whittier & Arizona? I remember that some kids got caught wearing la canada shoes and were always “wolfed” on!
i would just like permission to us your comments for my research class
a lot of mexican americans not to say all of them try to become americans since the very first moment they get to the US, they forget their rich hispanic heritage and try to become something they aren’t, they get offended when a person that speaks spanish tries to ask them something just by answering with a few words or not answering at all, its ridiculous! do they have an idea how ridiculous they look? they feel more americans than real american people themselves!
Hey, Gustavo, I saw you on television last night, giving your talk at Zocalo about your family and your column. Keep up the good work! And speaking of Piolin, I notice on the blogs they call Chris Matthews Tweety. Maybe someday there will be a Tweety face-off, on the air. We know who’ll win that one.
A while back I met a girl named White. She claimed to be a proud MExican-American and claimed to care about mexican rights, but when i invited her to my party she just up and left because she thought my party was boring and everyone looked like an immigrant(note; my dj was spining them RAmon Ayala goodies) IT is girls like her that piss the hell out of me that only jump the band wagon when its “called for.” AFter years of observation it is the MExican American that brings these stereo types upon his/her self… Why even throw in the MExican part if you; cant speak spanish, cant enjoy chavo del ocho and most importantly cant hold a conversation with your own abuelita!!! …iF youre gonna wear the pride make sure you can understand it first!
all in all be proud of who you are at all times. There is nothing more atractive than being genuine.
To the whole California thing with the gangsters. It has to be pure BS. Example, I was born in East LA, and raised in Northern Cali. Now, that whole thing about not caring about my education, I call that weird. If the parents are able to control their children a bit more, maybe these kids wouldn’t have to turn to gangs for emotional support. Hahaha. I also hate when people call me Mexican. I’m Honduran and Guatemalan. =]]
Dude, these stereotypes are hilarious. And, they are probably all true. I mean, come on, what mexican (even if your only part mexican) doesn’t understand Spanish. And all the mexicans (and part mexicans) that I know love soccer, so you guys need to update your site.
I find that those who refer to themselves as Mexican-Americans prefer football. Those who refer to themselves as Mexican living el norte prefer futbol. Chicanos love the Lakers and hate soccer.
hahaha hay dios mio! these stereotypes are so funny but its true…a lot of people think this. I am Mexican-American pero eso no importa because i can read, write, and talk in both english and spanish! I am proud to be Mexican and love my parents. I have to say one thing though…a lot of people come here to give their kids a better life..my parents want me to get educated and i plan on making them proud and proving these stereotypes wrong! haha although…I do fit some of the stereotypes…i like soccer and am a democrat, however i dont like to clean at all…pero si no lo hago my mom me chinga! Oh well haha…but good job on this site! i can’t wait to read more!
I would like to add that novelas are a stereotype that show mexicans being good friends with the priest.
what pisses me off the most is when i get comments about the color of my skin. I am very light and get mistaken for a white girl a lot of times. Some of my tios and tias live in all parts of Mexico and have blue eyes and light hair. I didn’t know i had to look like the India Maria to be classified as a mexican.
caramel
Tia Isabel was very old. My cunado asked her to tell us about her famous Mexican ancestors. “They were SPANISH, not Mexican!” she replied. To which mi canado exclaimed, “Yeah, that’s right…they just WISHED they were Mexicans!”
Tia Isabel married a gringo and ‘became Spanish’.
This story addresses another division in the comunidad “Spanish-Mestizo-Indio”.
We are multi-national, multi-lingual, multi-cultural Mexican Americans who recently moved to Rosarito, Baja California norte – and we love it! We are surrounded by uncultured retiree gringos who hate Mexicans in private: but love it’s weather, cost of living and other freedoms. Living in Mexico and the USA has allowed me to see that “The Fence” may actual serve to keep gringos in just as much as it serves to keep some of us out. In the words of one of my gringo retiree neighbors from New Jersey, “My peoples are crazy”.
Lastly, I prefer Mexico City over New York city – everytime.
Saludos,
Luis
Luis, the fence wouldn’t be built to keep gringos in America. The wall between us and Mexico is an idea by angry, irrational people. If you want to cave into them, at least consider what they might ask for next.
hey smexy mexies
how yall doinn’
i basicss..i need all of urs advice right here.. kinda serious ya no?
WHAT DO I WEAR FOR MEXICAN FANCY DRESSSSS!?
im finkin: grow a mostache
buy a sombrero for da 99p store(its banging)
get ma nan to knit me a banging poncho(like ugly betty ya get me?)
i will pre-make sum nachos, wiv ma famous chilli chicken and cheeese(its banging)
and i will whip out ma maracas and shake em, like yu aint ever seen b4 and den for da ladies at around 8pm i will be winding n grindng too some pitbull, you feel me? (hes banging) love yas comment xxxxxxxxx
To respond to Hector, Mexican-Americans are NOT supported by Mexican citizens. Yes, there are some people expressing their individuality, but they’re just a few. They include the family members who are living in Mexico because they are receiving money, or simply a minorty of the population of Mexico who belong to radical-left parties such as the PT that have ties with Castro and Chavez. (campesinos indigenas living in ejidos).
Why would the people of Mexico be proud and support Mexican-Americans, if after all they are mostly a socio-economic society that has created their own stereotypes. Simply in America, the second generation of Mexicans are hardly good students while they attended high school, despite they are 100% free of cost. In a municipal jail, whose city had a 12% Latino population, 167 of the 200 were Mexican, 5% Other Latino other than Mexican. Sad!
Also, many second generations won’t even do a tech school to avoid doing a minimum wage job, they don’t take advantage of their opportunities to get scholarships for being poor or just for being born Latino/Hispanic. It just seems that if the second generations are lucky they’ll end up cleaning for a fancy hotel owned by a White man or working for a shitty Mexican restaurant owned by a White man as well. Well, these people are Mexican-Americans.
So, as a Mexican, why should I be proud of the people who left Mexico, and did not attend Mexican public universities in the first place? Why should I be proud of a socio-economic “minority” group, who infest jails, or whose families end up working in the fields for several generations.
I am a Mexican international student who completed his PhD somewhere in socal. I encountered stereotypes. Sadly they’re true, but I owe them all to Mexican-Americans and Chicanos. So why should I support my fellow “hermanos” and “hermanas”?
Thank you Mexican-Ams for making our people look bad. F*** la raza! If anything I’ll support la migra and take those maliyas away.
*Disclaimer: I am not against Mexican Americans just for being born in America (regardless of their legal status). I am actually against THE Mexican Americans who fell into the categories above. I consider Mexican-Americans who completed or plan to do a 4 year college (in whatever major) to be just plain awesome, and I show my deep respects to them and their families.
Comments? Go for it. Open discussion.
Eduardo,
I’m glad I fucked up your life. Cuz yer a dick.
Chavo, I want to prove you wrong. I have succeeded in life with my PhD in Industrial Engineering. I have a Salvadorian Gardener named Jose, Berta is my sirvienta from Oaxaca and Ramon is my guardia. I don’t know their legal status but they are illiterate. Tell your people to go to school, this way you can have the status of a rich white man. Don’t you want to take over America? Education is the key.
I hope Jose, Berta, and Ramon steal your car and scrub the toilet with your toothbrush. And I only say that because you are such a charmer!
Yeah, Eduardo, but I’ll bet you can’t do the robot, the cabbage patch, or bust out the funky chicken from time to time.
“I have succeeded in life with my PhD in Industrial Engineering. I have a Salvadorian Gardener named Jose, Berta is my sirvienta from Oaxaca and Ramon is my guardia. I don’t know their legal status but they are illiterate. Tell your people to go to school, this way you can have the status of a rich white man.”
http://laeastside.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/220107mexicans5.jpg
Lindsay-Not all Mexican Americans are Catholic so how does your logic hold up? What about the Chinese with One Billion Plus people, is it because of, or a lack of Buddah, or some other religion they may or may not be?
robthomas, i guess that dude ain’t know how to write despite he has this phd in engineering lol. but he has a point. Eduardo, okay you succeeded in life, but it also shows that you are a greedy capitalist who is self-centered and interested in money. You can’t always buy happiness with money. I earn $15/hr. I got a girl pregnant when i was 20, and I am a proud father. I may have failed in life, as you would say but I love my baby daughter, love my girlfriend, and love my job, and I don’t regret anything i’ve did in life.
anyway i think we should cut it here because it’s going way way off in a tangent.
@ El Chavo!-yeah nice little bit of evil coming out with the toothbrush, I like it!