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¿Por qué MÉXICO es tan MACHISTA? — Transcript

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0:00If you don't get that your place is in
0:01the kitchen. Come on.
0:02What? Me, go back to the kitchen? Never
0:04.
0:04What do you mean, "never"? Get to the
0:06kitchen before the beans burn.
0:08The kitchen. Go scrub the dishes
0:10instead of scrubbing your family. Man,
0:11that's how you talk, taquito. See, you
0:15just unleash the macho.
0:19So, you want a provider man? But for
0:23you, cleaning is patriarchal oppression
0:25. Interesting.
0:30I don't know when we convinced, they
0:32convinced, or you girls convinced
0:33yourselves that it was cooler to go out
0:35to work than to stay at home. I don't
0:38know when staying home became a
0:40privilege. I don't know when it
0:42happened that when I tell you, "Girls,
0:43you're better off staying home." Ah,
0:45sexist, you hate women. No, I love them
0:48and it hurts me to see them suffering
0:49out there. You're better off at home.
0:52It works out better for you, you have a
0:54better time, you're more protected. At
0:56what point? At what point is it so
0:58great to go out and expose yourselves
1:00out there? In a dehumanizing job where,
1:03for the most part, you're harassed for
1:06a few pesos, and on top of that, your
1:08kids grow up without...because the same
1:10thing happens, huh? If there's no dad,
1:14the mom has to go out to work and the
1:16kid grows up alone, grows up with the
1:17internet, grows up with me. You don't
1:20want latchkey kids, but you don't want
1:21to raise them. You don't want latchkey
1:24kids, but you don't pay attention to
1:26your children because you go out to
1:28work.
1:29In Mexican culture, the figure of the "
1:31macho" was one of the classic
1:33representations of what a man should be
1:35. Someone strong, brave, decisive, who
1:37would generate respect among men, but
1:39at the same time, attraction from the
1:41opposite sex, that is, women. Because
1:45if you were a man and liked another man
1:47, well, that wasn't exactly very macho;
1:49I mean, you could be a womanizer,
1:51violent, unfaithful, a drunk, a gambler
1:53, a party animal, a liar, and
1:55aggressive, but gay, never that. And
1:58figures from the golden age of Mexican
2:00cinema, like Pedro Infante or Jorge
2:02Negrete, represented that ideal in
2:04their movies, to the point that many
2:06men took them as an example to follow.
2:09However, the figure of the macho began
2:11to be more criticized once people
2:13started to question the dynamics that
2:15had been normalized for a long time.
2:18Things like your husband having control
2:19over you, your decisions, how you dress
2:21, what you think about your body, among
2:23others. But how could those ideas not
2:26be normalized? Yes. For a long time,
2:28that was the rule. The reality is that
2:30there have been more centuries of
2:32inequality and oppression against women
2:34than of social justice and equality.
2:35Perhaps that is why many feel
2:37uncomfortable with movements like
2:39feminism, because systems that
2:40oppressed an entire gender for a long
2:42time are being questioned. But before
2:45getting into the social critique, I
2:47would like to take a small break to
2:48tell you that you know I really like to
2:50exercise to get strong because, well,
2:52strength is not something exclusive to
2:54men. So, besides going to the gym, now
2:57I also go to my aerial dance classes,
2:58and there they asked for yoga blocks to
3:00improve my support and flexibility. So
3:02I just bought these on Amazon, which
3:04also came with this yoga strap. But not
3:07only that, I made this purchase through
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3:15which there is a wide variety, as you
3:17can see on the screen. For example,
3:19these blocks cost me 115 on Amazon and
3:21Letyshops gave me back 16, so in
3:23reality, they only cost me 99. The only
3:26thing you have to do is use the link
3:28I’m leaving in the description to
3:29download the Letyshops app, create an
3:31account, choose the store or service
3:33you prefer, and once you purchase the
3:35product, wait a little while to see the
3:36money reflected in your account. So, I
3:39feel this app is a very good option for
3:41you to save money, because if you're
3:42already going to buy something you need
3:44or like, what could be better than
3:45getting a part of your money back for
3:46it? So, you know, use my link that
3:49I’m leaving in the description to get
3:51access to the super cashbacks from
3:53Letyshops and save money on your
3:55purchases. Thank you so much to
3:56Letyshops for making this video
3:58possible, and with that said, let's
3:59continue with the video. What is*
4:01machismo*?*Machismo*is basically a way
4:04of thinking in which it is believed
4:06that men are superior to women and that
4:08, therefore, they should have more
4:09power, control, or authority. And at
4:12this point, I think it is necessary to
4:13clarify that "macho" and "machismo"
4:15were not terms that emerged at the same
4:17time. "Macho" originally referred to
4:19the figure, the male species, the man,
4:22but over time it became loaded with
4:24meaning to become that representation
4:26of strength, dominance, and power. And
4:29then "machismo" appeared, which no
4:31longer speaks of men themselves, but of
4:33the idea that men have more power over
4:35women just for being men. And I know
4:37that machismo is not something
4:39exclusive to Mexico. Throughout history
4:41and all over the world, it has existed.
4:44But it can definitely be said that
4:45Mexico, as I mentioned at the beginning
4:46, has been characterized by exalting
4:48the figure of the "macho." Besides the
4:52fact that statistics show that, indeed,
4:54there are a large number of sexist men
4:56who feel entitled to harass, abuse, or
4:58even take the lives of women just
4:59because they see them as inferior or
5:01more vulnerable. And I believe that to
5:04understand machismo in Mexico, we
5:06definitely must talk about history,
5:08because you know, those who do not know
5:10their history are condemned to repeat
5:12it. In the times of Mexico Tenochtitlan
5:15, Aztec society had a gender system
5:16that was not egalitarian, because
5:18gender roles existed since that era and
5:20men were the ones who occupied the
5:22positions with the most power. But in
5:25that context, that did not mean women
5:27were invisible; on the contrary, women
5:30played very important roles. Many
5:33surely think of child-rearing and
5:35domestic chores. And yes, that was one
5:38of their activities, but I think that
5:40over the years this great work has been
5:42devalued and belittled, when the
5:43reality is that child-rearing is no
5:45small thing. On the contrary, it is
5:47something extremely valuable, literally
5:49one of the most important stages of
5:51human life. And this was known back
5:53then, since women were the ones who
5:55transmitted culture, traditions, values
5:57, and identity to the following
5:59generations. And the labor of giving
6:01birth was also something highly valued.
6:03For example, women who died during
6:05childbirth were considered warrior
6:06women. They were figures of great
6:08importance in Aztec mythology and
6:10history. Because there was a beautiful
6:12belief where the souls of women who
6:14died in childbirth had a very special
6:16role in war because their sacrifices
6:18were valued in the struggle. But on the
6:20other hand, if everything went well
6:22with the birth, it was seen as the
6:24woman being able to give birth to
6:25someone important, like a warrior or a
6:27woman. Basically, the reproductive role
6:29was very important, as it was
6:31considered the foundation for
6:32reproducing the labor force that
6:34sustained the State. But not only that;
6:36in economic terms, women participated
6:38in activities like trade and the
6:40production of goods, such as food,
6:42textiles, pottery, ceramics, and so on.
6:45This means they held trades and crafted
6:47goods, which was highly valued. They
6:50also had a presence in religion through
6:52the veneration of goddesses. In fact,
6:54there were several temples dedicated to
6:56female deities like Chalchiuhtlicue,
6:58the goddess of water, or Coatlicue, the
7:01goddess of fertility. There was active
7:03participation in rituals, and in social
7:05life, women could reach positions of
7:07power and leadership that defied gender
7:09roles, because despite the patriarchal
7:11system, women could exercise authority
7:13in their communities. For example, some
7:16assumed leadership roles where they
7:18could act as clan heads or leaders of
7:20work groups. They managed resources and
7:22made decisions about the production and
7:24distribution of goods, which gave them
7:26significant political power. That is
7:28also why many women were educated in
7:30history, religion, and politics, which
7:32prepared them for their roles as
7:34leaders or influential figures. And it
7:37has also been documented that some
7:38women joined the Aztec armies and
7:40fought in battles. Obviously, the
7:42number of women in war was not
7:43comparable to that of men, but those
7:45who were warriors were recognized and
7:47respected for their bravery. In fact,
7:50in some cases women even led troops in
7:52battle, and they were also attributed
7:54an important role in preparing warriors
7:56because women were responsible for
7:58making and maintaining war gear, as
8:00well as producing weapons. And
8:02regarding the arts such as literature
8:04and music, they were able to transmit
8:06and create stories and poems, and even
8:08craft instruments and compose music.
8:10But, as has happened throughout history
8:12, the social class you belong to often
8:14defines the privileges or challenges
8:16you will have. And this historical
8:18period was no exception. For example,
8:21high-class women were called pipiltin.
8:23They had a lineage and did not have to
8:25pay tribute. On the other hand,
8:27middle-class women were called
8:29macehualtin. They could grant land
8:31through marriage. They were active
8:34workers and they did have to pay
8:36tribute. But there were also more
8:38vulnerable women, such as the ahuianime
8:40. In Spanish, this word would translate
8:43to "pleasure-givers," who were
8:45companions to young men in war and
8:47provided sexual services. Oh, because
8:51it’s worth noting that in this era,
8:52like in many others, men were indeed
8:54allowed to have several wives, aside
8:56from being able to satisfy their
8:57desires with other women. In contrast,
9:00women were expected to take vows of
9:02chastity. So yes, that’s why I say
9:04the system wasn't egalitarian, because
9:06men were the ones who enjoyed the most
9:08privileges. But look, in that context
9:11where, well, human sacrifice was also
9:14the most normal thing in the world,
9:16that dynamic worked. For example, men
9:19were allowed to have several wives
9:21because, according to the era, that way
9:23they could form alliances with other
9:25peoples and thus maintain peace. And
9:28honestly, the first time I read this, I
9:29said, "Oh, yeah, man, what jerks, they
9:31could do it and women couldn't." But
9:34again, back then, the Mexica culture's
9:37way of viewing the universe was based
9:39on the balance of opposites that
9:41complemented each other, like light,
9:43darkness, up, down, wet, dry, hot, cold
9:45, man, woman. In fact, there was the
9:48symbolic idea of the great mother and
9:50the great father as two forces that
9:52together maintained the balance of the
9:54universe. And society was managed under
9:56that same logic, where men and women
9:59had distinct roles that functioned like
10:01gears in a machine. And again, I know
10:03you might say things like, "Damn
10:05Mexicas, damn Aztecs, they were really
10:07awful." And yes, obviously today we see
10:09it that way, because I stress that,
10:12definitely, the culture back then
10:14wasn't egalitarian, but at the time,
10:17all those dynamics were part of a
10:19system that functioned under the values
10:21and beliefs of that era. But what was
10:24it that made it change? Because while
10:26inequalities already existed, the way
10:28we understand machismo doesn't exactly
10:30arise there. So, at what point did
10:32everything transform? Well, the answer
10:35lies in a key point in Mexico's history
10:37: the conquest. The process of conquest
10:39involves many dates and locations. I
10:41won't tell you every detail here, but
10:43according to history, the Spanish
10:45arrived in Tenochtitlan in 1519, where
10:47they encountered the Mayans and
10:48defeated them. And faced with this,
10:50they gave gifts to Hernán Cortés,
10:52such as 20 women, among them Malitzin,
10:54or popularly known as La Malinche, who
10:56was fluent in languages like Mayan and
10:59Nahuatl. And I think from here we can
11:01see how women were used as political
11:03and social currency, because during the
11:05conquest many of them were violated,
11:08abused, and treated as objects within
11:10these power dynamics. And the thing is,
11:12man, many times Malitzin has been
11:14pointed out as a traitor. In fact, that
11:16is where the term "malinchista" comes
11:17from, which is used in Mexico to define
11:19someone who shows a preference for
11:20foreign things and looks down on their
11:21origin and culture. And well, she is
11:24singled out because she was an
11:25interpreter, advisor, and lover to
11:26Hernán Cortés. For that reason,
11:28throughout history she has been seen as
11:30someone who betrayed her people. But at
11:33least for me, that interpretation feels
11:35very unfair, because the context in
11:36which Malitzin lived is rarely analyzed
11:38; since we are talking about a woman
11:40who, when she was a girl of
11:41approximately 8 to 12 years old, was
11:43sold into slavery, and when she was
11:45given to Cortés, she was between 13
11:47and 15 years old. She was literally
11:50someone completely vulnerable who had
11:52no choice of her own, but was forced to
11:54serve the Spaniards. And from here you
11:57can see how machismo permeated history,
11:59because for a long time Malitzin has
12:01been seen as the villain and almost
12:03nobody stopped to look at what her
12:05conditions were. That is why I find it
12:07important to remember her as one of the
12:09first female interpreters in the
12:11history of Mexico, who died young. It
12:13is estimated that she passed away
12:14between 25 and 30 years of age. Just
12:17like Malitzin, there were thousands of
12:19women who were forced to be seen as
12:21objects whose only purpose was to serve
12:23and satisfy men. Therefore, many were
12:25sold to the conquistadors. In fact,
12:28this is where I want to give you a
12:30rather disturbing fact that I found out
12:31about while researching for this video.
12:34And it is that in Mexico it is very
12:36common to use the expression "hijo de
12:38la chingada," and at least I have used
12:40it quite a few times ignoring its
12:41origin. And this expression
12:44historically comes from the conquest,
12:46which refers to the mestizo children
12:47resulting from the violation or abuse
12:49of indigenous women by the Spaniards.
12:52So, "la chingada." Represents the one
12:56who is beaten, mocked, or forced open,
12:58thus symbolizing violence. So yes, this
13:02expression has a very, very
13:04misogynistic background, and I don't
13:05know about you, but at least for me,
13:07after knowing this, I won't feel
13:09comfortable using it. So, the conquest
13:13did not only bring physical diseases
13:15like smallpox, but also social diseases
13:17like classism, racism, and machismo.
13:20The defeat of Cuauhtémoc in 1521 marks
13:23the official start of the colonial era,
13:26a period of approximately 300 years
13:28from 1521 to 1821, during which not
13:31only did the seat of power change, but
13:33the way women were perceived changed
13:36completely. A much more patriarchal
13:39society was imposed, where the status
13:41of women became far more limited and
13:43controlled. A caste system based on
13:45race was established, and within that
13:47system, Indigenous, Black, and Mestiza
13:49women were the most vulnerable because
13:51they suffered the most abuse and
13:53exploitation. In fact, even the
13:56Spaniards and Creoles who abused these
13:58women thought they were doing something
14:00good, because, according to them, they
14:02were improving the race. I know, it’s
14:05absolutely infuriating. And little by
14:07little, in that way, women's lives
14:09began to be completely controlled. They
14:12could no longer make free decisions
14:13about their own lives. They would pass
14:15from the authority of their father to
14:16that of their husband, and their scope
14:18for decision-making was practically
14:20non-existent. Marriage was often
14:22imposed by the family, and their value
14:24as women was strongly tied to that idea
14:27of purity. And once married, their main
14:30role was to have children. This is
14:32where another key factor comes in:
14:34religion. The Church began to exert
14:36enormous control over women's daily
14:39lives, imposing very strict moral
14:41standards. For example, the Catholic
14:43religion instilled the idea that women
14:46were a temptation, someone who induces
14:48sin, while at the same time being
14:50considered weak. So, thanks to these
14:53types of ideas, the mentality that a
14:54woman had to reach marriage as a virgin
14:56became mandatory. Ah, but mind you, men
14:59could indeed have access to
15:01prostitution. Even the Church and the
15:03State viewed this trade as a necessary
15:05evil, since according to them,
15:07prostitution allowed men to satisfy
15:09their sexual desires and libido—which
15:11was considered part of their nature—
15:13and prevented them from satisfying
15:14these desires with "pure" women. So yes
15:18, since those times, we can see how
15:20women began to be blamed for many
15:22things. In this case, if a man
15:24assaulted you sexually or physically,
15:26it was your fault because you provoked
15:28him or did not want to satisfy him.
15:30Because, of course, it was much easier
15:32to place all the responsibility on
15:34women and let the men get away with it.
15:37Because also thanks to these types of
15:39ideas, every time a woman was a victim
15:41of infidelity, the lover was always
15:42blamed more than the partner in
15:44question, because under this
15:45misogynistic way of thinking, men were
15:47not to blame for falling into
15:49temptation. They were just simple
15:52victims of the supposed seduction by
15:54women. And I say supposed because many
15:56times that seduction was just women
15:58existing and that's it. And well yes,
16:01it is worth mentioning that many of
16:02those beliefs were based on the idea
16:04that Eve was the one who tempted Adam.
16:07So, the Church gave women two options:
16:09either be good daughters of Mary, that
16:11is, be good Christians dedicated to
16:14their home or religion, or be daughters
16:16of Eve, meaning women who did not align
16:19with the Church's standards. For
16:21example, women with medicinal knowledge
16:23like healers or midwives were often
16:25persecuted and accused of witchcraft,
16:27and if the Church deemed them guilty,
16:29they were destined for the torture of
16:31the Holy Inquisition. The fact is that
16:35the Inquisition punished any behavior
16:36that deviated from what was established
16:38, which also served as a way to control
16:40women. And in their daily lives, they
16:43didn't have freedom either; they
16:44couldn't go out alone, they couldn't
16:45choose who to be with. And if they
16:48disobeyed, they could be punished or
16:50even locked up in their homes or in
16:52convents. And although many women
16:54worked as weavers, vendors, or in
16:56different trades, their work was not
16:58valued in the same way and they had
17:00very few real opportunities for
17:02independence. In fact, only some, like
17:05widows or abandoned women, could manage
17:07to have a bit of autonomy, but even
17:09that was relative, because in many
17:11cases they remained subject to social
17:13norms that limited their ability to
17:15decide for themselves. And there was
17:18also a certain stigma toward women who
17:20were alone without a male figure or a
17:22family to back them, since they were
17:24viewed with suspicion or their morality
17:26was questioned. The thing is, if you
17:29notice, many of these ideas didn't stay
17:31in the past; they are still present.
17:34For example, when a woman was abandoned
17:36by her husband, often the reaction
17:37wasn't to question the man, but to
17:39question the woman: that surely she did
17:41something, that she didn't take good
17:43care of her husband, that she didn't
17:45know how to keep him, that he surely
17:46left with someone who did know how to
17:48love him. And meanwhile, the man was
17:51seen as someone freer, someone who
17:53could rebuild his life without as much
17:55questioning. And this still happens,
17:57like, if a woman is a single mom,
17:59people often say she must have chosen
18:02her partner poorly or that she pushed
18:04him away over time. But it's like,
18:07often people don't show who they really
18:09are at the beginning of a relationship
18:11or dynamics change over time, yet it's
18:13like, why is it so easy for many men to
18:16shirk their responsibility? That’s
18:19where you see that double standard,
18:20because if a woman abandons her
18:22children, she is immediately judged as
18:23a bad mother. Or if she happens to
18:25leave her husband, she’s a [ __ ]. But
18:27when a man leaves, it’s even seen as
18:29normal, like someone who went out for
18:31cigarettes and never came back. And
18:34it's just that bad behavior by men has
18:36been normalized to such a degree that a
18:38woman can do exactly the same as them,
18:40but she will be judged more harshly
18:42because only good things are expected
18:44of her. And well, I think it’s
18:47important to say that even within these
18:49restrictive contexts, many women
18:51resisted, preserved traditions despite
18:54the conquerors wanting to take them
18:56away, and defied norms. A woman who
18:59undoubtedly questioned the system back
19:01then was Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a
19:03writer considered a precursor to
19:04feminism in Latin America, someone who
19:06immortalized the poem "Foolish men who
19:08accuse women without reason, without
19:10seeing that you are the cause of the
19:12very thing you blame." A clear satire
19:15that denounces male hypocrisy, gender
19:17inequality, and the machismo of the
19:1917th century. She harshly criticizes
19:22men who provoke women's behavior and
19:24then blame them for it, because women
19:26were demanded to be pure at the same
19:28time men were trying to seduce them. So
19:31yeah, Juanita, your boss, so hush up.
19:34And later on, women participated in
19:36historical processes like the
19:38independence of Mexico. Some female
19:41figures who stood out were Josefa Ortiz
19:43, Leona Vicario, Bocanegra, and Mariana
19:46Rodríguez del Toro, just to mention a
19:48few. But even though many women
19:50participated in this process, like
19:52those who were on the independence side
19:54, they suffered the hostility of the
19:56viceregal regime by being searched,
19:58persecuted, imprisoned, and executed or
20:01taken as war booty. Even Agustín de
20:03Iturbide ordered the arrest of women
20:05and family members of rebels in
20:06Pénjamo, Guanajuato. And this guy used
20:09women as a means of pressure against
20:12the insurgents and was also convinced
20:14that they represented a great danger
20:16because it was believed they could
20:18influence men, manipulate them, or even
20:20obtain information through seduction.
20:24Another contradictory idea, because on
20:26one hand you see women as weak, but on
20:28the other, you see them as a threat. So
20:32, even though women actively
20:33participated in important historical
20:35processes, they were still violated and
20:37controlled by these sexist ideas. The
20:40thing is, although Mexico gained
20:41independence in 1821, it didn't mean an
20:44immediate change for women, because
20:46many of these ideas about control,
20:48morality, and the role of women in
20:50society persisted throughout the 19th
20:52century. In fact, the idea of the woman
20:54as the person in charge of the home and
20:56child-rearing was reinforced, while men
20:58were positioned as providers and
21:00authorities. So, even though the
21:02country was no longer under Spanish
21:04rule, many of the social structures
21:05remained practically the same. And this
21:08is where we reach another key moment:
21:10the Mexican Revolution. Something
21:12people often think is that the
21:13revolution was a movement made by men,
21:15but the reality is that thousands of
21:17women also actively participated. There
21:20were women who were*soldaderas*, who
21:22went directly to the battlefield, and
21:24others who reached high ranks, even as
21:26generals leading troops. There were
21:29also women who handled fundamental
21:30combat tasks like smuggling weapons,
21:32collecting cartridges, cleaning
21:34equipment, and staying in constant
21:36motion within the clashes. Others
21:38participated through organization and
21:40financial support, obtaining weapons or
21:42funding revolutionary movements. There
21:45were also journalists, women who wrote,
21:48denounced, criticized, and used the
21:49press as a form of struggle to make
21:51what was happening visible and to
21:53demand rights. The role of nurse was
21:56also fundamental, as many risked their
21:59lives tending to the wounded in very
22:01precarious conditions. They organized
22:03private hospitals and took care of both
22:05combatants and civilians. In other
22:07words, women were not just passive
22:09characters in the revolution; they were
22:11sustaining it from different fronts.
22:14Some examples of important women in the
22:16revolution were Amelia Robles Ávila,
22:18who dressed as a man and reached the
22:20rank of colonel in the Zapatista army.
22:22Petra Herrera, who formed her own army
22:24of women and participated in battles.
22:26Valentina Ramírez, another woman who
22:28disguised herself as a man to join the
22:30Maderista forces. Hermila Galindo
22:32Acosta, a defender of women's rights.
22:34Elena Arizmendi, founder of the Neutral
22:36White Cross to care for the wounded.
22:38Elisa Acuña Rosetti, a journalist who
22:40fought for women's rights and supported
22:42the revolutionary cause, and so on and
22:44so forth. But even though many women
22:46were eventually recognized in the
22:48military sphere, outside that context
22:50they were still seen as mere women who
22:52lacked the same value or authority. In
22:54fact, many women hoped the revolution
22:56would bring real change to their
22:58situation, but the reality is that it
23:00didn't. Social structures remained
23:03practically the same, and many ideas
23:05regarding the role of women did not
23:06change. I also want to mention
23:09something important: as I said, how
23:11women lived in each historical period
23:13depended greatly on their social,
23:15economic, and educational status, but
23:17generally, violence was always present.
23:20During the revolution, many women faced
23:22aggression, such as abduction and rape.
23:26And although the figure of the "
23:27soldadera" is well-remembered today,
23:29the reality is that many of them were
23:31also victims of violence, even at the
23:33hands of their own comrades, because
23:35yes, soldaderas didn't just accompany;
23:37they were constantly exposed to danger.
23:40For example, it is said that Pancho
23:42Villa tried to exclude soldaderas from
23:44his troops to make them more agile,
23:46according to him. And in an incident in
23:49Santa Rosalía Camargo, in the state of
23:51Chihuahua, after someone shot at him,
23:53he ordered reprisals against several
23:55women; since no one would identify the
23:58culprit and no one spoke up, he had
23:59several women executed. Such situations
24:04show us that even within a movement
24:06seeking to change the country, women
24:08remained in a vulnerable position,
24:10because the revolution once again
24:12mirrored that historical pattern where
24:14women participated and resisted. But
24:18that did not mean a transformation in
24:20their rights and living conditions,
24:22because once things stabilized, many
24:24were again reduced to a secondary role.
24:28So, during the post-revolutionary
24:30period, Mexico began to rebuild, but
24:31roles were also reinforced: the man as
24:34the provider, strong and dominant, and
24:36the woman as the caregiver,
24:37self-sacrificing and tied to the home.
24:41And as the 20th century progressed, new
24:43ways of influencing society began to
24:46appear; with the development of
24:47technology like radio, film, and later
24:50television, messages about how a man
24:52and woman should be were no longer just
24:54transmitted through family or religion,
24:57but also through the media. And one of
25:00the clearest examples of this in Mexico
25:02was the Golden Age of Cinema. After the
25:04end of the revolution in 1917, Mexico
25:07sought to establish its cultural and
25:09political identity, and cinema became a
25:11powerful medium to achieve it. During
25:14this period, Mexican cinema not only
25:16established itself as one of the most
25:18important industries in the
25:20Spanish-speaking world, but it also
25:22helped build a national identity. It
25:24created cultural icons, positioned
25:26Mexican culture internationally, and
25:28became one of the most relevant
25:30industries in the country at the time.
25:32The Golden Age of cinema ranged from
25:34social realism to melodrama and comedy.
25:37The films explored daily life, politics
25:39, religion, and human relationships.
25:43And at the same time, they reflected
25:45the idiosyncrasies and concerns of
25:46Mexican society of the era; because
25:48cinema, in addition to entertaining,
25:50also transmitted ideas and, through its
25:52stories and characters, reinforced
25:54stereotypes. One of them was the "macho
25:57": someone who could be noble, brave,
26:00and protective, but also aggressive or
26:02a womanizer. Figures like Pedro Infante
26:05, Jorge Negrete, or Pedro Armendáriz
26:07helped consolidate this image of the
26:09charismatic, dominant, yet also admired
26:11man. And in the case of women, certain
26:13very specific roles were marked in the
26:15same way. On one hand, the
26:17self-sacrificing, suffering woman
26:19dedicated to the home, and on the other
26:21, the gold-digging or "bad" woman who
26:23broke that ideal. But as we saw
26:25throughout the video, these roles were
26:27not created by Mexican cinema, but
26:29rather, they were consolidated by it.
26:32It can be said that it helped fix in
26:34the collective imagination what it
26:36meant to be a man or a woman in Mexico,
26:38not only nationally, but also
26:40internationally. And well, after seeing
26:44this entire historical journey, I think
26:46we can now answer the question of why
26:48Mexico is a "machista" country. Because
26:51as we saw, machismo didn't appear out
26:53of nowhere; it was built over time
26:55through different historical moments
26:57until it consolidated into the form we
26:59know today. And that is why it is no
27:01surprise that many of those ideas
27:03remain so deeply rooted in Mexican
27:05society, because we are not only
27:07talking about machismo, but also about
27:09structures that date back to the
27:11colonial era, like classism and racism;
27:13ideas like associating certain physical
27:15features or skin tones with higher or
27:17lower value, or the tendency to
27:19discriminate based on social status.
27:22Those ideas did not arise recently, but
27:24have deep historical roots, and over
27:27time those ideas have not only been
27:29maintained, but also reinforced, to the
27:31point of seeing how gender-based
27:33violence remains one of the greatest
27:35problems in Mexico today. Unfortunately
27:39, it is common to see how harassment,
27:41abuse, or femicides are things that
27:43happen daily in this country. And the
27:46fact is that, if we think about it, for
27:48centuries many men grew up in a system
27:50where it was normal to have more power,
27:52more voice, and more privileges than
27:54women. And when something has been the
27:56norm for so long, changing it can be
27:58uncomfortable. That is why, when we see
28:01more women today raising their voices,
28:03occupying spaces, and questioning these
28:05inequalities, there are those who
28:06perceive it as a threat. And not
28:09because it actually is, but because it
28:11implies questioning an entire system
28:12that has existed for generations, a
28:14system that has exerted psychological,
28:16physical, sexual, and economic violence
28:18. And something that is also important
28:21to understand is that many of the
28:23rights that we see as normal for women
28:25today are actually quite recent. For
28:28example, in Mexico, the right to vote
28:30for women was not recognized until 1953
28:32. It was not until 1962 that women were
28:35allowed to open a bank account without
28:37the authorization of their husband or
28:39guardian. Not until 1974 were barriers
28:42removed for the control of property and
28:44household management. Until 1975,
28:46married women did not acquire full
28:49legal capacity to decide on their work
28:51without their husband's intervention.
28:54And sexual violence within marriage was
28:57not recognized until 1991. In other
28:59words, before, if your husband abused
29:01you, it wasn't considered abuse because
29:03he was your husband. See? And all of
29:06this was part of a structure that, in a
29:08way, kept women in a position of
29:10dependency. Because when a person does
29:13not have economic or legal independence
29:15, they are much more vulnerable, more
29:17vulnerable to manipulation, violence,
29:19and remaining in environments that are
29:21not safe. That's why, when I encounter
29:25"red pill" discourse these days
29:27complaining about things like the
29:29Valeria Law—which sanctions
29:30repetitive behaviors of stalking,
29:32following, or unwanted communication—
29:34these guys get offended because they
29:36think they can't even say "hello" to a
29:38woman anymore. And it’s like, dude,
29:42learn to read, get a little informed
29:44about history, women's rights, and
29:45statistics on gender-based violence,
29:47and maybe we'll talk, because remember
29:49that we have no obligation to wear
29:51ourselves out with people who think
29:53that way. That’s why every time
29:56someone leaves a comment like that on
29:57my videos, it’s like, "Ugh, what a
29:59drag, I won't even reply, better let
30:01others reply because, honestly, what a
30:03drag it is to try to convince someone
30:04who holds those ideas." Keep in mind
30:07that if someone wants to change, they
30:09will give themselves the opportunity to
30:10listen and get informed. Or those who
30:13make content about the traditional wife
30:15or the kept woman, about aligning more
30:17with your feminine energy and all that
30:19crap. And I don't mean that there's
30:22anything wrong with wanting to be a
30:24mother, a wife, or a homemaker, because
30:26one of the goals of feminism is
30:27precisely for us women to have the
30:29freedom to choose. But the problem is
30:32romanticizing these systems that have
30:34historically limited women and that
30:36were often accompanied by dynamics of
30:39inequality and violence. Or even these
30:41types of content creators with more
30:43conservative ideas. They often use this
30:46argument that marriages used to last
30:48longer because, according to them,
30:50values like monogamy actually existed
30:52back then and people were more
30:53committed, but from my point of view,
30:55the reality is that wasn't the case.
30:58Rather, marriages used to last longer
31:00because women just endured it. And
31:03since many were economically dependent
31:05because they had no other alternatives,
31:08whether because they lacked work
31:10experience or education, and besides,
31:12there were laws that legally restricted
31:15them in areas like finance, well, in
31:17many cases, the only option was to put
31:19up with disrespect, violence, or
31:21infidelity. I'm sure you all know some
31:25woman who went through this. In my case
31:27, it would be my grandmothers. For
31:30example, my maternal grandmother used
31:32to tell me that, aside from having to
31:34get up very early to get my mom and
31:36uncles ready for school, she also had
31:38to go to work. And still, after her
31:41workday, she would prepare everything
31:44for the next day, washing uniforms,
31:46ironing, while my grandfather just went
31:49to work and didn't help with anything
31:52else. I mean, he would come home from
31:54work and comfortably sit on the couch,
31:56take off his boots, and watch TV. And
31:59on my paternal grandmother's side, she
32:01endured many infidelities from my
32:02grandfather because she held that
32:04belief, which was also very deeply
32:05rooted in women, that as long as she
32:07went to church, he could have his
32:09little side affairs. Or also, when she
32:13wanted to pursue a dream or goal she
32:15had, my grandfather placed many
32:17limitations on her because, oh yes,
32:19divorce was also a huge stigma; apart
32:22from being seen as a kind of social
32:24shame, it was also that guilt that many
32:27women had: "How could I leave my
32:29children without their father?" But
32:32honestly, I think that would have been
32:34a thousand times better than the
32:35traumas one grew up with afterward,
32:37right? But anyway, those ideas were
32:39much more present back then, and I
32:41don't judge my grandmothers for that;
32:43on the contrary, they were victims of
32:45their context. That's why it's so
32:47important to understand that many of
32:49those relationships weren't built on
32:51health, where women were also expected
32:53to endure and be the emotional support
32:55of their family. So, with that said, I
32:59can at least conclude that
33:00relationships back then lasted, not
33:02because they were healthier, but
33:04because in many of them, women felt the
33:07obligation to put up with it. And
33:10precisely because of that, today, many
33:11women have more tools, more
33:13independence, and more awareness of our
33:14rights, which is why different
33:16decisions are being made. It's also
33:20important to understand that machismo
33:22doesn't just affect women, but also men
33:24, because it imposes very rigid
33:26expectations like having to always be
33:28strong, not showing emotions, being the
33:30provider, not being able to be
33:31vulnerable, and all that also has
33:33emotional consequences. For example,
33:37this pressure that "men don't cry" can
33:39lead to isolation, anxiety, depression,
33:42and even influences higher rates of
33:44self-harm. In terms of physical health,
33:47it affects many men who avoid going to
33:50the doctor or seeking help, and they
33:52also expose themselves to risky
33:53behaviors like violence, substance
33:55abuse, or dangerous situations.
33:58Sexually, there is that pressure that
34:00men have to live up to an image of
34:02hyper-virility, which can lead to
34:04anxiety, insecurity, or performance
34:06issues. Economically, the expectation
34:08of being the sole provider also creates
34:10a constant level of stress and pressure
34:12. And in relationships, dynamics of
34:15control or distorted ideas about what a
34:17relationship is are often promoted,
34:19which can create unhealthy dynamics or
34:21frustration and violent behaviors in
34:23those who can't achieve one. An example
34:27of this would be the famous incels, who
34:29blame women and feminism for them being
34:31single, when it is evident that they
34:33have serious mental health problems.
34:36And I don't say that in a derogatory
34:38way, but as something truly concerning,
34:40something that can even take people's
34:42lives. In Mexico, just in recent times,
34:46we have cases like Osmar, a 15-year-old
34:48teenager who killed two of his high
34:51school teachers in the state of
34:52Michoacán, or Lex Ashton, a student at
34:55SCH Sur, who killed a classmate,
34:57wounded a worker, and also wanted to
34:59take the life of another classmate, but
35:01fortunately did not succeed. These
35:05young men belonged to incel and "red
35:07pill" forums that promote openly
35:09misogynistic ideas. I know that despite
35:12all the information shown, some people
35:14will say I'm exaggerating, but you only
35:16need to look at reality, at the
35:18statistics of how many women are abused
35:20versus how many men are the abusers.
35:24Honestly, it is extremely important to
35:26question why certain forms of violence
35:28and experiences are repeated and are so
35:30common, and to understand that this
35:32isn't about dividing; on the contrary,
35:34it's about having a more harmonious
35:36coexistence, because in the end—
35:38excuse my super-woke, progressive
35:40opinion—no one should live in fear,
35:42or be abused, for the simple fact of
35:44existing. But anyway, guys, that's it
35:47for today's video. Many of you told me
35:50you were waiting for this video, so
35:51comment on what you thought of it and
35:53also tell me what I missed including.
35:55You know I really love reading your
35:57comments. I will also put the sources
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36:14opportunity to show those who are
36:16members so far. Honestly, thank you so
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36:31another video. Bye.

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