1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,519 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff Mom Never Told You from how Supports 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: dot com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Kristen 3 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: and I'm Caroline. And today on the podcast, we are 4 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: going to chuckle a persistent stereotype targeted toward Latina women, 5 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: and that is of the spicy Latina. That's right, And 6 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: this is kind of jumping off of an episode we 7 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 1: did previously on the exoticization of women of color, the 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: fact that a lot of women of color get called exotic, 9 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: their exotic beauty, this and that, and how so many 10 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: people who are not women of color considered a compliment. No, 11 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: I'm complimenting you, and so much of the feedback that 12 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: we received from listeners was saying, hey, thanks for talking 13 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: about it, because I just feel like somebody's comparing me 14 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 1: to an animal. Yeah, And one thing that we heard 15 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: a lot from Latina listeners is about how they will 16 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: be called spicy or they're hot tamalies or their mama Sita's. 17 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: They're always highly sexualized under this spicy umbrella and also 18 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: kind of put into this monolithic box of all Latina's 19 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: being curvaceous, tan skinned with long wavy hair. They cook 20 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: a lot of spicy food, and they also, you know, 21 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: speak English with a thick accent. And above all, again 22 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: and again, they're spicy. They're often described in terms of food, right, 23 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: And I thought one columnists put it really well. Shantiana 24 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 1: Laden at the Feminist Wire talked about this whole spicy 25 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: Latina stereotype and what it means, and that a lot 26 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: of people and this is not just her, a lot 27 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: of these columnists talking about this issue. We're saying, you know, 28 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: somebody might not even realize my heritage or my background, 29 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: but as soon as they find out that I'm Latina, 30 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: they make all of these really gross, weird, inappropriate assumptions 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: about me and the bedroom. And she just says, flat out, look, 32 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: I am not your spicy Latina. Yeah. She goes on 33 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,399 Speaker 1: to say, quote, so when people tell me I must 34 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: be a spitfire or a freaky girl in bed because 35 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: I'm Hispanic, I am not at all flattered. They're working 36 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: on stereotypes created long ago to subordinate women of color 37 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: and cast them as the inferior other. And there were 38 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: so many other columnists of all sorts of Latina ethnicities 39 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: who weighed in on this very topic across the Internet, 40 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: all saying the same thing over and over and over 41 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: again in terms of, hey, guess what, I'm not your 42 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:44,799 Speaker 1: spicy Latina and also can we please stop this stereotype? Right? 43 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: And part of that is is body image. A lot 44 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: of people expect because of amazing women like j Lo 45 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: or or other women like that, they expect a certain 46 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: figure from Latina women. And Raquel Record at Everyday Feminism 47 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: talked about this curvy Latina stereotype being so damaging two 48 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: young women because she says, look, okay, so maybe in 49 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: our culture we don't have the same pressure to be 50 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: the size zero Cape Moss supermodel, um, but we do 51 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: have this pressure to look like Salmahiyak or to look 52 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: like j Lo with a tiny waist, a big behind 53 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: in large breasts. Yeah. And she also wrote about this 54 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: over at fem Inspire. Record did and she said the 55 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,959 Speaker 1: words used to describe Latina bodies like spicy, hot, juicy 56 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: figuratively reduced Latina's to food that's craved, salivated, over, attained, devoured, 57 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: and then flushed away. And I think, jumping straight off 58 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: of that whole idea of food, that image of a 59 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: Latino woman being presented as something to be consumed leads 60 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: us right into Emmys. Uh, during which, and I'm sure 61 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: a lot of you are aware of this, during which 62 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: Colombian born actress Sophia Regard of Modern Family Funny Show 63 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: literally put on a pedestal and rotated for the audience 64 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: as the president of the awards show delivered a really 65 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: dry speech basically saying, here is this spicy latina to 66 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: look at as I give you this really dry, boring speech. Well, 67 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: it was supposed to be this kind of visual joke too, 68 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: because he was talking about the great strides that women 69 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: on television had made. And there you have Sophia Virgara, 70 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: who is, by the way, the highest paid woman in 71 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: Hollywood right now, rotating on a pedestal. And when Vergara 72 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: responded to people, especially on Twitter, saying, um, what's happening 73 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: right now? Why is she on a pedestal? This isn't okay, 74 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: she responded to it and said, Hey, I think this 75 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: is a sign of success for women because I can 76 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: be funny, attractive, sexy and also make fun of myself. 77 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: But at the same time, it still is indicative of 78 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: a broader problem because there was a tweet that you found, 79 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,799 Speaker 1: right Caroline from one of the founders of the Misrepresentation 80 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: Project sort of hammers at home. Yeah, okay, because I 81 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: mean I see Regara's point absolutely that you know, hey, 82 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: I can be all of these things. I am multifaceted. 83 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,919 Speaker 1: I'm not just sexy or just funny or just smart 84 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: or whatever. I can be all of these things in 85 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,360 Speaker 1: one person. And I get that. And you know, a 86 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: lot of people who were defending this decision to put 87 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 1: her on a rotating pedestal, we're saying, hey, she's in 88 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: on the joke. It's funny, let her be funny. Everybody 89 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 1: needs to chill out. But um Imron Sadiki, who's one 90 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: of the founding members, like Kristen Said of the Representation Project, 91 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: said tweeted that Sophia Regara is objectified on stage by 92 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: the president of an award show that has only twice 93 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: awarded a Latina woman with an acting award. I think 94 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: that puts it in really good perspective that, Okay, yes, 95 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: a woman is obviously allowed to be all of these things, 96 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: for for sure. But there's there's a history there, and 97 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,119 Speaker 1: they're a lot of stereotypes that go back a very 98 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: long way about Latina's Yeah, so Let's go over a 99 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: brief history of Latino stereotyping, because when you start to 100 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: understand where we've come from and you see where we 101 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 1: are today, it starts to crystallize. Why so if you 102 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:26,799 Speaker 1: have regard on a pedestal is not necessarily a sign 103 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: of progress. Right. A lot of racism, bad attitudes, stereotyping 104 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: towards Latinos goes all the way back to the nineteenth century. 105 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 1: Um America is expanding westward, we are taking land, and 106 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: in so doing, we are pushing people off of their land. 107 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: And so it's in the mid nineteenth century that we 108 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: have the Mexican American War, which basically led to the 109 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 1: US taking over Texas, New Mexico and part of what 110 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 1: is now California. Yeah, and and this is all under 111 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: the guys in American says that this idea of manifest 112 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: destiny that this land is our land and we're going 113 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: to take it from you Native Americans and Mexicans and 114 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: whoever else really is not of European descent who's going 115 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 1: to get in our way. So after the Mexican American 116 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: War from eighteen forty eight to eighteen fifty five, you 117 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: have the California gold Rush, and with the California gold Rush, 118 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: there is also this intensifying anti Mexican sentiment brewing specifically 119 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: to keep Mexican miners out of these gold mines, and 120 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 1: so you have things like discriminatory tax policies being enacted 121 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: to keep specifically Mexican and Spanish speaking miners from the area. 122 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: And they were even lynch ings taking place right and 123 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: you know Kristen mentioned discriminatory tax policies, there were definitely 124 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: policies put in place during this time regarding specifically people 125 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: of Spanish speaking descent. And in eighteen fifty five in California, 126 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 1: for instance, there was an anti vagrancy statute known as 127 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: the Greaser Act, which defined vagrant as quote all persons 128 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: commonly known as greasers or the issue meaning that the 129 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: descendants of Spanish and Indian blood who go armed and 130 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: are not peaceable and quiet persons. And so this whole 131 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: quote unquote greaser thing is part of larger negative stereotypes 132 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 1: towards Spanish speaking people and natives of this area. This 133 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: is also around the time that we get the the 134 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 1: stereotype of the lazy Mexican the bandido, which really arose 135 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: as justifications for this discriminatory treatment because it's not pre 136 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 1: existing racism, and this applies to African Americans to end slavery. 137 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: It's not racism that leads to negative treatment or racism 138 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: that leads to enslaving an entire population. It is racism 139 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 1: that justifies the awful treatment of other human beings. Yeah, 140 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 1: and similar kinds of things were being applied to Native 141 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: Americans as well. In other words, like to justify this 142 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: concept of manifest destiny, you have to at some point 143 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: feel okay with the fact that you are, you know, 144 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: pushing these people out of land that is rand that 145 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: you know that they were there first on. So the 146 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: way these discriminatory attitudes and negative stereotypes transition onto the 147 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 1: screen is that you know, as this is going on 148 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: in California, the film industry in the early twentieth century, 149 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: in the nineteen tents and nineteen twenties, is starting to 150 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: developed in the highly racially segregated Los Angeles like white 151 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 1: people and uh Native Americans who were living there or 152 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: Mexicans would not be all living in the same area. 153 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: It was highly segregated. But at the same time, off screen, 154 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:01,959 Speaker 1: there were plenty of Latino actors to rector, cinematographers and 155 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: other people working on film sets. But the on screen 156 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 1: portrayal of Latino characters was terrible. I mean, it was 157 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: usually under the stereotype of the greaser or the Latin lover, 158 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: which was actually popularized by Rudolf Valentino, who was an 159 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 1: Italian actor. Um, and then you have the dark lady 160 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:29,839 Speaker 1: or seductress. And Steven Sarranana Lampson, who's a documentary filmmaker 161 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:35,280 Speaker 1: who looked into the contributions of Latinos in the silent 162 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 1: film era said quote. In the typical grease or film, 163 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 1: Latina's were depicted as the heathen seductress with little morals, 164 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: physically aggressive, and with an insatiable sexual appetite. And so 165 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: there are examples, for instance of the nineteen twelve film 166 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: Bronco Billy's Mexican Wife, and then the fourteen film Broncho 167 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:00,040 Speaker 1: Billy and the Greaser, in which I think it's in 168 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 1: that one in which the Mexican wife runs off and 169 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: tries to marry someone else and is portrayed yet again 170 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: as sexually insatiable and very devious. Right, So all in all, 171 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 1: not very positive representations of uh well just really anyone 172 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: who's not white, honestly. And at this point it's getting 173 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: so bad that in the Mexican government actually banned any 174 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 1: offensive movie along these lines, and Panama enacted a similar 175 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: band actually, and uh, the US film industry was supposed 176 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:38,239 Speaker 1: to sort of clean up its act, but that obviously 177 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: did not stop the stereotyping from happening. And what's kind 178 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:47,199 Speaker 1: of fascinating to see is how this stereotype evolves from 179 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: this era when Mexicans in particular were only depicted as 180 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: either you know, lazy or their criminals, or again this 181 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: sort of harlot type of character. But then once you 182 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: get to the nineteen thirties with FDR as president and 183 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 1: the Good Neighbor Policy which effectively terminated the U S 184 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 1: occupation of nicaraguaan Haiti, essentially FDR being like, hey, okay, 185 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 1: you know what, let's let's be friends. Somehow, you have 186 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: this evolution of what's referred to as tropicalism, and you 187 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: see on film this transition of Latinos and Latin American 188 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:35,319 Speaker 1: depictions turning away from just being lazy, ignorant criminals to 189 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: it being this paradise but still full of these funny, 190 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 1: exotic locals. They're just funny, Caroline, because they speak English 191 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: and in and in broken sentences, and they enjoy, you know, 192 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: wearing fruits on their heads. Right, So it wants it's 193 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: paternalistic and totally diminishing entire groups of people at the 194 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 1: same time that it is comple lately blurring any lines 195 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: that exist between different cultures, countries, ethnicities, people of different heritages. Um. 196 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 1: And so I think that this has continued through today. Absolutely, 197 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: if you look at stereotypes that still exist. I think 198 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 1: American audiences in particular. You know, I can't speak for 199 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: audiences of other countries, but I mean I still think 200 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: that people from uh, South America, Latin America, they're all 201 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: portrayed as being one giant, monolithic group. Yeah. And this 202 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: was something that Isabelle Molina, Guzman and Angara and Valdivia 203 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:41,239 Speaker 1: wrote about in a paper called Brain Brow and Booty 204 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: Latina Icono City in US popular Culture. They said, with 205 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: the rise of tropicalism, it quote a racist specificity and 206 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: homogenizes all that is identified as Latin and Latino or 207 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: Latina under the trope of tropicalism, with attributes such as 208 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: bright colors, rhythmic music, and brown or olive skin, comprising 209 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 1: some of the most enduring stereotypes about Latina's, a stereotype 210 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 1: best embodied by the excesses of Carmen Miranda. Yeah, Carmen 211 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: Miranda is a really interesting character. She um like she 212 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: exists in my brain thanks to movies and cartoons I 213 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 1: watched as a kid. I feel like she was in 214 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: cartoons too, like bugs, Bunny and stuff. Um. But she 215 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: donned the exaggerated traditional costume of poor young girls from 216 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: the Brazilian state of Bahia, with her flowing dress and 217 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: wearing a fruit laden turban. She was definitely beloved in 218 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: the States for being exotic there's that word, um, and 219 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: really entertaining and funny. But she was deeply, deeply criticized 220 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: at home for her depiction of what a Latino woman is. Yeah, 221 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: if you're still not familiar with who she is, just 222 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: think about the Shakuda banana lady. That essentially is Carmen 223 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: Miranda's quintessential character. And all of this is going on 224 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 1: with her singing about, you know, living in South America 225 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: and wearing bananas on her head, despite I mean, just 226 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 1: for one instance, the fact that there were were these 227 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: so called banana republics created by the United Fruit Company, 228 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: which is an American company, that were ruinous to multiple 229 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: Latin American nations. It's like facts like that, they're just 230 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:38,360 Speaker 1: swept under the rug. And we have Carmen Miranda tap 231 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: dancing out saying, Okay, I'm gonna collapse all of this 232 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: culture and the fact that this tire fruit industry actually 233 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: ruined a lot of, uh, the situations for local people. 234 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: And here's my song in which I talk about how 235 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 1: colorful I am and I say everything in broken English, which, 236 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: like you said, Caroline when she returned makes it big 237 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: in the US and then transitions into Hollywood. When she 238 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: goes back to Brazil, people are not taking so kindly 239 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: to her. It's kind of tragic in a way because 240 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: she's figured out how to leverage you know, this uh exoticism, 241 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 1: can we say for you know, monetary gaining success, but 242 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: you know, at the cost of losing her you know, 243 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 1: local fans, right, which actually makes me think about what 244 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 1: we talked at the top of the podcast about, which 245 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: is Sofia Regara, because I mean, if you look at 246 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: Carmen Randa answer Fia Regara, there are definite parallels. Um 247 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 1: Carmen Miranda herself was Hollywood's highest paid woman in much 248 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 1: like Sofia Regara is today. But Regara is brought up 249 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: in a lot of columns by Latino women, many of 250 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: which we kind of touched on early in the podcast, 251 00:16:56,040 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: mentioning that maybe this isn't the best depiction and of 252 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: what a Latina woman is or what Latina women are, 253 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:06,880 Speaker 1: not that they are one monolithic group, but I think 254 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: that's what they're arguing, that we're not all the whole spicy, sexy, 255 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: bublitious stereotype. Yeah, and while personally I enjoy Modern Family 256 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:20,719 Speaker 1: and I, you know, she's a funny character just in 257 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: and of that self sort of in isolation, but it's 258 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 1: startling to see how in order to reach the top 259 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: of the Hollywood pay scale in and even today, it 260 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:39,000 Speaker 1: apparently still comes at the cost of lampooning and stereotyping 261 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: an entire culture. Right, So this then leads us into 262 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: prominent Latina stereotypes in film, because Virgara and Carmen Miranda 263 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: would both go under the Mexican spitfire slash female clown, 264 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: and the stereotype was actually first embody, not so much 265 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 1: by Carmen Miranda, but by an earlier actress named Lupe VELAs, 266 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 1: and was featured prominently in films such as and pay 267 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 1: attention to these titles Hot Pepper in three, Strictly Dynamite four, 268 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: The Girl from Mexico in nine, and Mexican Spitfire in nine. 269 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 1: Do we see any commonalities among all these titles, lots 270 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:30,160 Speaker 1: of references to heat and spice and spitfire, Well, yeah 271 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: we do. And one other woman who sort of embodied 272 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: these stereotypes was Estelita Rodriguez, who her portrayal of the 273 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:43,159 Speaker 1: quote unquote Cuban Fireball was depicted in films like Cuban 274 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: Fireball in nine, Havanna Rose also in The Fabulous Senorita 275 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty two, and Tropical heat Wave in nineteen 276 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: fifty two. And I mean, I feel like that name, specifically, 277 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 1: Tropical heat Wave plays very much into this whole tropicalism 278 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,719 Speaker 1: trope about like it's a paradise. Look at our sexy, 279 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: bodacious babes that exist in this tropical land. Yeah, And 280 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: it's usually those kind of films were usually based around 281 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 1: Anglo characters taking some kind of vacation to get away 282 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: from the hustle and bustle of American life and coming 283 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: to this paradise, or they meet these uh you know, cute, 284 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 1: fascinating and sometimes spicy locals who will then either propel 285 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: a romance between the two two white characters or teach 286 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: them something about themselves, and then they'll leave and everything 287 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 1: is magical and perfect, and I mean it should be 288 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: said about these actresses to um. One thing that film 289 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,920 Speaker 1: historians point out is that, yes, we have these these 290 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 1: particular women embodying these certain stereotypes, but you have to 291 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 1: take it back a few levels and consider well what 292 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: roles were really being offered at the time. And in 293 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 1: some cases there there were instances when they could subvert stereotypes, 294 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,120 Speaker 1: but it was and apparently still is, as we'll talk 295 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: about more kind of challenging to do right and we'll 296 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 1: talk more about some of the Latina stereotypes and film 297 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 1: when we come right back from a quick break. So listeners, 298 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: we care so much about you folks that we are 299 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 1: going to do you a solid and give you the 300 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 1: chance to get free snacks. So drop the candy bar, 301 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: drop your potato chips, they're not good for you. Do 302 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: what Kristen and I do. Get natural delicious snacks at 303 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 1: nature box dot com. They've got zero artificial ingredients, zero 304 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 1: trans fats, and zero high fructoast corn syrup. You can 305 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: even find snacks that are low in sugar and gluten free. 306 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 1: So in the afternoon slump, when I'm hungry and irritable, 307 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 1: here's what I do. I grab some pistachio power clusters 308 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: from nature Box, or big sweet potato fries, or these 309 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:59,320 Speaker 1: salt and pepper lentil loops that are so good. They're 310 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: so good, but they're also so good for you. And 311 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: now krist and I want to give you the chance 312 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: to try nature Box for free with a sampler box 313 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: featuring five of their most popular snacks. To start your 314 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: free trial, go to nature box dot com slash mom stuff. 315 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 1: Stay full, stay strong, do what we do, and start 316 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: snacking smarter. Go to nature box dot com slash mom 317 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: stuff to get a free sampler box of delicious snacks. 318 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,160 Speaker 1: Oh and you're welcome and now back to the shop. 319 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: So one of the main features of the female clown 320 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 1: is using comedy as a way to dampen their outward sexuality. 321 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:44,720 Speaker 1: They they would be seen in super sexy, but they 322 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:47,360 Speaker 1: would be so funny as to not be uh sort 323 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 1: of eliminate themselves from being a love interest of the 324 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:54,440 Speaker 1: usually white male protagonists in these films, or threatening or 325 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: exactly yes, Um, But when it comes to the harlot 326 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: or can't in a girl, as the stereotype is sometimes 327 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: referred to, there's no comedy about it. This stereotype is 328 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: all about sex. Is essentially the female analog to the 329 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:19,440 Speaker 1: l Bendido stereotype of latinos in film. Right, She's dangerous, 330 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: but not in the same way that the vamp, which 331 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,919 Speaker 1: we'll talk about a second, is dangerous. She is found 332 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,680 Speaker 1: in a lot of Western films. She's definitely more of 333 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: a secondary character, hot tempered, and she's a slave to 334 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: her passions. But when it comes to the vamp, as 335 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 1: Caroline mentioned, the stereotype is essentially a couple of steps 336 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: up from the Cantina girl because not only is she 337 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: presented in a very outwardly sexual way and is clearly 338 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: sexually motivated, but the vamp uses her intellectual and devious 339 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: sexual whiles to get what she wants. And this is 340 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: also the character that you see UH sort of pitting 341 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 1: two male characters in films against themselves because she's so 342 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:09,480 Speaker 1: wildy but so sexual. She's irresistible but so wiley, so spicy, 343 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: so spicy. Um, and modern audiences would recognize the vamp 344 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 1: in Eva Longoria's character in Desperate Housewives, who is married 345 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 1: but she has an affair and then those two men 346 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: go nuts over it and all this stuff. So yeah, 347 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:28,919 Speaker 1: there was actually an entire paper that we read just 348 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 1: looking at I think it was called The Three Faces 349 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: of Eva, just examining how Eva Longoria, both on screen 350 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: and somewhat off screen too, as we'll talk about a minute, 351 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:43,119 Speaker 1: fits into these stereotypes. Um. But then sort of, the 352 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: opposite of the vamp is the faithful, self sacrificing Senorita. 353 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: This according to Gary D. Keller, this woman usually starts 354 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: out good but then goes bad by the middle of 355 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:59,880 Speaker 1: the film or TV show, and usually the character realizes 356 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 1: she's gone wrong and is still willing, though, to protect 357 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:09,199 Speaker 1: her Anglo love interest by placing herself between him and 358 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:13,959 Speaker 1: whatever danger she has brought upon him. She's kind of 359 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: this reminds me of one of the common women in 360 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: video game tropes that comes up of the disposable woman 361 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 1: who must be killed in order for the hero to prevail. Well, 362 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: she I mean, and she's double got to be killed 363 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: if she used to be good, oh and then went 364 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 1: bad like she was like triple killed. But okay, so 365 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 1: moving forward today, surely it's better, right, Surely it's great 366 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 1: and we all get along and everything is puppies and kittens. Okay, sure, 367 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,560 Speaker 1: I think there are plenty of film there. There are 368 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:48,679 Speaker 1: some films and one of the people. Plenty. There are 369 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 1: some films that reach beyond those four very rigid stereotypes. 370 00:24:55,280 --> 00:25:02,679 Speaker 1: But representation is still lacking, glare worryingly lacking. Right. This 371 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 1: is coming from a recent study by University of Southern 372 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:10,399 Speaker 1: California's Dr Stacy Smith, and she looked at the top 373 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 1: one performing films between two thousand seven and and found 374 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: that Latino characters are really no surprise, underrepresented and hyper sexualized. 375 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,120 Speaker 1: She found that only four point nine percent of speaking 376 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 1: characters in those years that she looked at were Hispanic. 377 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: And so if you compare that to the sixteen point 378 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:35,119 Speaker 1: three percent of the US population that is Hispanic, and 379 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: the fact that twenty percent of theater tickets are purchased 380 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: by Latino movie goers, that's a pretty appalling number. And 381 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: when it comes to Latina's on screen. They are the 382 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:51,880 Speaker 1: most likely to be partially or fully naked among all women. 383 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 1: So hyper sexualized very much still happening. And even though 384 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,040 Speaker 1: I mean, you do have Latina's at the top of 385 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: their game in Hollywood. I mean, we've already mentioned j 386 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 1: lo Eva Longoria, Sophia Vergara, you have Salma Hayak. We 387 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:08,639 Speaker 1: could keep going on and on. There are a number 388 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: of Latina A List stars, but there's still a lot 389 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:19,160 Speaker 1: of frustration with the perpetuation of these stereotyped portrayals. Um 390 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: and and this was something that a question that was 391 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: raised right at the launch of a show executive produce 392 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: actually by Eva Longoria called Devious Maids, which is still 393 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 1: running right now as of this podcast recording on Lifetime. Yeah, 394 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:36,360 Speaker 1: I have to say, the first time I ever saw 395 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: an ad for the show, my eyebrows raised to my hairline. 396 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:41,679 Speaker 1: I was I was incredibly suppressed. I didn't know that 397 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 1: it was at the time, didn't know that Eva Longoria 398 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: was producing it. But but you know, this is another 399 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:48,399 Speaker 1: thing like Sofia regard being on a pedestal and saying, hey, 400 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: it's no big deal. Eva Longoria was saying, what's wrong 401 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 1: with the spicy thing. You know, what's wrong with being 402 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: a Latin lover? Why is that a bad stereotype? She said, 403 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,320 Speaker 1: I consider that a compliment. Same thing with latinas always 404 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,120 Speaker 1: being cast as the sexy girl. It's a good thing. 405 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: And I thought, Okay, al right, Okay, so she's beautiful 406 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: and she's cool with the stereotype, and that's fine. But 407 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,879 Speaker 1: I couldn't help thinking that what if that quote was 408 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:16,160 Speaker 1: about African American women? You know, like, I feel like, 409 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 1: what's wrong with always being the sassy black friend? Yeah? Well, 410 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 1: what's well that, what's wrong with always being the stereotypical 411 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: sassy black friend? But what if somebody were to say 412 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: that about black women, like, hey, what's wrong with always 413 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: being sexy? Just because okay, there's nothing wrong with being sexy, 414 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: like in a vacuum. There is nothing wrong with being 415 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:39,199 Speaker 1: sexy or sexual. But when you when you look at 416 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,720 Speaker 1: the fact that African American women all the way back 417 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: to slavery were hyper sexualized and considered savages with their sexuality, 418 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: and you look at the same stereotypes that exist around 419 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: Latino women. I mean, I think that and I'm saying 420 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,680 Speaker 1: this as a non Hispanic person, as a non Latina, 421 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 1: but I feel like that it's kind of a dangerous, 422 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 1: dangerous territory to tread well. If anything, it's undoubtedly limiting, right. 423 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: You know, Eva Longoria clearly has made an entire career, 424 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 1: and a successful one at that, playing this very specific 425 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 1: type of character. But there are a lot of other 426 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:24,240 Speaker 1: Latina actresses out there who might want a shot at 427 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,399 Speaker 1: not just having to play a trophy wife, um and 428 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:32,879 Speaker 1: just going back to the devious maids thing. It was 429 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: just interesting that she executive produced this, and yes it 430 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 1: stars all Latina's who are playing maids, but there were 431 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: some people raising their eyebrows. I don't know if their 432 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 1: eyebrows went all the way up to their airlines like 433 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: Carolines did, but some concern at the outside of the show, 434 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: which by the way, was not something she just concocted 435 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: out of her head. It's actually an americanized version the 436 00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: show that originated on Spanish language television, but they changed 437 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 1: up the racial makeup of all the characters, which used 438 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 1: to and its original incarnation it used to be all 439 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: Latinos playing from the wealthy down to the maids, but 440 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: now they changed it up so that I believe the 441 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: wealthy people who have the maids are all white people, 442 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:23,080 Speaker 1: and also the head writer was a white guy too, 443 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: So there were some people just wondering, Okay, is this 444 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: really going to be Are we really going to see 445 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 1: the stories of these women, because certainly, you know, just 446 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 1: because it is about maids, it doesn't mean that important 447 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: stories can't be told. But there were concerns over whether 448 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: that representation would simply be repeating old stereotypes over and 449 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: over again, or which is I mean, yeah, I mean 450 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: it's a legitimate concern. Yeah, yeah, um. But there are 451 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: also actresses out there who seem to have bucked stereotyped roles, 452 00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:00,720 Speaker 1: like America Ferrara is one who um comes up a 453 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: lot in these kinds of conversations, and Selma Hiak also 454 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: started her own production company partially to broaden the types 455 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: of roles available to herself and to other Latinas. But 456 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 1: what's interesting too is how there are a lot of 457 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 1: a list performers out there with Latino roots but who 458 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: don't want to be labeled Latina actresses, not because they're 459 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: ashamed of their ethnicity, but precisely because they don't want 460 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 1: to be pigeonholed and stereotyped because those stereotypes are so persistent, 461 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: those stereotypes that evil Longoria apparently is you know, totally 462 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:41,880 Speaker 1: fine with. Yeah. Well, the big one I think that 463 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: comes up a lot is Jessica. She's referred to as Jessica, 464 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: don't call me Latina Alba. Yeah, she got a lot 465 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: of flak for that. Like I remember that if if 466 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 1: something from pop culture like that jumps out at me, 467 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 1: it was a big deal. But other other actresses like 468 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: Cameron Diaz who is Cuban on her dad's side, Uma Thurman, 469 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 1: who had a Mexican born mother, which I had no 470 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: idea about. But then again, why why would I really honestly, um, 471 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 1: Sarah Ramirez, who plays a character on Grey's Anatomy, is 472 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 1: a quarter of Mexican, and then Leah Michelle from Glee, 473 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 1: who is both part Italian American and part Spanish, Sephardic Jewish, 474 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: and Parks and Wrec fans might already know that Aubrey 475 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: Plaza is half Puerto Rican, and Gilmore Girls fans might 476 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 1: know that Alexis Bludel, who plays Rory, has a Mexican 477 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 1: mother and an Argentine father. And it's just these kinds 478 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 1: of lists are interesting because I think it was in 479 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: an interview with Sarah Amiraz from Grey's Anatomy, who was 480 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 1: specifically asked about being always classified, like always making it 481 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: on the X number of Latina actresses you didn't know 482 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 1: where Latina, and she just kind of laughed it off 483 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:55,800 Speaker 1: and talked about how it those kinds of things do 484 00:31:55,960 --> 00:32:00,360 Speaker 1: nothing to improve the representation and just sort of that 485 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 1: line that it seems like as actress as they have 486 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:06,720 Speaker 1: to walk between like, Okay, well, if I fully identify 487 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 1: with this, then am I only going to get these 488 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 1: kinds of roles or you know? Well, I mean, I 489 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 1: think in the case of Sarah Ramirez and her co 490 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:17,479 Speaker 1: workers on Grey's Anatomy and other Shonda Rhime shows are 491 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: are doing really well in terms of representation because someone 492 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 1: likes Sarah Ramirez, isn't the Latina character you know, um, 493 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 1: other characters on those shows aren't the black friend you 494 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 1: know there. I think Shanna Rhymes is providing some really great, 495 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:37,240 Speaker 1: well rounded characters and plot lines that don't focus on 496 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 1: the race or ethnicity of her characters. And so I 497 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 1: I did enjoy I did enjoy watching Gray's Anatomy at 498 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 1: one point not so much anymore. I feel like it's 499 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 1: Jump the Sharks. Sorry, but someone like Sara Ramirez I 500 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:51,400 Speaker 1: think I like. I like her a lot well. And 501 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 1: I was surprised to learn too that this has been 502 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: something um that Jennifer Lopez j LO has had to 503 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:04,400 Speaker 1: fight as well, um, particularly when it came to the 504 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's probably the most feminist film 505 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:13,280 Speaker 1: in the Hollywood canon. The Wedding Planner. Her character it 506 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:18,080 Speaker 1: is Italian American, and her agents specifically fought for her 507 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 1: to get that role, sort of to just show that hey, 508 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:24,480 Speaker 1: she can she can do this, whereas if you look 509 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 1: at her in Made Manhattan, her character is specifically Latino. 510 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 1: But it's just interesting to see these kinds of case studies, 511 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 1: if you can call them that, of actresses actively seeking 512 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:40,040 Speaker 1: to play beyond what people want to pigeonhole them in 513 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: based on their heritage, because it's not like, you know, 514 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: white actors have pretty much had the opportunity to play 515 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 1: often whatever kind of ethnicity they want, because you could 516 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 1: say that that is often a privilege afforded to white 517 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:03,840 Speaker 1: actor of oh yeah, I go, what ethnicity are? You know, 518 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:06,280 Speaker 1: they don't get asked that at all they're just put 519 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 1: in that role. Yeah. Well, Daisy Hernandez at NPR was 520 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:14,400 Speaker 1: writing about the sexiest depictions of Latino women. Um, but 521 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:17,840 Speaker 1: she was writing about it from the perspective of the 522 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 1: sexism that's happening on actual Spanish language shows, not just 523 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 1: in American media. Um. And talks about how a lot 524 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:31,240 Speaker 1: of the women that are on shows on Spanish language television, 525 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:34,879 Speaker 1: line talk shows or whatever, variety shows, the man might 526 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:38,759 Speaker 1: be in a fancy suit that's you know, just a 527 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: normal suit, and the woman next to him will be 528 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:45,400 Speaker 1: in like a crop top and in short shorts. Yeah. 529 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:49,680 Speaker 1: She highlights particularly Sabato Gigante, which is in the Guinness 530 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:52,440 Speaker 1: Book of World Records, by the way, as the longest 531 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:58,200 Speaker 1: running variety show which constantly features scantily clad women, and 532 00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:01,359 Speaker 1: also l showed a Fernando he'd all go out of 533 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,960 Speaker 1: Miami and sort of the point that she's the overall 534 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:07,839 Speaker 1: point she's making is, Okay, here's the thing. It's not 535 00:35:08,040 --> 00:35:15,920 Speaker 1: just American media fueling this spicy trope. And she summed 536 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:18,279 Speaker 1: it up so well in fact, that I'm going to 537 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 1: read this rather long quote she said, across Cultura's borders 538 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:26,799 Speaker 1: and languages entertainment industries profit from selling handpicked images of 539 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 1: women's bodies. On English language television, the emphasis is on 540 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:34,799 Speaker 1: the rolling rs. On Spanish language television, it's on the 541 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 1: smiles and the bilays. In both cases, women are reduced 542 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:41,600 Speaker 1: to the quare posts, their hips, their rear ends, their senios. 543 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 1: I suspect it will take many Latino women not on screen, 544 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 1: but rather controlling cash flows and camera crews and committing 545 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:53,080 Speaker 1: to social change to change TV land in both has 546 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:57,000 Speaker 1: of America. Yeah, people like salmahiak Is running her production 547 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 1: company exactly exactly, So that's why you and things. On 548 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:03,160 Speaker 1: a positive note, it is great that we do have 549 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:08,600 Speaker 1: so many Latina stars not only already in the A 550 00:36:08,719 --> 00:36:12,160 Speaker 1: list but also on the rise. But this is also 551 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:15,759 Speaker 1: just it touches on so many different aspects in terms 552 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:19,279 Speaker 1: of yes, exoticizing women of color, and also to the 553 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:24,560 Speaker 1: importance of women in Hollywood in positions of power, because 554 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:29,120 Speaker 1: that's what it will take to change overall the portrayal 555 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:33,879 Speaker 1: of women on screen, which then trickles down to how 556 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 1: we think about and treat women off screens. So with that, 557 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:43,000 Speaker 1: we want to hear from you, dear listeners. Latina is 558 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:45,879 Speaker 1: listening We especially want to hear your thoughts on this 559 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:48,480 Speaker 1: mom stuff at how stuff works dot com is where 560 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 1: you can email us. You can also tweet us at 561 00:36:50,719 --> 00:36:54,120 Speaker 1: mom Stuff podcast and messages on Facebook as well, and 562 00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:56,439 Speaker 1: we have a couple of messages to share with you 563 00:36:57,120 --> 00:37:06,719 Speaker 1: right now. All right, Vanessa writes us about our cosplay episode. 564 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:10,279 Speaker 1: She says, I've been waiting for a cosplay episode since 565 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,799 Speaker 1: I first started listening. Well, she says, my sister and 566 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:16,040 Speaker 1: I have been making our own Halloween costumes since we 567 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:18,759 Speaker 1: were kids, and have been costplaying at conventions for about 568 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:21,720 Speaker 1: three years. We're not pros at it by any means, 569 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:24,320 Speaker 1: but we love repurposing old clothes or thrift shop fines 570 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:27,080 Speaker 1: for cosplay on the cheap. Neither of us has had 571 00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:29,840 Speaker 1: any issues at a convention, thankfully. In one of our favorites, 572 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:32,759 Speaker 1: the Steampunk World's Fair in New Jersey, actually had a 573 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:35,400 Speaker 1: series of panels on treating all attendees with respect and 574 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:38,880 Speaker 1: courtesy and making the con feel like a safe space. However, 575 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:42,160 Speaker 1: one thing I have felt almost every year tending conventions 576 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:46,320 Speaker 1: is the dreaded walk to con I know some people 577 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:48,680 Speaker 1: like to change once they reach the convention center, but 578 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 1: we've always arrived in costume and have both been made 579 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:54,600 Speaker 1: to feel uncomfortable when using public transit, going out for 580 00:37:54,680 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: food prices at the con are crazy, or just walking 581 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 1: home and costume away from the crowds of similar really 582 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:03,480 Speaker 1: costumed fans. It kind of dampens the excitement when you 583 00:38:03,520 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 1: have to think about bringing a coat or cover up 584 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:08,239 Speaker 1: in order to get there without being harassed. I'm sure 585 00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:10,520 Speaker 1: some of the stairs and comments are simply due to 586 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:13,040 Speaker 1: the novelty of seeing someone in costume on a day 587 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,760 Speaker 1: other than Halloween, but hey, we're in New York City. 588 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:19,000 Speaker 1: I'm sure that people commenting have seen stranger sites than us. 589 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:21,879 Speaker 1: Keep up the good work, and I'd love to hear 590 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:25,479 Speaker 1: your response and analysis of the men's rights movement, even 591 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 1: though I'm sure it will be infuriating. Thank you for 592 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,800 Speaker 1: your letter and your request. Vanessa, Well, I've got a 593 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:34,440 Speaker 1: letter here from Amy, also in response to her episode 594 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 1: on cosplay, and Amy is a Civil War reenactor, and 595 00:38:38,719 --> 00:38:42,040 Speaker 1: she writes, I found it very interesting and was curious 596 00:38:42,080 --> 00:38:44,560 Speaker 1: as to whether you came across anything in your research 597 00:38:44,600 --> 00:38:49,759 Speaker 1: comparing or disassociating norms and trends and cosplay from historical reenacting. 598 00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:52,640 Speaker 1: Some topics were very familiar in terms of accuracy of 599 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:55,680 Speaker 1: the costumes, dressing as the opposite sex or gender, and 600 00:38:55,760 --> 00:38:59,319 Speaker 1: attitudes toward women in costumes. And she goes on to 601 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:02,560 Speaker 1: talk about how there are mainly three camps, so to speak, 602 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:09,160 Speaker 1: in the re enacting world of mainstreamers, campaigners, and hard cores, 603 00:39:09,200 --> 00:39:12,080 Speaker 1: and she says mainstreamers like to put on a good show, 604 00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:14,960 Speaker 1: campaigners like to educate through living history, and hard cores 605 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:19,560 Speaker 1: have a tendency to play by themselves. Obviously, these are 606 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:23,160 Speaker 1: sweeping generalizations, but within these you do get into hang ups, 607 00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:25,680 Speaker 1: if you will. Regarding the legitimacy of women wanting to 608 00:39:25,719 --> 00:39:28,840 Speaker 1: portray men, it rarely goes the other way, and the 609 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:34,239 Speaker 1: accurate portrayal of minorities, mainly African Americans admittedly agentistic with 610 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:36,239 Speaker 1: a campaigner crowd, so we will try to have a 611 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:40,040 Speaker 1: healthy attitude towards anyone wanting to participate without being too discouraging. 612 00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:42,520 Speaker 1: During the Civil War there were limited roles for women, 613 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:45,239 Speaker 1: such as nurses and vivandiers at the front lines, so 614 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:49,160 Speaker 1: usually women tend to go with a civilian portrayals such 615 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:51,759 Speaker 1: as a family following as cooks or laundress in the 616 00:39:51,800 --> 00:39:56,120 Speaker 1: wagon trail refugees, camp followers, or an entire side impression 617 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:59,520 Speaker 1: of the home front. There's documentation of women disguised as 618 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:02,200 Speaker 1: men and their ranks I believe up four hundred, but 619 00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:04,080 Speaker 1: they really had to sell it with short hair and 620 00:40:04,120 --> 00:40:06,399 Speaker 1: a boyish figure, so it does look odd to see 621 00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:08,799 Speaker 1: a voluptuous one with a ponytail marching in the front 622 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:12,560 Speaker 1: line of an infantry. I've seen some hardcoes really come 623 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:16,680 Speaker 1: down on some women for this. In terms of minority portrayals, unfortunately, 624 00:40:16,719 --> 00:40:19,680 Speaker 1: in my opinion, they're in the minority, and understandably so. 625 00:40:20,280 --> 00:40:22,120 Speaker 1: Not many people of color would want to portray a 626 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:25,200 Speaker 1: time in which they were considered less than those around them. 627 00:40:25,239 --> 00:40:28,240 Speaker 1: I've met to people who portrayed African Americans and various 628 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:31,839 Speaker 1: roles from slave to freedmen very well. Their argument for 629 00:40:31,960 --> 00:40:34,680 Speaker 1: participating in the hobby is not to glorify the actions 630 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:37,000 Speaker 1: of white men in the past, but to educate everyone 631 00:40:37,040 --> 00:40:39,960 Speaker 1: about the realities of what minorities went through. They admit 632 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:42,160 Speaker 1: that there have been awkward moments, but for the most 633 00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:45,279 Speaker 1: part their portrayals have not only been enlightening to the 634 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:49,839 Speaker 1: spectating public but to their fellow re enactors. Obviously, there 635 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:51,440 Speaker 1: are many things that could be delved into with a 636 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:54,360 Speaker 1: topic like this, especially if you explore other time periods 637 00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:57,919 Speaker 1: which I'm not familiar with. Thanks for everything you do, 638 00:40:58,160 --> 00:41:00,799 Speaker 1: and thanks to you Amy for writing in, and thanks 639 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:03,279 Speaker 1: to everybody who's written into us mom stuff at how 640 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,600 Speaker 1: stuff works dot com is our email address and for 641 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,640 Speaker 1: links to all of our social media's as well as 642 00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:13,880 Speaker 1: all of our blogs, videos, and podcasts, including our podcast 643 00:41:13,960 --> 00:41:17,399 Speaker 1: sources so you can follow along with us. There's one 644 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:19,880 Speaker 1: place to go, and it's stuff Mom Never Told You 645 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:26,320 Speaker 1: dot com. For more on this and thousands of other topics. 646 00:41:26,560 --> 00:41:35,719 Speaker 1: Is it how stuff works dot com.