Alleviating Machismo
There is no doubt that poverty and exploitation was, and still is, an issue for women in
Latin America. Machismo has always held a firm stance as the dominant mindset—and in turn,
gender—in the region of the world. Men have been the breadwinners of the family, have owned
all of the property, and have been the most sexually liberated. However, that does not mean that
the firm grip that machismo currently holds can never be alleviated. In terms of poverty,
exploitation, and media, machismo’s dominance has been holding strong, but the tides have
nonetheless been changing.
Poverty has been and still is a problem in Latin America, especially for women. Prior to
the 20th Century, women had very limited job options. These jobs included plantation slaves,
food merchants, piecework tailors, and prostitutes. Even with limited options, the public/private
