Most Hispanic adults in the U.S. have heard of the term machismo, but the concept can mean many things. This chapter explores the different ways that Hispanic adults describe machismo.
Awareness of the term ‘machismo’
Roughly eight-in-ten Hispanic adults (83%) say they have heard of the term machismo, while 16% say they have not heard of it before.
Majorities of Latinos across most demographic subgroups are familiar with the term. Similar shares of men and women say they have heard of it (81% and 85%). However, awareness differs somewhat by other factors:
- Language: Awareness of machismo is higher among Latinos who primarily speak Spanish (89%) or are bilingual in English and Spanish (88%), compared with those who are English dominant (73%).
- Immigrant generation: 90% of Latinos who are immigrants and 84% who are second-generation Americans have heard the term – higher than the share of third-generation or higher who have (69%).
- Education: 92% of Latinos with a bachelor’s degree are familiar with the term, versus 86% with some college experience and 78% with a high school diploma or less.
What ‘machismo’ means to U.S. Latinos, in their own words
The survey asked Hispanic adults who know the term an open-ended question about what machismo means, in their own words.
‘Machismo’ and ideas about gender in society
Many respondents associate machismo with broader ideas about gender in society. A quarter of Hispanic adults who are aware of the term said machismo is the belief that men are superior to or better than women.
Some 19% said machismo is the belief that men and women should have certain roles in society based on gender. This includes 13% who specify that machismo is the belief that men’s role should be as leaders or decision makers and 6% who say machismo means women’s role should be taking care of the home or children.
“Para algunos hombres hay labores que son solo para hombres y creen que la mujer está solo para cuidar niños, y limpiar la casa,” said one immigrant woman in her late 40s.
Additionally, 10% of responses were about men and women being treated unequally in society. One immigrant man in his early 50s described machismo as “men [being] above women in many social, political and economic matters.”
And 7% said machismo is the result of social or cultural expectations around masculinity and the pressure it puts on men and women to act certain ways.
One U.S.-born man in his mid-20s described machismo as “a social construct where men are expected to be strong, intimidating [or] stoic along with several other stereotypical traits. … Historically, there has been an expectation for Hispanic men to be masculine which has led to toxic behavior within the culture.”
‘Machismo’ and specific behaviors or characteristics
Some respondents described machismo by specific behaviors or characteristics. About a quarter of Latino adults who have heard of machismo (22%) say it means acting with emphasized masculinity or having masculine pride, or as one immigrant man in his early 60s put it, “behaving manly or like a macho man.”
Acting dominating or aggressive appeared in 17% of responses. This includes 5% who said machismo means acting violent, abusive or threatening. One U.S.-born woman in her early 20s said that machismo is “a culture where violence and sexism are deeply intertwined.”
Some 12% said machismo means acting strong, tough or unemotional. One man said machismo is the “stereotypical strong, in-command Spanish male [who] shows little softness in action or emotion” like the “strong silent type [that] was depicted in the movies” (U.S.-born, early 70s).
Additionally, 11% of Latino adults aware of machismo said the concept means acting self-important or egotistical.
A small share (6%) also described machismo as acting confident, chivalrous or protective. As one respondent put it, machismo is about being “a man other men can look up to” (U.S.-born man, early 50s).
Respondents often named several characteristics in their answer. For example, one respondent said machismo “usually refers to men who are puffing out their chests or are overbearing to their female counterparts or family. I see it as [having] a negative connotation, but I have heard it used in the chivalric context, referring to a gentlemanly action; like holding a woman’s bag or protecting a woman from another man” (U.S.-born man, mid-30s).
