If you were to believe your television, you'd think all Latinas are immaculately dressed spitfires or docile maids. When it comes to Latino people—especially women—it's as if the TV got stuck in the 1950s.
While these identities are not in themselves wrong or harmful, the problem lies in the fact that these are the only portrayals people are exposed to. Some of us actually like hoop-earrings and tight-fitting leopard-print skirts. Some of us are hardworking maids. Some of us are highly educated. Some of us are sexually assertive. Some of us don't like sex at all. Like everyone else, we're human beings with myriad complex experiences, desires and identities.
Some may argue that it's only TV, so why make such a fuss? A report from from the Hispanic Media Coalition, "The Impact of Media Stereotypes on Opinions and Attitudes Towards Latinos ," found that “the most commonly held Latino stereotypes run parallel to those reflected in the media.” When participants were asked to recall the kinds of roles they see Latinos play in television and film, their top three answers were criminal or gang member, gardener or landscaper and maid or housekeeper. Inevitably, exposure to these kinds of roles will influence real life.
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