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Mexican-American Identity in Modern Los Angeles

Abstract

This paper answers different questions analyzing the various aspects regarding the identity of Mexican-Americans in modern-day Los Angeles. Question one discusses how in the 1940s and 1950s, Mexican-Americans dealt with American expectations regarding femininity and masculinity. It examines the reactions of pachucos concerning gender expectations. It also details how Mexican-American military members struggled with gender and sexuality expectations. Finally, the question investigates the impact of AIDs and the changes in gender and sexuality expectations in the 1980s and 1990s. In question two, the paper describes the local and national political objectives of the Chicano Movement. Further, it identifies the groups that formed the activist movement and why they remained united in the fight against socio-economic injustices. Finally, in question three, the paper delves into the effects of the Latino community immigrating to Los Angeles and how they have impacted future generations. It also considers how food, political involvement, and labor influence the Latino community. This examination of cultural factors results in the paper investigating how ongoing immigration continues to affect the Latinos' way of life. Through these questions, the paper provides a compelling discussion that details the challenges and struggles Mexican-Americans experienced after immigrating to the United States. For instance, Latinos faced significant difficulties that eroded their optimism about the imminent social and economic well-being of future generations. It also identifies the impacts of Anglo-American culture on the Mexican-Americans. Perhaps the best example of this phenomenon involves the rise of the Pachucos, who challenged the traditional-Latino way of life; for example, they supported women's self-empowerment. As Latinos continued to settle in the United States, intermingling with natives, a grander fusion of cultures took place and altered Mexican-Americans' social, economic, and political understanding.

Mexican-American Identity in Modern Los Angeles

Question One

In the 1940s and 1950s, American expectations of femininity and masculinity resulted in women in Mexican-American society maintaining homemakers' role. For example, according to Hayes-Bautista, Chamberlain, and Zuniga, women would not become garbage collectors since culture stressed that it was a man's responsibility. In many ways, defining things like objects and jobs as either masculine or feminine left most women frustrated; hence they engaged in a powerful social movement to demand equality.

Pachuquismo challenged and complied with gender expectations through its counterculture practices. According to Regua, the Pachuco style countered Mexican-Americans' gender expectations by resisting the reality of a male-dominated culture. It let women wear male zoot suits, challenging the long-held gender roles. However, Pachucos fulfilled women's gender expectations by allowing them to become self-empowered by adopting healthy attitudes, contrasting the traditional Latino-American image of femininity.

Mexican-American military members struggled with gender and sexuality expectations since the US military was an all-male environment that stressed heterosexuality. According to Rosales, despite having a homosocial milieu in the military that augmented a fixed and conventional gendered process that encouraged alternative masculine sexualities and conduct, people experienced a dogmatic insistence on...