I am a people pleaser because I am a Latina. This is a diagnosis from my psychologist after three months of consistent therapy sessions. You might ask how both traits are relevant. To be honest, I asked the same question.
The answer shocked me and if you are a Latina, this might shock you as well.
Growing up, I was constantly reminded of my immigrant status and the sacrifices my parents had made. This pushed me to workhard, do better and prove people wrong. While it was beneficial for my career, my mental health was at stake, and I was trying too hard to please people.
So, can you blame me when I tried to overwork myself while earning a minimum wage to please my boss?
I am not alone in this; most Latinos around me are also facing similar situations. Who is it to blame? The answer is simple media – populating Latin stereotypes and fortifying pre-conceived notions. Here are some dangerous Latino stereotypes that are enforced by the media.
The Uneducated
When I entered middle school, I was excited about all the extra-curricular activities, electives, and learning some foreign languages. To my surprise, I found myself enrolled in an extra help class.
Why? I was a good student. My grades were fine, and I was never late for an assignment. So why the extra help? Well, because I am Latina, English is my second language so I must struggle with education.
I don’t blame the facility at my school because this is a common stereotype in movies. Most Latinos are uneducated; they have food carts, work as house help, drop out of schools, and speak broken English. Movies like The Help, The Second Mother, La Nana, and The Desert Bride are good examples.
Even worse, most Latinos are portrayed as unemployed and trying to swindle their way through life, which brings us to our next point.
The Gold Digger
This is one of the most used stereotypes. Since Latino women are curvy, they are seen as a symbol of beauty but never enough to beat the mistress allegations. They are portrayed as the gold-diggers, trophy wives, and love interests.
However, these love interests are generally portrayed as money-minded without an ounce of intelligence. In general, being money-minded is considered a sign of practicality and intelligence. However, Latino women are portrayed as dumb. Sophia in Modern Family is a very good example of this stereotype.
My mother, a doctor, was often confused as a nurse just because she was Latino. Similarly, when I joined the workforce, I noticed that my colleagues would often communicate with me in simpler English. Moreover, Latinos are portrayed as cheapskates so, most businesses never directly advertise to them.
However, things are changing now because I am noticing more businesses focusing on Latino customers and their needs to foster inclusiveness. For instance, I am an Xfinity user and the company offers a huge Spanish channel lineup as well as a dedicated Xfinity en español customer service line.
The Criminal
Most movies and TV series today focus on criminal mindset or Latinos. Netflix is filled with gang-based content where Latin artists are portrayed as criminals. This is not new; even some of the best crime-based shows like Scarface, Money Heist, Better Call Saul, Bandidos, and Narcos have Latino leads.
The result – teachers at my school kept telling me that I had a high chance of becoming dropping out of school, so I must work hard. Do not get me wrong, I am not a bad student, I never bunked school and never got a low test score. However, the stats were against me.
Teachers were trained to give “special attention” to Latino students. Any shortcoming was addressed and curbed, there was a constant pressure of “proving them wrong”.
The Clown
Latinos are used for comic relief as a side character. They are ridiculed for being simplemindedness. They are seen as funny and flirty. Both these traits are not bad but when people get disappointed because you have a serious job or you don’t crack a joke every minute, you start questioning things.
My parents, both doctors were expected to be pediatricians just because they were supposed to be funny. Even today, most movies have side characters that are Latino just for entertainment purposes.
I was raised in an era where Hannah Montana was popular, but to my surprise, even a kid show was playing based on stereotypes. Rico Suave played by Moisés Arias was a funny little thing, cracking jokes, and flirting with everyone. To make matters worse, he was the owner of a snack bar trying to maximize his profit every chance he got. Name a better Latino stereotype, I’ll wait.
How to Overcome These Stereotypes?
People in show businesses often complain about the representation of minorities. They often forget that more than representation we need authentic representation that debugs all the myths. Here are simpler ways to address this problem:
- Increasing representation: Just actors are not enough; it’s important to bring more Latino writers and producers into the industry.
- Focusing on Latino stories: Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools, so it is important to let the Latino people tell their stories.
- Main characters: Pulling Latin characters out of side characters and into the spotlight can help with image-building.
- Using satire to fight stereotypes: Satire can be a powerful tool for exposing and challenging harmful stereotypes.
Evelyn 
IQ Newswire