Ever notice how social media and the entertainment industry have created untruthful stereotypes about Mexicans and Mexican culture? I’m here to debunk a few of them!
1. We All Have Big Families
Uh, no. Just because you heard other people have 7 brothers, 4 sisters, 24 cousins, 16 aunts, 14 uncles, 4 grandparents, does not mean I do too. I have grown up with 2 siblings, 2 uncles, 7 aunts, 6 cousins, and 2 grandmothers (which is pretty average).
2. All Mexican Women Are Maids Or Stay-at-Home Moms
Thanks to Hollywood, all Mexican women are perceived as working as maids for rich white families and only being able to speak Spanish. But newsflash: there are Mexican singers, Mexican actresses, Mexican doctors, Mexicans scientists, and more — and it is absolutely amazing!
3. We Speak “Mexican”
Sorry gringos, the last time I checked it was actually called Spanish.
4. Mexicans Live In The Middle of Nowhere
Uh, first of all, Mexico has cities (*cough cough* Mexico City). Places like Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, and Oaxaca (and way more) are all hustling, bustling cities. Yes, there are people who live on ranches and have space for their animals (which I find pretty cool actually). But even though some of those ranches are isolated, Mexicans as a whole do not live in “the middle of nowhere.”
5. We Love Spicy Food And We Put Hot Sauce On Everything
No. Don’t assume that please. Not everyone can automatically handle hot Cheetos. And I do not put hot sauce on everything. (If I did, I would regret it the second it hits my mouth.)
6. Mexicans Are Illegal Immigrants
Again, the entertainment industry and exaggerated political rhetoric have painted a picture that if you’re Mexican, you have to be illegal. There are millions of Mexicans living in the US that are legal immigrants… so please stop looking so ignorant. (For more information, check out “Myths and Facts About Immigrants and Immigration.”)
7. Everyone Owns A Pancho and A Cowboy Hat
Oh yeah, and they wear cowboy boots, too! Oh, and they are absolutely always riding horses in the desert. Sorry to burst your bubble… but not all Mexicans don’t fit your cowboy stereotype.
8. If You’re Hispanic or Latino, You’ve Got To Be Mexican
Hispanics can be Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South American, Central American, or a part of any other Spanish culture. Hispanic means you have origins/ancestry in a Spanish-speaking country. Latinos can be Dominican, Cuban, Mexican, Brazilian, and so on, because they’re from Latin American. We’re not all just Mexicans.
