Marianismo

Marianismo refers to the traditional female gender role based on the values of Catholicism and traditional Latin American cultural norms, with its roots stemming from the Spanish conquest. In the simplest terms, marianismo is the ideal female role that includes qualities such as sexual purity, self-sacrifice, and suffering. Other major concepts include the emphasis on the role of mother, moral strength, caretaking, submission and passivity, and duty and honor. Marianismo is significant because it defines the female roles in Latin American culture, dictating behaviors that are acceptable and unacceptable as well as beliefs and values related to women. This entry briefly defines the different aspects of marianismo and discusses how it plays a significant role in the psychosocial adjustment of Latin American women in the ...