Marianismo

Marianismo is a term first proposed in the literature in the 1970s as a way to describe a set of values and norms associated with being a woman in Latin American culture. It was initially conceptualized as a response to the term machismo, suggesting that marianismo occurs in the context of machismo. Marianismo generally refers to the cultural expectation that a woman be passive and submissive along with being sexually pure. These traits respond to those prescribed by machismo, which expects a man to be active, aggressive, and sexually experienced.

Marianismo traces its roots to the Spanish colonization of Latin America. One of the biggest legacies of the Spanish conquest was their religious beliefs. Roman Catholicism holds in high regard the figure of la Virgen Maria (Spanish for “the Virgin Mary”). Only the purest of women could be chosen by God to be the mother of His son. Mary lived the ultimate sacrifice in giving herself up to God's will: a life of self-denial, purity (e.g., virginity), and devotion to motherhood that was duly rewarded with eternal salvation and the privilege of giving birth to Jesus.

Marianismo stems from these ideals. The term refers to the expectation that women live as the Virgin Mary did. Women are expected to be submissive to men and meet their every need in a passive and unassertive manner. They are loving, caring, and docile—completely devoted to their roles as wives, mothers, and life bearers. To accomplish this, women must renounce their own needs, acting in a spiritual and immaculate manner.

Marianismo prescribes a set of norms that encourages women to maintain and promote cultural values at their own expense or face public scrutiny as an alternative. Women are held in high regard by others if they have children and are caring mothers. Single mothers and divorcées are frowned upon, as they have acted in a self-serving and egotistical manner by disrespecting the sanctity of matrimony and placing their own needs before those of the family. These values are passed down from generation to generation. Caring mothers teach their young men to be wary of sensual, manipulative, and [Page 1209]possessive girls who see sex for anything other than procreating. (These “bad” women are thought of as loose and deceitful or as whores.)

Marianismo will impact the way counselors work with and conceptualize clients. Help-seeking behavior is discouraged, and women may have a difficult time committing or engaging in therapy. They may present with concerns related to gender-role strain and may be more prone to accept problems as “part of being female.” Gender-inconsistent behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, aggressiveness) may increase a sense of worthlessness. Confrontation is often avoided. Sexuality and other intimate concerns may be brought up with much shame—if at all. Infidelity is tolerated only if it comes from men. Men may also view assertive women as “problematic” and may sabotage self-promotion efforts of women who “argue all the time.” Both men and women may initially see female therapists as caretakers, more capable than male therapists of solving problems in a fair and unselfish manner.

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