Today for Hispanic Heritage Month I would like to look at how mainstream culture views Hispanic (Latina) women and how Hispanic (Latino) men view them. The following article discusses these contrasting views on beauty. I have attributed the source below. DISPARATE VIEWS ON BEAUTY From “Hispanic Influence on American Culture by Conill Advertising Agency( p 13). It pays to be beautiful. Daniel Hamermesh, professor of economics at the University of Texas, Austin, has spent 20 years studying beauty. His book, “Beauty Pays” (Princeton University Press, 2011) explores whether or not physical attractiveness helps one succeed or earn more money. His study found that indeed it does. Sofia Vergara and Eva Longoria would agree. They are the first and third highest paid actresses on television (Source: Forbes, July 2012). Ms.Vergara is a native of Colombia: Ms. Longoria describes herself as Mexican-American. And they would probably agree with the 64% of the Hispanic population who believe that Latinas have shifted the standards of beauty in the U.S., a figure that largely stays the same across demographic profiles. ONLY ABOUT A THIRD (32%) OF NON-HISPANICS BELIEVE THAT LATINAS HAVE HAD A GREAT TO MODERATE IMPACT ON STANDARDS OF BEAUTY, a proportion that remains largely constant across demographics and is essentially the equivalent weight they give to the Hispanic influence on clothing (34%). ON MATTERS OF STYLE AND APPEARANCE, NON-HISPANICS SEEM MORE AWARE OF LATIN INFLUENCE (48%) THAN THEY ARE ON BEAUTY, especially in Miami (50%), but least of all in Charlotte (26%), Nashville (28%) and Detroit (29%). IN ADDITION TO BEAUTY STANDARDS, THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY GIVES ITSELF HIGH MARKS ALSO FOR INFLUENCING STYLE AND APPEARANCE (62%), AND CLOTHING (61%). Miami reflects the highest degree of perceived influence in style and appearance at 80%; unsurprisingly, just 42% of Hispanics in Detroit perceive their impact on style and appearance having moderate to great influence. (End of article) I believe that Hispanic men, in genera,l prefer women with bigger hips, whereas the American fashion industry and magazines try to encourage an unrealistic standard of beauty with taller-than-normal models with wafer-thin waists and airbrushed perfect skin and padded bras. Curvier Hispanics like Maribel Guardia (former Ms. Costa Rica), Jennifer Lopez, Sofia Vergara, and Salma Hayek are more indicative of womens sizes and body shapes in Hispanic America. I would even argue that darker-skinned women (not too dark) are considered the perfect skin tone. Why else would so many pale, and pigment-challenged women pay for spray tans and sitting on tanning beds, as well as tanning out in the sun? Cafecito con leche (coffee with cream/milk) seems to me to be the perfect skin tone, but then again Im biased. I love my skin tone, and I have always believed in the beauty of the Hispanic woman. So today, I say long live hips and darker skin. Hispanic women dont need to go blonde (unless naturally blonde), they dont need to go on diets to achieve unrealistic body shape and size, and they do not need any bleaching of the skin. ¡Que viva la belleza hispana!
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 23:21:13 +0000
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