ANDIn the document, published by the Journal of Counseling Psychology and written by academics from Arizona State University, it provides an approach to the concept of machismo that defines the term as a behavior guided by a “masculine force” that, in one way or another, drives all types of equally masculine behaviors.
Machismo has been understood and defined by scholars as a ethos (custom) made up of behaviors that men from Latin American countries are “expected” to perform, especially in relation to characteristics such as sexism, chauvinism and hypermasculinity.
For Mayo and Resnick (1996), cited in the document mentioned at the beginning of this article, machismo also involves the domination of women, who are seen as solely responsible for raising children and perpetual service to men.
Sexist thinking is ascribed to a centuries-old discourse of beliefs of cultural origin, anthropological premises that define men and women as figures with pre-assigned and immovable roles that justify the work opportunities of one gender and the domestic obligations of another.
In a psychological and sociological field, machismo is a phenomenon that deserves to be analyzed starting not only from its negative characteristics but also considering the possible positive meanings that people have of it in a valid sociocultural context, where sexist behavior is understood as an issue. of pride and honor and the term acquires a nuance linked to what is popularly known as chivalry.
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However, this article does not seek to address the individual, political, family and even religious factors that influence an acceptable or favorable interpretation of machismo in Latin American countries; Instead, what is intended is to delve into the consequence of the greatest social harm today: the objectification of women.
Sexist thinking is ascribed to anthropological premises that define men and women as figures with pre-assigned and immovable roles.
Gemma Sáez, author of the study, published by the University of Granada (Spain), defines sexual objectification as the reduction of women to their body, or parts of their body.
The act of reifying is, in essence, precisely what it indicates: proceeding with a metamorphosis in which the central subject is not given a voice of vote, but is instead subjected by suppressing its human qualities and turning it into a thing, an object that In the case of women, certain cultural factors and media influence make it available to others to enjoy.
The role of media influence, for example, is palpable in advertising and the media, and responds directly to predominant cultural expectations and trends, as occurs in Mexico with a topic that has generated controversy due to the way in which it is exhibits and promotes sexist ideology and the sexual objectification of women.
For feminist Marta Lamas, this phenomenon is simply a reflection of the reality of Mexico, where machismo “is part of the national identity” and “persists even in the rancheras.”
The objectification of women and machismo are directly related: sexist thinking promotes objectification by dismissing women’s equal rights in elementary issues, such as freedom. Machismo understood in the dimension of sexism and gender despotism supports the vision of a woman subject to the expectations, desires and needs of men, among them, sexual satisfaction.
But the consequences of objectification not only delay the construction of a more egalitarian society and greater opportunities for education and job growth for women, they also constitute a scourge for emotional health.
The objectification of women that is naturally promoted in the media, for example, seriously influences the perception that girls and adolescents acquire of themselves, the appreciation of their bodies, the establishment of priorities and the formation of beliefs that are not always positive.
In fact, the sexual objectification of women who talk about perfect measurements and a standard beauty regime (that of models and celebrities) is linked to the development of disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, depression, suicidal ideation and suicide.
The objectification of women is linked to the development of disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and depression
Machismo defined as a set of behaviors in favor of the submission of women transcends, of course, the limits of the Hispanic community, as does the objectification of women seen as a phenomenon of reduction of humanity to the status of an object. useful.
Islam, for example, has been a controversial religion in the eyes of Western culture as part of its beliefs. However, in this case, the dispute between freedom of belief and the acceptance of gender violence enters, or in other words: is the objectification of women acceptable when it is part of a set of beliefs? Do we tolerate objectification as a society as long as it is religious?
Both machismo and objectification are phenomena that involve elements of a religious, political and historical nature. Patriarchal societies, of course, present a high dose of machismo compared to any matriarchal society; What is worrying, in reality, is not the diversity of historical wealth or the cultural legacy, not even the dogmatic documentation, but the denial of humanity as an inherent condition of every human being.
Objectification is the result of this denial, as woman is considered a subject inferior to man and her existence is assumed as an argument in favor of the pleasure and satisfaction of the male sex and not as what she is by universal right: a naturally individual. worthy and of value due to his condition as a human person, capable and deserving of the same opportunities.
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