Portrayal of Racism in Judith Cofers The Myth of the Latin Woman

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Portrayal of Racism in Judith Cofer's “The Myth of the Latin Woman”
In the short story “The Myth of the Latin Woman: Just Met a Girl Named Maria,” Judith Cofer highlights the burden of cultural stereotyping that hinder social mobility among Latino-Americans. Because of their way of dressing and cultural practices, Latino women are wrongly viewed as sexual objects and ones with loose morals. The most striking aspect of the short story, however, is the author's assertion that the stereotypes are constructs of biased and prejudiced media representations of Latino women. The stereotypical representation of Latino women as sexual objects, illiterate, and domestic workers follows them to the workplaces, schools, and in the streets. The stereotypes not only encourage the sexual harassment they encounter, but are also used to justify racial discrimination in the whites dominated American society. This essay argues that Cofer's “The Myth of the Latin Woman” not only portrays media stereotyping as a subtle form of racial discrimination against Latino women, but also criticizes the American society's artificial understanding of sexual morality.
The adjectives used to describe Hispanic women, such as “Hot Tamale, sizzling, and smoldering” contains sexual connotations that encourage the public to view them as sexual objects (Cofer 150). The tendency of the media to use sexual innuendos when advertising products featuring Latino women feeds the public mindset that the only positive thing about these women is their bodies. The focus on the Latino woman's body instead of their intellect is one way of dehumanizing them by reducing their existence into sensual objects for the amusement of men. The irony of the western media's encouragement of gender stereotyping is the idea that America, like all the “civilized” western countries, boast of promoting gender equality and women's rights. The sexual harassment of Latino women contradicts this claim of America being the land of the free. In this regard, Cofer's short story can be interpreted as a mockery of western ideals which purport to promote gender equality. The author suggests that the American society has not yet achieved the liberation of all women. Although white women are accorded respect in ...