Latina Research Paper

The definition of a Latina can be placed on a spectrum of both negative and positive connotations. A Latina is usually defined as a woman of Latin American origin. In today’s society, the media is used as a source of mass communication, and with that, information involving Latina women is spread to different ends of the world with just one click of a button. Whether it be on television shows, films, advertisements, or written words, Latinas are often portrayed in a light that involves specific careers and nonphysical or physical characteristics; which can lead to stereotypes used by people around the world. People of different cultures often depend on the one-sided image the media lays out for them; an image that is not necessarily the best

Latin American women are often hypersexualized in the media, and make that the main focus and stereotype in the eyes and minds of viewers from around the world. The body of a Latina is often one of the first things that comes to mind when this specific group of women is mentioned. When it come to the recognition of celebrities, talent is often overshadowed by the certain body type or other physical qualities they have. In the case of Jennifer Lopez and her early years in the music and film industry, the media began to focus on her appearance, and the “media coverage during this period unequivocally emphasized her ethnically ambiguous, racially flexible, and desirable body” (Molina-Guzman, 2010). The stereotypical body type that is usually associated with Latinas is often idolized by many in society, where curves are put before internal traits or qualities. This “expectation” often leads to insecurities and unhappiness in Latin American women who do not necessarily fit into the mold of the stereotype that is associated with their group. People from around the world are often blinded by the misrepresentation of Latinas and live their lives thinking the stereotype is the only body type when it comes to all Latin American