Difference between revisions of "328--Week 3 Questions/Comments"
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When reading Castaneda's article I couldn't help but think how we do romanticize the Spanish American women of the western frontier. Presented in movies and books, the Spanish woman in America has developed this myth of beauty and grace in the California frontier. On the other hand, the Mexican American woman is thought of as dirty and poor, perhaps a prostitute. Again there are modern images in movies and popular culture referencing that stereotyped past. When I was reading the article, the stereotypes of a romantic Spanish woman against the beggar-like figure of a Mexican woman from the western frontier were at the forefront of my thoughts. Like last week's articles, Castaneda's article shows how important it is to analyze all facets of women's history regardless of race. It also made me think how difficult it must be for historians to separate fact from fiction especially with these images of the old West still around today. -Kendall Haring | When reading Castaneda's article I couldn't help but think how we do romanticize the Spanish American women of the western frontier. Presented in movies and books, the Spanish woman in America has developed this myth of beauty and grace in the California frontier. On the other hand, the Mexican American woman is thought of as dirty and poor, perhaps a prostitute. Again there are modern images in movies and popular culture referencing that stereotyped past. When I was reading the article, the stereotypes of a romantic Spanish woman against the beggar-like figure of a Mexican woman from the western frontier were at the forefront of my thoughts. Like last week's articles, Castaneda's article shows how important it is to analyze all facets of women's history regardless of race. It also made me think how difficult it must be for historians to separate fact from fiction especially with these images of the old West still around today. -Kendall Haring | ||
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| + | When I read the Castaneda essay, it angered me that historians in the past stereotyped Mexican women as immoral and sexually and racially impure simply because they did not live under the norms of middle class white women - pure, pious, domestic, and submissive. It was also unfortunate in both Castaneda's essay as well as in the anonymous letter to the editor of the Beacon that Native women in the West were viewed as objects of sexual conquest by white soldiers and settlers. - Marilyn | ||
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| + | It was sad to read that the intent of the Cherokee seminary schools for females was to teach girls to conform to the ideals of white society instead of learning about and maintaining their own Cherokee heritage. -Marilyn | ||
In response to Kelly W's question regarding the two ethnicities, I believe that it does exist. I had the opportunity to visit Mexico a number of years ago and was surprised to hear the derogatory comments made by the Mexican workers in regard to the tourists from South America, which they referred to as "Spanish". There seems to be a perception or attitude within the hispanic (or Latino) community; namely, "Spanish" descent ranks high, Mexican follows, and then the Mayans. This order in hierarchy is not that much different from the one that existed in colonial Mexico and Middle America, which placed Spaniards on top, then Spanish born in Mexico, Mestizos (Spanish/native females), Indians, then Blacks.-LisaM | In response to Kelly W's question regarding the two ethnicities, I believe that it does exist. I had the opportunity to visit Mexico a number of years ago and was surprised to hear the derogatory comments made by the Mexican workers in regard to the tourists from South America, which they referred to as "Spanish". There seems to be a perception or attitude within the hispanic (or Latino) community; namely, "Spanish" descent ranks high, Mexican follows, and then the Mayans. This order in hierarchy is not that much different from the one that existed in colonial Mexico and Middle America, which placed Spaniards on top, then Spanish born in Mexico, Mestizos (Spanish/native females), Indians, then Blacks.-LisaM | ||
