Spanish/Mexican Stereotypes

agree raiden1969. I'm half Mexican, live in San Antonio, have been in Houston/San Antonio for a good part of my life. Except for the 10 years my parents divorced and my mom took me and my brother to live in San Francisco (blech). My mom is the white one, dad is Mexican. Anyway, while I was there in California, I went to high school and that's where I met my husband. He's very white bread. This is why this is our favorite movie. My family lives 3 hours away in Houston and it kills me to live to so far. However, every family gathering-which is really for any good occasion-we have our immediate family of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, that's about 25-30 people. When you add in the extended family of my dad's Cousins, Aunts, Uncles, etc. we have close to 100. My husband's family is back in California, and they talk on the phone just on holidays for like 5 minutes (not saying white people do this, but showing the way our lives concur with the movie). He has no idea his cousin's names and it's been years since he's seen Grandparents. In my family, my cousin's are like brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles are like second parents. My husband STILL can't get all my aunt's names right, and can't figure out why my cousin Stephanie is like a 3rd cousin, once removed, but we keep in touch like first cousins. What he does like is when all us women make sure the men have their plates at dinner first. Funny, we're not like that in real life at all, but at supper, we go back into habit of fixing the guys plates so they don't miss the game.

It's kind of funny, my husband looks alot like Matthew Perry. MP has always been my favorite actor-even while I was married. So one night we were in a coffee bar with another couple and these girls were giggling in the corner. When my friend's husband got up one of the girls came up to him and said, "Your friend (my husband) looks just like Chandler on Friends!" We all had a good laugh out of that one, then later when we got home I looked and was like, "You kind of do!" So now it's a big joke. Then this movie comes out-however-I can't say I look like Salma.

Huge post, I know, but just wanted to reiterate that, yes, many Hispanic families are like this. My dad looks alot like Edward James Olmos does in the movie, just not as agressive, more laid back, but is very serious about his little girl. When my husband asked me to marry him, I was happy, said yes, then immediately said, "Did you ask my dad first?"

I'm sure I'll notice more similarities, if so, I'll come back and post. Thanks for letting me tell my point!

Um, Isabel NEVER said she was going to abort? Where on earth did you get THAT from?!?!?? At the start, she was adamant she was keeping the baby, plus, she is a staunch Catholic. Abortion NEEVVVVEERRR entered her mind. It was ALEX that wanted her to have an abortion. Unless you are thinking of when she was in the hospital, where the dialogue made clear that had a medical emergency and MISCARRIED (hence there is no more baby - she LOST THE BABY). You don't get admitted to hospital, for an abortion. The dialogue and scenes made it clear she had problems with her health and told Alex she miscarried. NOT aborted!!



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Lets just poke a little fun at people and things and cultural differences without calling someone a sicko mysogenist etc etc? There are as many stereotypes about the WASPs in the movie as there are the Latinos.

This movie has so many similarities and parallels of my own marriage of 26 years. She is Latina and I am the WASP. The dinner at the Fuentes was such a reminder of my first vists to my in-laws and their extended family. I didn't come from rich parents, but my family dynamic was similar to Alex and I much prefer my wife's family. They've accepted me and I love them dearly.

The scene on the boat at Cinco De Mayo where they discuss religion is a crack up for me. "of course the baby will have to be Catholic" and Mr. Whitman says "and what exactly is wrong with Presbyterian?" Mrs. Fuentes says "Presyterian is not really a religion." My sister-in-law said almost exactly the same thing when she was told I was Protestant. "Protestant is not really a religion"

Movies exagerate, don't get so shook up that the donkey ride was overdone. It's pretty damn funny to see whitebread Danny Whitman from New Canaan Connecticut ride a donkey. It wasn't meant to be degrading to poor people in Mexico who have to ride donkeys. Geez, lighten up a little. Even the two Mexican men they pass are laughing hysterically at the sight of Danny riding a donkey.

If you didn't like Mr. Fuentes character then you wouldn't think much of my father-in-law, Uncle Robert, or Uncle Abe, but I can tell you that even though they have the same cultural background and some of the same attitudes as Mr. Fuentes they are good, decent men, with hearts of gold, who far from perfect have always loved and cared for their families.

I love this movie. I love Salma Hayek. I don't care for Matthew Perry but I can't criticize his performance in this particular movie. It was just what this story line needed.