Do Hispanics like being "macho"?

OMG, they don't like me. I'm not a monster. Honestly, I'm very misunderstood.

What U.S. Latinos Say About ‘Machismo’

While ‘machismo’ has multiple meanings to Hispanics, most view it negatively

By Carolyne Im, Luis Noe-Bustamante and Mark Hugo Lopez, PEW Research

Dec 17, 2024

For Hispanics living in the United States, conversations about gender can include discussions of “machismo,” a concept that generally captures ideas, behaviors and expectations related to men and masculinity that is sometimes attributed to Spanish-speaking cultures.

A two-paneled chart with a pie chart and bar chart. The pie chart shows that 83% of Latino adults have heard of the term “machismo.” The bar chart shows that among those who are aware of the term, 73% say machismo among Hispanics is a bad thing.

A November 2023 Pew Research Center survey finds that a large majority of Latino adults in the U.S. (83%) have heard of machismo. And among those who have heard of it, 73% say machismo among Latinos is a bad thing.

Overall, 60% of all Latino adults – including those who have not heard of machismo – see it negatively.1

For decades, conversations about machismo have taken place among Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike in American popular culture, higher education and politics.2 In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump’s campaign was sometimes seen as displaying traits linked to machismo in an effort to appeal to men of all backgrounds.

In Latin America, conversations about machismo often focus on gender relations, including its links to toxic masculinity, sexism and gender-based violence.3 In recent years, governments across the region have launched campaigns against machismo to address some of these attitudes and behaviors.4

A bar chart showing what “machismo” means to U.S. Latinos. Among Latino adults aware of the term “machismo,” 25% say machismo means the belief that men are superior to or better than women and 22% say it means acting with emphasized or prideful masculinity.

U.S. Latinos define machismo in many ways.

In the survey, respondents who have heard of machismo were asked an open-ended question about what the term means to them.5

• 25% say machismo is the belief that men are superior to or better than women.

• 22% say it means acting with emphasized or prideful masculinity.

• 19% say it is the belief that men and women should have certain roles in society based on gender.

17% say it means acting dominating or aggressive.There are substantial differences in Hispanics’ views of what machismo means by the primary language they speak and where they were born. Meanwhile, there are more modest differences by gender.

In terms of personal behavior, 22% of Latino adults familiar with the term say they act in a way they consider to be consistent with machismo. Among men, 28% say they sometimes or often act this way, and among women, 17% say they do.6

These findings come from Pew Research Center’s bilingual National Survey of Latinos, conducted in November 2023 among a nationally representative sample of 5,078 Latino adults.

‘Machismo’ in history, scholarship and daily life

What ‘machismo’ means to U.S. Latinos, by key demographics

Hispanics’ views of machismo vary across English and Spanish speakers and nativity

Hispanics’ views on what machismo means varies significantly by the primary language they speak. This can reflect the culture and place they grew up in or remain connected to, which can influence their attitudes and views.7 Among Hispanic adults who have heard of the term “machismo”:

• Those who primarily speak Spanish (34%) or are bilingual in Spanish and English (29%) are more likely than primary English speakers (13%) to say machismo is the belief that men are superior to or better than women.

• English-dominant speakers (42%) are far more likely than bilingual (19%) or Spanish-dominant speakers (4%) to describe machismo as acting with emphasized or prideful masculinity.

These views mirror the diverse ways that major Spanish- and English-language sources describe machismo. For instance, the Real Academia Española’s definition emphasizes male arrogance and sexist discrimination, while Merriam-Webster’s definition emphasizes “masculine pride” and “exaggerated masculinity.”

Latinos’ views also differ by where they were born. Among those aware of “machismo”:

• Immigrants are twice as likely as the U.S. born to describe machismo as the belief in male superiority (34% vs. 16%).

• U.S.-born Latinos are roughly four times as likely to say machismo means acting with emphasized or prideful masculinity (37% vs. 9%).

Jump to more on machismo awareness among Latinos and what it means to them and how their views vary by other demographic groups.

In their own words: What does ‘machismo’ mean to U.S. Hispanics?

Survey respondents, in an open-ended question, shared what the term machismo means. Below are selected responses.

“Machismo refers to the privileges and treatment that men give and receive in their lives just for being men, and these privileges and treatment are, for the most part, negative towards the well-being of men and their loved ones.” – U.S.-born man, late 20s

“A visible self-presentation as well as internalization of being strong, indomitable, capable, serious, thoughtful, insightful.” – U.S.-born woman, mid-60s

“Un hombre que se siente superior a las mujeres solo por el hecho de ser hombre. Que piensa que el rol de la mujer es quedarse en casa y atender a sus hijos sin oportunidad de superación personal.” – Immigrant man, late 30s8

“Machismo means needing to feel and act manly or macho, including putting their pride and ego over those around them.” – U.S.-born woman, mid-20s

Do U.S. Hispanics think ‘machismo’ is a good or bad thing, and do they display machismo behavior? It varies by how they define it

Most Latinos who have heard of machismo view it negatively. Yet these views vary considerably based on what it means to them. For example:

• 90% of Latinos who describe machismo as the belief that men are superior to women say it is a somewhat or very bad thing.

• 43% of those who describe machismo as acting confident, chivalrous or protective view it negatively.

A two-paneled chart showing that Hispanics’ views of machismo varies by how they define the concept. The vast majority of Latinos who describe machismo as the belief that men are superior to women say it is a bad thing; fewer than half who describe it as acting confident, chivalrous or protective say the same.

Whether Hispanics say they display machismo behavior is also connected to how they describe the concept.

14% who describe machismo as the belief that men are superior to women say their behavior is consistent with machismo at least sometimes.

35% of those who describe it as acting confident, chivalrous or protective say they act this way.

Generally, those who see machismo negatively are less likely to say they act that way.9