There’s something about Maria, a typical Latin
mail order bride. Sure, she’s gorgeous and can easily give
J-Lo a run for her money. And yes, this Latin mail order
bride speaks good English and has a college degree, but so
do brides from other parts of the world. But what sets the Latin
bride apart from mail order brides of other ethnicities is
their paradoxical combination of sensuality and
conventionality. Latin brides exude
both lover and devoted wife.
Why Latin brides are
searching for husbands abroad
Latin mail order
brides represent 21 countries of Latin America, with each
country having its unique set of customs and traditions. A
common characteristic of these cultures is the pervasiveness
of the machismo tradition. The Dictionary of Mexican Cultural
Code Words defines machismo as the repudiation of all
"feminine" virtues such as unselfishness, kindness, frankness
and truthfulness. This so-called “cult of virility” has
engendered a social condition where infidelity, jealousy,
brutality, and vindictiveness are condoned among men. Latin
brides regret the shortage of men without machismo. Latin
mail order brides want men who are not bound by machismo
but loving, responsible, faithful, and gentle, and they
believe these qualities abound in Western men.
Socio-cultural expectations of Latin
brides
Latin brides are
steeped in traditional family values that teach them to be
self-sacrificing moral guardians of the family. The
responsibilities for child rearing and domestic chores fall on
the shoulders of Latin mail order
brides. Marriage plays a crucial role in the life of a Latin
mail order bride and she will do anything to keep her
marriage happy and intact. Devotion and fidelity come
naturally to a Latin bride. Little
wonder that many Western men are seeking a Latin bride to call
their own.
Latin mail order
brides assimilate faster into the U.S. culture
Another aspect that benefits Latin brides is the
relative ease by which they assimilate into the U.S. culture.
The influence of the Latin culture in the U.S. is rather
strong. Spanish-language media is also pervasive in the West.
Latin Americans are the fastest-growing minority in the U.S.
and are expected to outnumber blacks, Asian Americans and all
other minority segments by the year 2005. All these factors
help to minimize the homesickness and adjustment-related
problems that temporarily affect mail order brides from other
countries. Latin mail order
brides will never lack for things that will remind them of
home. This would allow for a smoother transition into new
surroundings, and consequently, lead to happier, stronger
marriages between a Latin bride and her
Western husband.
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