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Melissa Melendez

Professor Batty

English 28

13 November 2017

Culture Molds Women

You may have already noticed some of the gender inequality that happens around you but

its not just a problem that persists here in the United States. There are cross-cultural differences

around the world when it comes to understanding female sexuality, it has to do with gender

domination and things like family, marriage religion, etc. Women are treated differently in

different places, according to certain cultural practices; culture heavily affects ones

understanding of female sexuality, whether we like it or not, it shapes who we are and what we

can and cannot do in everyday life. (For example: the Dominican Republic vs. the U.S.)

You may ask yourself, What are the cross-cultural differences? Well, they have to do

with the different power/gender ratios and legal, moral, and religious restrictions on sexuality

from country to country and from culture to culture; as well as with the possible relationship

between femininity, sexuality, and culture. The theory is that females are seen as having a

smaller role in society than men based on things like family, marriage, religion, education,

politics, tradition, and the economy; it also has to do with gender domination and certain

traditional practices.

The definition of the suppression of female sexuality itself is the pattern of cultural

influence by which girls and women are induced to avoid feeling sexual desire and to refrain

from sexual behavior. (Baumeister and Twenge 167.) For example, In How the Garcia Girls

Lost Their Accents, there is a quote that shows how the women are not allowed to go anywhere
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without a male escort or a bodyguard. This is not the states, Tia Flor says, with a knowing

smile. A women just doesnt travel alone in this country. Especially these days. (Alvarez, 9).

This is an example of one of the differences between how women are treated differently

according to that countrys cultural views on women; in this case the Dominican Republic vs the

U.S.

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents was written at a time when small things like

wearing jeans and hoop earrings were considered [to be] political acts against the military-

industrial complex (Alvarez, 28). For example, there is a part in the book where the girls father

says I dont want loose women in the family, he had cautioned all his daughters. Warnings

were delivered communally, even though there was usually the offending daughter of the

moment, every womens character could use extra scolding. His daughters had had to put up

with this kind of attitude (Alvarez, 28). This quote really shows how family would influence

how they could act and what they could do. In this quote, the father is basically sharing his

expectations of the girls behavior and life choices by saying he doesnt want loose women in

the family; this limits how the girls can express their female sexuality just to comply with their

familys expectations. It also then says that his daughters had to put up with his attitude whether

they wanted to or not which goes to show how culture will mold women and there isnt anything

women can really do about it.

Now, there are many different theories on what might cause the suppression of female

sexuality. Two of the theories are based on evolution, meaning that over time, peoples views on

female sexuality from cultural and social viewpoints have come to shape what are todays gender

practices. Two other theories are based on the belief that gender itself is responsible for the
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suppression of female sexuality. These theories discuss the probability that one gender, either

men or women in general, subconsciously work to restrain womens sexual behavior.

Men may say, Why should women be considered equal if men have always been the

head of the house. Well, along with the 21st century, has come a shift in the typical model

family, as well as a greater recognition for women in legislation to give women more equal

rights. In these years, women have become far more independent (economically and socially).

Women make up a large percentage of the workforce and higher-education graduates of

countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. However, there is still a gap between

the genders that is keeping it from becoming exactly equal. This gap is caused by gender

stereotypes from cultural and social viewpoints; which strongly influence how we think men and

women should behave. For example, people believe women should be stay-at-home mothers who

cook, clean, and care for their families while men are seen as having to work, protect their

families, and be head of the family.

Gender roles affect how women may develop their personality traits, domestic behaviors,

occupation, and their physical appearance. For example, in a male-dominated society, it isnt as

acceptable for a woman to earn more money than a man and the idea of a stay-at-home dad

would most likely be frowned upon. Women wouldnt be seen as being as capable of achieving

things typically a man would achieve; women would be less-likely to work outside the home and

get a higher-education.

Although most people dont think theyre actually letting these stereotypes affect their

everyday lives, it all comes back to unconscious bias. Unconscious bias forms when these

specific assumptions, attitudes, beliefs, and expectations from the stereotypes stay in the back of
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peoples minds; then people subconsciously let this affect their feelings and thoughts towards

mens and womens roles in society.

In conclusion, culture heavily affects ones understanding of female sexuality. Women

and men have much different social roles in society in the United States than in the Dominican

Republic. In the United States, although there is still some gender inequality out there, women

and men are seen to be roughly equal. While in the Dominican Republic, men definitely have

more privilege and opportunities. In the novel, there is a strong sense of machismo whereas

women are more just having to act a certain way because of society or their familys

expectations.
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Works Cited

Alvarez, Julia. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Chapel Hill, N.C: Algonquin

Books of Chapel Hill, 1991. Print.

Baumeister, R. F., & Twenge, J. M. (2002). Cultural suppression of female sexuality.

Review of General Psychology, 6(2), 166-203.

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.487.3191&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Kambarami, Maureen. Femininity, Sexuality, and Culture: Patriarchy and Female

Subordination. 2006,

www.arsrc.org/downloads/uhsss/kmabarami.pdf.

Parenthood, Planned. Gender Identity & Roles | Feminine Traits &

Stereotypes. Planned Parenthood, www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sexual-orientation-

gender/gender-gender-identity/what-are-gender-roles-and-stereotypes.

Smit, Chris. Gender Roles in Society- Masculinity & Femininity. Culture Matters, 21

Oct. 2016, culturematters.com/culture-and-gender-roles-in-society/.