The Conflict within Hispanic Women

A young woman’s mid-twenties can be a tricky time: college is over, the real world beckons, parents hope for marriage, adulthood is imminent and the responsibility-free days of childhood are long gone. Add to the fact that today many young Latinas often have to straddle two ideals: a traditional background and a modern desire to have it all.


Hispanic women have been ingrained with the values of family and child rearing. In the Hispanic culture, women are given the responsibility to pass on family traditions to children. Many want and yearn for that lifestyle, however secretly, but openly they tell others they don’t want to sacrifice their careers for it. As the same time, most Hispanic women that are in prime child bearing age are second generation Hispanics, born and raised in American with the mix of traditional values and modern wants: a corner office, six figure salaries or their own business. One has to lose out. Usually the guilt imposed by friends and family on many Hispanic women wins and they sacrifice themselves and careers for those wants.


Source: Montané, Diana. “The Conflict Within.” The Latinas Issue, Hispanic. (2009): 26.