Senior studies roles of Latina women
By KATIE McVOY
News Writer
Latina women are taking their place in a world where women are assuming an increasing number of non-traditional roles, according to a study by Manuela Hernandez, a senior psychology major at Saint Mary's.
"My hypothesis was that most Latina college students would be preparing to enter the workforce as teachers and nurses, which are traditionally women's fields," Hernandez said. "The hypothesis was based on the Hispanic `machismo' culture, which puts men at the top of the hierarchical chain, and reports that Latinas are more likely than Caucasian females to endorse traditional roles. My study exposed a completely different reality."
Hernandez began her study last year, using a sample of 20 women. This smaller study upheld the initial hypothesis that Latinas were likely to pursue traditional female roles. This, along with the "machismo" culture, seemed to indicate that a complete study would show that Latina women take on traditional roles.
Hernandez reported that 57 percent of her sample of Latina women were pursuing non-traditional majors such as business, science, and finance. Her sample was composed of Latina women from Notre Dame and Saint Mary's. Thirty-five percent of these were pursuing gender-neutral majors, such as communication, and only 8 percent were pursuing the traditional female majors such as nursing or education.
Hernandez attributes some of the differences between the results and the hypothesis to her sample population. She also stressed the results only apply to women at Saint Mary's and Notre Dame.
"Because these women are educated Latina women, they may already be considered non-traditional," Hernandez said. "The fact that they are in private colleges also makes them less traditional. Results may have differed if I had studied a public college or community college."
In addition to studying the kinds of roles Latinas take on, Hernandez also looked into the external influences which tend to affect the women. She found that a father's education level and the amount of time the mother spent working affected the women surveyed. There was a definite correlation between the level of the father's education and the choice of role. In general, the women in non-traditional roles had fathers with higher levels of education than those in traditional roles. Also, these women's mothers tended to spend more time working.
To complete her sample, Hernandez investigated whether or not generation had an effect on Latinas' career choices. She asked if Latina women become less traditional as they are separated by generations from their Latina roots and initiated into U.S. culture. She found this had no effect on the women's choice of role.
Hernandez herself is a first generation American. Both of her parents are from Mexico. Although her mother used to stay at home, she now works to help other Hispanics file income taxes and file for immigration. Her father, formerly a carpenter, currently works in a foundry in Fort Wayne.
Hernandez plans on going to graduate school through a fellowship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute or the General Public Policy. Following graduate school, she hopes to go to law school and practice immigration law.
All News Stories for Friday, March 10, 2000
