6 Harmful Stereotypes About Latin Americans

As the United States continues to go through a reckoning with regard to racial and social injustice, many people are eager to examine and refute harmful stereotypes about minority groups. Latin Americans are one example of a large population that has been labeled by such assumptions.

Stereotypes have contributed to the widespread discrimination experienced by Latinx individuals, which can have powerful effects on overall mental and emotional well-being. "Stereotypes are harmful because people tend to see them as the truth," says Yolanda Renteria, LPC, "which leads to increased criticism, hostility, hate crimes, exclusion, and racism."

Read on for six examples of common Latinx stereotypes to avoid.

"All Latin Americans Have Homogenous Origins"

Latin America is comprised of 33 different countries, located within South America, Central America, and the Caribbean islands. Just like each of the European countries has different cultures and traditions, so do the individual countries in Latin America.

There are a substantial number of people from South America living in the U.S. While many may speak Spanish like those in Mexico and Central America, their heritage is not one and the same.

This is why it’s important to ask a person of Hispanic descent how they’d like to be identified before labeling them yourself. "Recognizing people's unique cultures, just like we do for people of European descent, helps people feel seen and feel proud of their heritage and ethnic origin," says Renteria.

"Latin American Immigrants Are Out to Steal American Jobs"

This is another harmful Latinx stereotype that often leads to discrimination and assumptions about one’s immigration status. Yet, high rates of immigration (documented or undocumented) do not exacerbate unemployment. In fact, research suggests the opposite.

According to one study, immigration actually lowers unemployment—even for native individuals. This study also found that immigration positively impacts pricing and public finances.

"Maintaining the false belief that immigrants are stealing people's jobs usually makes people in the larger group feel threatened and act hostile towards immigrants," says Renteria, "which leads to a greater sense of being excluded for marginalized groups."

"Latino Masculinity Equals Dominance and Violence"

This is rooted in the concept of “machismo,” a set of cultural beliefs about manhood. Machismo emphasizes male strength, honor, emotional reserve, and confidence. Like gender roles in any culture, these traits can be helpful or harmful depending on the context.

When certain ideals are taken too far, machismo has been associated with sexist attitudes and emotional repression. However, many Latino men are moving away from rigid gender roles toward a more flexible definition of masculinity, emphasizing positive traits like chivalry and bravery.

"Latin American Women Are Always the Home Caretakers and Don’t Work Traditional Jobs"

Another common stereotype is that Latin American women aren’t part of the American workforce and always default to staying at home and caring for children. This is false.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that among Latinas aged 25 to 54, over two-thirds are part of the civilian labor force. There are many high-achieving Latin American women in all fields, from law to science and athletics, and perpetuating stereotypes won’t help them pursue their goals.

It is worth noting that prejudice does impact Latin American women's access to certain jobs. Latin American women are vastly underrepresented in fields commonly dominated by White individuals. For example, only 1% of higher education faculty identify as Latina.

In addition, Latin American women are less likely to be assigned leadership positions. The U.S. Government Accountability Office reports that while approximately 69% of female managers in the country are White, the number of Latino or Hispanic female managers is closer to 12%.

"All Latin American Families Have Multiple Children" 

A study by Pew Research Center reveals that the average family size varies little between ethnicities. Specifically, it noted that all ethnicities of mothers in their early 40s (Hispanic, Black, White, and Asian) had between 2.2 and 2.6 children, on average.

This stereotype is harmful because it plays into the assumption that Latinas are "promiscuous" and destined to become teenage mothers. However, the mean age for giving birth to their first child is 26.5 for mothers of Central or South American ethnicity, 24.1 for those from Puerto Rico, and 23.7 for mothers of Mexican descent.

"Latin Americans Are Unwilling to Learn English"

This stereotype is heavily present with people assuming the Latin American people they encounter on a daily basis don’t understand what they’re saying or, worse, mock them when they try to communicate with limited English. There tends to be a double standard in these interactions, as only 20% of native-born Americans can speak a second language well enough to hold a conversation.

The stereotype is also fed into by the education system, with teachers and administrators assuming kids who speak English as their second language don’t want to learn. A lack of funding and support for English language learning programs can hamper students' ability to progress in their studies.

Finally, disparaging someone’s speaking ability or poking fun at their accent (like we often see in popular shows like Modern Family) is sure to do a number on their confidence, even when they want to improve their language skills. 

"Sadly, in the United States, there is still a problem with Spanish from Latinx communities being seen as the less desirable language and accent," says Renteria. "This is a big reason many immigrants feel shame and inadequate attempting to speak English, even if it's a few words."

A Word From Verywell

It may seem obvious, but it’s worth emphasizing that it’s never a good idea to feed into negative stereotypes about ethnic minorities. By becoming more educated about this type of messaging, everyone can do their part to create more diverse and equitable spaces in a number of arenas. Helping Latin American adults and children prosper can only help our country on its long road to progress in reducing racial discrimination.