Macho - Caballerismo

Caballerismo

Also called "Caballerosidad". Understandings of machismo in Latino culture are not all negative. As they do involve the characteristics of honour, responsibility, perseverance and courage, related to both individual and group interaction. For example, the Latino male’s understanding of his masculinity, in opposition to stereotypes perpetuated by dominant discourse, has been found to be informed by considerable childcare responsibilities, politeness and respect for women’s autonomy, and a non-violent attitudes and behaviors In this way, machismo comes to signify both positive and negative understanding of Latino male identity within the immigrant context. Therefore, Machismo, like all social constructions of identity, should be understood as having multiple layers


Latin American scholars have noted that positive descriptors of machismo bare a resemblance to the characteristics associated with the concept of caballerismo. The word Caballerismo originates from Spanish word for horse and horseman—caballo and caballero. Caballerismo refers to a chivalric masculine code of behavior. An English term that also stems from the original Latin root caballus. Like the English chivalric code, caballerismo developed out of a medieval sociohistorical class system in which people of wealth and status owned horses for transportation and other forms of horsepower. Thus, caballero referred to a land-owning colonial Spanish gentleman of high station who was master of estates and/or ranches

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