Perceptions of Sexism Through a Latine Lens

This study aims to compare Latine men and women's perceptions of hostile and benevolent sexist behaviors, while also examining the associations between these perceptions and Latine cultural values. Participants who identified as Latine (55 men, 57 women; M _age = 32.05, SD = 10.63) were presented with 14 scenarios reflecting hostile and benevolent sexist interactions and were asked to rate their perceptions of these interactions as sexist and caring. The findings suggest that Latine men and women perceive benevolent sexist behaviors as less sexist and more caring than hostile sexist behaviors. Latine women were also more likely than Latine men to identify sexist behaviors as sexist, regardless of sexism type. In addition, Latine cultural values of machismo and marianismo were found to be negatively correlated with the identification of hostile and benevolently sexist behaviors as sexist and positively correlated with the identification of hostile and benevolently sexist behaviors as caring. Caballerismo was found to be negatively correlated with the identification of benevolently sexist behavior as sexist and positively associated with the identification of benevolently sexist behavior as caring. These findings lend support to previous conceptualizations of ambivalent sexism theory and Chicana feminist theorizing, which suggest that hostile and benevolent sexism function within Latine cultural values to uphold gender divisions. This study contributes to this conceptualization by addressing the role of Latine cultural values in how sexist interactions are perceived by Latine men and women and highlights the strengths within these values that can be used to address issues of sexism within Latine communities.