Evita

Stereotyping is a folly that almost everyone indulges in

whether they
realise it or not. Of course many try to stop this by educating
themselves to
be knowledgeable about worldly affairs but one can only equip oneself
with so
much information in ones lifetime. Cofer talks about the stereotype
that follow
Latino women no matter where they go. On the other hand, Eva Peron
(Evita),
portrays how Argentinean women can rise up in life and defeat the
stereotype
they face. Both Cofer and Evita have conflicting views of how one
should beat
the stereotype that they face.
Cofer feels that education is the best way a Latino woman can
oust the
stereotype of them being lower class citizens or as being easy. She
realises
that not every Latino woman has the same educational opportunities as
she had
and because of the majority of Latino women perpetuating the myth, the
stereotype will go on. Many Latino women invite this stereotype to
themselves
as their behaviour and actions are of the result of their upbringing.
Latino
women think that it is normal to dress flashily or bare their skin.
Their
culture allows them to do so as they are protected by traditions and
laws of a
Spanish/Catholic system of morality. The main rule in their culture is
that
"You may look at my sister, but if you touch her I will kill you."
This system
has made Latino women more open and daring. Once they go out of their
cultural
system, they practice the same actions which often tends to be
misinterpreted as
being easy. Some Latino women have used this as a way to advance
themselves
onto higher positions in the world just like what Evita did. These
women are
not of the majority but almost all Latino women fall into the
stereotype of
being easy just because of what a few women has done.
Evita is a typical example of how a woman can use her
physical assets
to gain higher positions in the world. Even though she is treated like
a saint
today, there is still a question of morality on how she has advanced
herself.
True she gave hope to the lower class but how she went about it is
morally wrong.
By treating her like a saint, it is almost saying that it is all right
to use
your body to advance yourself. This is what Cofer is against. She
feels that
women should prove themselves and get out of the stereotype by using
education
to advance themselves.
Many Latino women fall into the term "sexual firebrand" (348)
because of the myth that follow them where ever they go. Some have
resorted to
submitting to the advances of opportunists just to retain their
position in
their jobs. Evita clearly shows that a woman can get anything she
wants by
being manipulative and submitting to physical pleasures. Cofer actually
has made
progress by using her intellect alone and has managed to accomplish
many things
in life. She is a positive contributing member of society which sadly
is not as
recognised as what Evita contributed.
While Cofer has actually contributed to society, what Evita
really
accomplished is really questionable. Other than raising the hopes of
the lower
class Argentineans that they too can rise from poverty, she did not
give them
anything valuable at all other than the spirit to fight for their
rights. I
feel that in comparison, Cofer is the one who has contributed more to
society as
she is rallying for education as a way to advance oneself. Evita on
the other
hand is just perpetuating the stereotype that women should use their
physical
attributes to advance themselves. Both Cofer and Evita show
conflicting views
on how Spanish women should come up in life. While both might have
their merits,
a sense of morality should brings forth the question of what one should
choose
and whether to perpetuate or go against the stereotype that Spanish
women face.