representations of masculinity and femininity as portrayed in selected `telenovela'

Latin American television is dominated with locally produced programs especially telenovela. This genre has become very popular in Latin American countries. The popularity of these programs would infer that they would show the ideals of the machismo--active, aggressive masculinity--and marianismo--inactive, passive, self-denying female. These concepts are used within Latin American societies to describe men's and women's normative behaviors. One major problem with these two concepts is their applications to men and women of all classes. An analysis of selected telenovela shows that the male and female characters behaviors are interrelated with class. Class consideration is important before gender polarizations can be defined.