Why do Mexicans stare?
Mexicans are the known inhabitants of the country Mexico. A multiethnic country, the people of Mexico were found to have varied origins that notably evolved, after it was cradled by the Olmecs and Aztecs during its earlier years. After learning an uncommon type of language called the Nahuati language, the Spanish language replaced it by the time the Europeans and the Amerindians were able to settle and colonize the nation. This colonization became an important aspect in the history of Mexico mainly because the Mexican identity significantly evolved and the intertwined cultures of Europe and Amerindian groups brought up of what the culture of Mexico exudes. Directly derived from the country’s name, Mexico, Mexicano is a term used to represent the various peoples residing in the country that emerged to united in the 16th century.
However, today, the people of Mexico, particularly the men, are not as gentlemen as those men living before them. Although they are claimed to be kind and hospitable, with a strong belief in their religion, a lot of tourists have noticed that Mexicans have the habit of staring. For most women, they find it insulting and unmannerly for a man to be staring at a woman, especially when the way the man looks is maniacally. Their staring habit is quite disturbing especially to those who do not understand why they do such act. It has been studied that most of the Mexican population who stare belong to the cluster of men. It has become part of the Mexican culture for men to be brought in the thought that they should dominate over women and that their role as men is to be superior to women. That is why most Mexican men stare at women, regardless of what their nationality may be.
October 25, 2011 11:33 pm
Well, I’m a biracial gay man whose mannerism is average (not really fem nor masc) and I’m also English living here in the United States. And I’ve had experiences with Mexican men a few times before. Here in my neighbourhood, there’s 3 houses that are Mexican residences, and let me tell you, they stare at me very hard (I enjoy it alot myself and of course they know I’m a male). Lots of them also smile at me whilst they are staring. For me, I don’t know if it’s the way my British-English sounds or what, but there’s a 99% guarantee for me that they will be staring at me everytime I come outside, watching me with appears to be lustful looks (now tell me that’s not some kind of attraction they have for me if they do that). It is to my understanding that the Mexican culture, as far as the men go, is a “machismo” society, but I found that to be only a small portion of the truth. I have learned since being here that quite a few Mexican men (and that’s a HUGE quite a few) are indeed bisexual, but just like some of the African-American men who are bisexual, are on the “downlow”. So not only will they stare at women, but they will stare at men that they find attractive and passive acting, but as far as flirting with another man, they would more than likely be discreet about that. Not only that, but as far as with another man, the Mexican man will be the dominant one (as stated above). And it’s not all Mexican men that do this, but as I have said, quite a few do it from my experiences. But they are very wonderful, friendly people and lets say that if a person is lucky to be romantically involved with a Mexican man, trust and believe me, there is never a dull moment!
November 29, 2011 3:21 pm
Hey, oh my gosh…while reading that summary i wasnt very shocked because i figured that it had something to do with dominance but i didnt know that for sure. I have had my fair share of mexicans/spanish men staring me down like as if they have never seen a young woman before. It is really creepy but i try to just cope with and to just take it as a compliment as long as they dont try and touch me or anything.
One of my biggest experiences with mexicans staring me down was 3 years ago, back when i was only 16. Me and my cousins got off of our school bus, i was ahead of my cousin (Ryan) because he was walking slower talking to a friend oh his. Well as i was walking home, i saw this truck ahead of me parked right next to the side walk and it had atleast 5 mexican men in it because they were all sort of hanging out of the window just chilling i guess, they didnt see me yet because i was just about to walk by them. Before i got pass them i got a little anxious because i was thinking to myself (Oh my God they are gonna stare at me i just know it)….I walked past them and they didnt say anything, i didnt turn around to look at them though because i figured that if i did they would most likely me looking at me, i just rather not see it.
Well as i continued to walk another mexican guy was walking towards my way, i got off the side walk so he could get by, i wasnt even looking at him at first i was just staring into space. But as he was about to walk past me i looked up at him and he was looking at me with this creepy grin on his has and he was saying “Hey” to me. I didnt respond i just kept walking.
Well not even 5 minutes later as i was almost home, as i continued walking and Ryan still being behind me, that truck of the 5 mexicans were driving past me with the same guy that said “Hey” to me in the passengers seat. They were all driving slow just staring at me. It was really uncomfortable and embarssing for me. So after they went past me they went just a little farther away from me. They went just a little ahead and they stopped their truck. They were waiting for me to walk past them. I just stopped and got really scared, i didnt know what to do. I wasnt sure if they were gonna try and get me to get in their car with them or something. I yelled for Ryan and i asked him if he could please walk with me, he was pissed off he looked like he was ready to fight them, he saw what they were doing to me. And Ryan is 6’1 and very solid and he use to be a wrestler so hes pretty tuff. But as we were almost catching up to them they saw Ryan with me so they drove away, and as they were driving away they were all looking at me just waving and smiling at me. And Ryan yelled to them “Yeah you better f*cking drive!” lol
I am 19 now and i still have problems with mexican/spanish guys but i can handle it, most of the time they are harmless but you never know sometimes. It is best just to ignore them.
February 29, 2012 3:37 am
Average iq of a Mexican is very low, about 85 iq points, so they can’t think about how anyone else feels. Plus, they have very big egos and self regulate culturally through peer pressure as if stuck in teenage years developmentally. Talk to a Mexican sometime, even Mexican American, and notice that they will dump all of their personal problems on you. You have to talk to them at their level.
January 3, 2022 1:17 pm
Dang Edna, tell me you’re racist without telling me you’re racist.
April 2, 2012 6:40 pm
I am Caucasian and I find all Spanish speaking males staring. I am almost 60. I think it is rude. I don’t care what they do in their country, they are in America now and should treat women with respect. But I know a lot of Hispanics do not want to be part of the AmericN culture and this is causing the problem to stay around. I think it is up to employers and others to tell these men that we consider it rude to be stared at.
July 24, 2012 1:25 pm
Ha, that is funny I was wondering the same thing. I use to work in Mexico and man those dudes there would not let up on the school girls whistling, and hollering some of those girls looked way to young too! My bosses wife was there and they would do the same to her if not more. It made her feel very uncomfortable.
Most Mexican men will not do this to much if they are well educated and realize women are people too. However the ones who aren’t do and of course don’t admit being rude to ladies.
I married a latina 3rd gen, and her sister married a guy from Mexico. When we refer to money and our house its my wife and I. When they or I should say “he” refers to the same its HIS things…
He makes her clean, run errands, watch the kids go get beer, call services you name it that dude doesn’t do much but drive a big truck and drink beer all the time. All the things my wife’s sister does, my wife and I do together. I even clean house, watch our boys and do my own yard work and landscaping.
He thinks its gay to do so, and won’t clean or do yard work. That’s what he says, its gay or white to do that. But one night drinking with them heavily he sorta came on to me. WTF!? I’m thinking whats up with Mr. Macho? I shook it off and pretended not to hear anything. Just thought or hoped the dude was joking and too drunk.
Mexican men do like to dominate over their women, some of the women aren’t allowed in bars in Mexico. But this is not all Mexican men of course there is I think a strong culture that reminds me of an arabic way of treating women and their rights. Its just how these very large group of hispanic men want to treat these women.
I noticed how my wife acts now much different and independent, than before. Our first few years everything was all up to me, I had to make every decision I was THE MAN.
I hated that, I wanted a woman that could stand up for herself. Tell me where we should go this weekend, surprise me ya know, speak up and be heard. After being married for 10 years thats all changed my wife is now the only hispanic teacher in this area and the only ONE out of her family and extended family (cousins etc) to GO TO COLLEGE!
These group of Mexican men need to realize two things
1) you can’t support a family on one income anymore your macho respect that you all so call deserve…needs to chill out you are only holding your spouse and family back
2) what in gods name do you need respect for, I’ve seen dudes who’s wifes have been on welfare for more than 10yrs preach about respect! For what pinching off the government!?
sorry if I came out racist, really not, besides they are a culture not a race, and its not every hispanic dude I’m sure (never met one who didn’t act macho and about respect and look down on women) but there is no way they are all like that I’m just going by from what I’ve seen in my life. Also my wife did say this is why she wasn’t attracted to hispanic guys growing up and instead married a white dude- you know the gay dudes that help out there wives and work in the yard, and say things like “let me check with my wife first” or this is “OUR” house. Its because we are wusses, not because we want to treat our wives as hard working people too.
December 10, 2012 7:06 am
Your right not all Hispanics are like this. My boyfriend of 3 and a half years is not like this he helps me out he works very hard and he prefers i focuse on my education rather than work. He helps clean and do everything we dont have kids but i know if we did he would help. I am Mexican/American and he is from Mexico born and raised. All the men I know are the same as my boyfriend. I have met very few that act the way you said. I live in a hispanic community. But hey maybe it just depends on the people you meet or know. And honestly I know my boyfriend has never starred at other women unless its me , and what everyone said honestly I find this more to be about African-American men doing all these things.
December 7, 2014 7:19 pm
I do not agree with this article’s explanaton. I’m a white male who grew up in an all-white town but have lived in Mexican neighborhoods like East L.A. I too have noticed the Mexican tendency to “stare” and of course this is a generalization, as many (perhaps most) do NOT stare. But those who do are not only staring at women; they stare at men too. Why? Well maybe we should flip the question. What is it about white people that we DON’T stare? Surely you’re interested in strangers, passersby, maybe the person walking down the street everyday, and human nature is such that you might observe or even study them. Caucasians (specifically Europeans with Protestant/Puritanical roots) are the aberration; they’ve created the rule that one must inhibit his natural curiosity. The idea that staring is rude is just a social construct.
I came to this conclusion after noticing that in restaurants for example, Mexican parents rarely admonish their children for staring at strangers. White parents almost universally whap their kids for doing so.
This is not so much an excuse as an explanation. Staring makes me uneasy too and I wish more Mexicans (especially first-generation/immigrants) would consider their manners, just as I would in an unfamiliar country. But just remember that staring is human nature. Not staring is a self-imposed stricture.
December 13, 2014 1:40 pm
I love Mexican people and would like to say not all Mexican people have staring problems. I think it’s racist to say only Mexicans stare. I’ve had black men and white men stare at me!!!!
January 18, 2015 11:17 am
You guys are all racist losers. I’m a Mexican and clearly, most Mexicans are smarter than you!!!! If you were smart, you would embrace Mexicans and see that this is not true for all of us. Don’t tell me that you don’t stare at people from time to time.
March 17, 2015 5:33 pm
This is something I deal with on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis. I live in California and am stared at all the time. I am average girl like many other girls and do not dress provocatively. It is so uncomfortable and feels extremely violating. I don’t welcome it and don’t respond to it other than putting my head down or blocking my face so at least I feel like I am protecting myself in some way.
Whether it’s just a long intense stare or a cat call or both – it is not invited and feels horrible. I understand men look and they can think whatever, but outward behavior that is bothering, harassing or disrespecting women isn’t ok. I’m sure a lot of these men have girlfriends, wives and even children. If I was dating or in a relationship with a man who treated women this way – it would be a major turn off.
March 19, 2015 9:36 pm
I notice that mexicans stare cuz they are looking for a weakness to exploit. They tend to eyeball a lot. That’s why mexico is so corrupt. Its because everyone is looking to exploit each other.
July 30, 2016 6:52 am
Hahahaha, with all due respect this is the dumbest article I have ever read. As a Mexican, the reason why Mexicans stare is because of culture. It’s not based on being dominated or being rude. Yes there’s machismo, but it depends. There are many men in Mexico, who are the sweetest men I have ever met. Machismo is more like a stereotype. I blame it on Hollywood and social media. And in reality, machismo never existed in Mexico. It was brought by the Spaniards. The Mexica, wrongly known as the Aztecs, have always seen women and men as equal. That’s why it was not surprising that the Mexica nation required mandatory education for everyone.
It was very common to see a female doctor, a female poet, a female warrior, a female seller, etc in ancient Mexico. Women and men are considered equal. For the same reason, in the Nahuatl language there’s no such things as the terms him/her or he/she. I know this because my family speaks Nahuatl. But going back to the staring question, in Mexico it’s very common to look/stare at someone in the eyes when your walking in the streets, going to the store, etc and saying hi. A person who always looks down and passes by without acknowledging people around is sometimes considered rude. For example, its not uncommon in Mexico to go to a dentist appointment, look and say hi to the people who are also waiting in line. Another reason why Mexicans stare is because Mexicans like to be aware of their surroundings. For example, in the United States I have noticed that some people don’t even look both ways when crossing the street or even looking closely at the car driver who is waiting for them to cross. In Mexico it’s another situation. You always look even if it’s your turn to cross because you never know. People do it for safety. Some people even stare at the driver to make sure that they can cross. Looking people in the eyes demonstrates that you are confident and that you don’t have nothing to hide. When your looking down, it shows that you lack confidence. As I said it’s a cultural thing. Another reason why is because they might think you are beautiful or different. I mean, who wouldn’t look or stare at someone who they find beautiful. Of course, there are some men who are just pigs, but it doesn’t mean that it’s a Mexican thing. I have been whistled, followed, stared and have recieved inappropriate comments from white and black men. Would I question myself and think “Why do black and white men stare?” No, of course not. That would be very silly of me to think that way. What I am trying to say is that there’s just some men who act stupid and very inappropriate towards women. It doesn’t matter what race or ethnicity you are. There are good and bad people in every race. A whole race should not be generalized by a couple of people. Have a wonderful day.
January 11, 2017 5:02 pm
When Latino men stop looking at me, THEN I’ll worry. 🙂