A new research from the Pew Research Center published recently explored the pressures Latina women face in the United States. According to the survey, most of these women feel the need to balance professional success with family responsibilities while also dealing with traditional cultural expectations such as taking care of the home, starting a family, and meeting certain beauty standards. These pressures are compounded by the recent connection to immigration, resulting in unique cultural challenges.

“At 22.2 million, Latinas account for 17% of all adult women in the U.S. today. The population grew 5.6 million from 2010 to 2022, the largest increase of any major female racial or ethnic group. Moreover, most Latina adults have recent immigrant connections, with 77% being either immigrants themselves (52%) or having at least one immigrant parent (25%)”.

An article published by NBC News, narrates cases that exemplify these issues, such as that of Flor Herrera, raised as the eldest of 10 siblings in a Mexican-American Catholic family. At 33, she worries about her parents' financial future and feels the pressure from her family to start her own family, although she fears it could affect her career. Herrera co-founded a nonprofit organization to help first-generation Latino students in the United States.

Research shows that about 63% of Latinas often face family or professional pressures, and nearly 7 in 10 feel the need to perform household chores. In addition, 62% feel pressure to maintain appearance, and 56% are pressured to marry and have children.

“Some Latinas in the U.S. grow up with traditional cultural values carried over from Latin America. This can produce pressure from family or a community to place the needs of others ahead of their own, be passive or subordinate to others, or be virtuous or chaste – characteristics related to marianism. At the same time, some Latinas may also feel pressure to achieve success in their own right in academics or a career”.

Valerie Rodríguez, for example, prioritized education before having children, facing frequent questions from her relatives about her family plans. Irene Godinez and Beatriz Marquez highlight the added pressure of positively representing Latinas in their predominantly non-Latino workplaces.

“About half of Hispanic women say sexism against women is a problem in different settings, including at work and in entertainment media. Hispanic men are less likely to say so”.

Despite these tensions, 86 percent of Latinas are satisfied with their lives and about half believe that the situation of Hispanic women in the United States has improved over the past decade, with expectations of future improvements, according to the study. Flor Herrera recognizes the progress that has been made, but also the need for further progress.

“These findings emerge from Pew Research Center’s bilingual National Survey of Latinos, conducted Nov. 6-19, 2023, among 5,078 Hispanic adults. The survey explores what it’s like to be a Latina in the U.S. today”.