Marianismo and machismo are traditional gender roles in Latin America. Marianismo is the aspect of female gender roles while machismo is the aspect of male gender roles. The fundamental belief of machismo is that men hold supremacy over women. For the most part these gender roles conform to traditional conceptions of sexuality, masculinity and femininity. There is only one key contradiction that I have found regarding the traditional conception of sexuality, masculinity and femininity. Some people may confuse the meanings of gender, sex and sexuality. Gender is what a person chooses to define themselves as: masculine or feminine. Sex is biological: male or female. Sexuality is therefore defined as the expression of sexual interest. These three words are connected to each other. Beliefs about the gender role of Marianism vary depending on where you are. Marianism beliefs influence what women see as “appropriate feminine behavior” (Craske, 1999, p. 12). Stereotypes are created about women who stick to what is “appropriate” for what women can and cannot do. It is out of the ordinary for women not to follow these Marianist beliefs. It is obvious that motherhood is considered the ultimate role of a woman. While it would make sense for men to have fatherhood is not the ultimate role for men (even though both man and woman are necessary to create a child), this is not the case at all. Another key belief of Marianism found by Craske (2002) is that women are “dominant in the private world of domestic organization,” while men are dominant in the public sector (p. 11). This is important to know because the women lived very secluded lifestyles. This exclusive lifestyle ties in with the fact that Catholic women in Latin America committed greater transgressions than men when it came to... middle of paper... and that's not theirs because they dress up. gender roles and sexuality generally have a connection. The connection may vary depending on the country or people involved, but the connection exists nonetheless. Individuals also choose to practice sexuality in different forms. Each shape connects to masculinity and femininity in a unique manor. Therefore the connection between the two terms (gender roles and sexuality) is present. Works Cited Chant, S., & Craske, N. (2002). Gender and sexuality. In Gender in Latin America (pp. 128-160). Retrieved December 9, 2013 Craske, N. (1999). Women and political identity in Latin America. In Women and Politics in Latin America (First ed., pp. 9-25). Np: Rutgers University Press. Mignolo, W. D. (2005). The idea of ​​Latin America (pp. 1-94). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.