The film Real Women Have Curves directed by Patricia Cardoso tells the coming of age story of Ana Garcia. Ana is a Mexican American teenager that is discovering her womanhood, and struggles with pursuing the life she wants to live versus her parents. The relationship between Ana and her mother unfolds because they have different values, interest and expectations of women. As a first generation Mexican American, Ana distances herself from the traditional Latino culture, and assimilates into the American culture (Cardoso 2002).
Assimilation and Acculturation
Assimilation is a process where an individual integrates into another culture. Acculturation is the process in which one culture adopts the language, tradition or values …show more content…
This figure of speech is a response to the media’s portrayal of women. The media’s image of women portrays them of having slim bodies that are perfectly proportioned. Woman are expected to have a specific body type, and when they do not they are not considered as beautiful and sexy as others. The figure of speech “real women have curves” goes against the media, and pays homage to curvy women (Cardoso 2002).
Demographic Information
The most recent United States census was in 2010, and reported that 16 percent of the overall population was Latino, with Mexicans as the highest ethnic group. The Latino population grew by 43 percent in the U.S from 2000 and 2010. It is also projected that by 2060 the Latino population will be 28.6 percent of the overall U.S population. The majority of Latinos live in the west and south, and with lower percentages in the Northeast and Midwest. In 2013, the percentage of educational attainment for Latinos in the United States was 62.4% received high school diplomas, 23.5% a two year degree or some college and 14% earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. The average personal income for Latinos was $21,900, and the average household income was $41,000 (Stepler & Brown, 2015; The Hispanic Population: 2010, 2011; Colby & Ortman,