Sexuality in Mexico

I have been going to the same town (San Miguel de Allende, Gto) in México for about the past 10 years, and was there just last week for fall break to visit my Mother. I have often thought about the differences in lifestyle, gender roles, and sexuality in México, but going after doing some study on the History of Sexuality brought new thoughts and frameworks to mind.

In going to México this time, I came to the conclusion that their sexuality is influenced most strongly by two things: the Catholic Church and family. The Catholic Church is the foremost institution in many Mexican’s lives and has great influence over the values held by people and what behaviors are acceptable in society. The Catholic Church does not generally support contraceptives, comprehensive sexual education, abortion, or sex before marriage, which I take to have a huge influence on the sexual lives of those who live by its teachings. Before every marriage occurs, the betrothed couple must submit their information to their parish church and have it displayed for all to see for several weeks before they may marry. This information includes such information as whether or not each member of the couple is a legitimate or illegitimate child of their parents. I think that the fact that this practice is still in place and tells the public about the marital status of the parents at the time of the child’s birth shows the importance of waiting for marriage before being sexually active in México and shows the Church’s influence over the lives of its congregants.

Additionally, sexuality does not seem to be as much of a part of the public sphere in México as it is in the US, which is where the tie between family and sexuality comes in. It is clear that many women and men are sexually active because of their pregnant bellies and children in tow, but there is still no overt discussion of sexuality- it is relegated to the sphere of family. Also, as mentioned above, it is important in México to be married before showing any overt signs of sexual activity. However, having children is also a very important value for many Mexicans, which leads to early marriages and multiple children, and to my conclusion that sexual value in México is placed upon the reproductive capacity of sexual relations. The fact that sexual value is placed upon its ability to produce children lends itself very strongly to heterosexual relations and homosexuality is not something that I have seen or heard much of at all in my time in México. This is not to say that there are not homosexual practices or relationships, but because they do not work towards the reproductive goal, they are not highly visible in a society that places huge value on reproduction.