También las mujeres pueden: The Depiction of Mexican and Mexican American Women in Contemporary Corridos

Since 1910, the corrido, a Mexican ballad-themed song that originated during the Mexican Revolution, has narrated the stories of brave, bold men, with “guts.” Famous characters have been immortalized in these songs like Gregorio Cortez Lira at the beginning of the 20th century, Joaquín Guzmán Loera in the 90s, or the infamous migrant men who sought a better future in the U.S. during the migration boom in the early 2000s. Originally, the corrido served as a means of communication by Mexican revolutionaries to keep each other informed of the latest news in the war. As time passed, the corrido transformed from a messenger tool used in war to a popular mass music genre. One cannot deny the key role that corridos have played in spreading Mexican/Mexican American culture and the portrayal of the identities of Mexican/Mexican American men all over México, states across the U.S., parts of Central America, and even Europe. However, one important factor to acknowledge is the minimal appearance of women in corridos compared to men, and the limited identities that corridos portray of women. If women play a vital role in the Mexican/Mexican American community in being the pillar of the family, defying stereotypes and machismo, to fighting against oppression, why is it that we do not see more often the lives of women reflected in these songs? In this master’s thesis, I will analyze the influence of gender and sexism limiting the participation of women in corridos, as well as inquire into the lyrics of the corridos to see the portrayal of the identity of Mexican and Mexican American women. The hope of diving into an extensive analysis of corridos from the 90s until today, is to come up with suggestions on how new creations of lyrics will highlight the multifaceted experiences of Mexican and Mexican American women while fighting stereotypes.