The Maria Paradox
How Latinas Can Merge Old World Traditions with New World Self-Esteem
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- £10.99
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- £10.99
Publisher Description
In a lively, anecdotal manner, the authors show how to balance old-world values with contemporary North America, whether the issue is juggling career and family demands, turning the traditional marriage into a partnership, awakening and accepting one’s own sexuality, seeking help with emotional problems outside the family, or learning to stand up for one’s feelings and rights.
Filled with real-life success stories and wise, compassionate advice, The Maria Paradox details how any Latina can enjoy the best of both worlds and become her own person at last.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gil and Vazquez are psychotherapists based in New York City, with largely Latina clienteles. Case histories drawn from their private practices enliven a unique self-help guide for Hispanic women and the men who love them. Reinforcing traditional machismo, the authors declare, is marianismo, a centuries-old belief system that in effect tells Latinas: "Don't forget a woman's subservient place; never put your own needs first; don't wish for more in life than being a housewife; sex is for making babies." Filled with self-help exercises, their clearly written manual, designed to help Latinas enter mainstream American culture with enhanced self-esteem, offers practical advice on how to build support networks, overcome passivity, forge career paths, change or get out of abusive relationships and increase sexual fulfillment. Author tour.
