Day 62

In continuation from the last blog, last paragraph I would like to point out an observation of my own biases and feelings.

I do not trust men. I grew up not trusting stranger men for good reason, but I also learned not to trust men that I let into my inner circle as well. Regardless of my past, I realized after living here in Mazatlán that it is American men that I do not like. American men I do not trust. I would never have figured that out if I had not left the country. So of course, I put some thought into it an explored a little more and started to analyze why American men bother me and why Mexican men do not seem as threatening.

American men have a very strong sense of entitlement. They feel entitled to a woman’s body, they feel entitled to a woman’s time, they feel entitled to their jobs and their earnings. The patriarchy in the United States is crippling and only becoming worse as women’s rights are being stripped away daily there.

Mexican men value hard work. They value hard labor and have a strong work ethic that is only worth it because of the family they go home to each night. I see men with their significant others here and they dress to impress their partners. They smell incredible, they are a strong quiet proud group of people. The women are queens, their queens. The men love their curves. They love their children. They are attentive fathers and doting husbands.

A common scene in the United States is a family of four in a restaurant where the father is eating peacefully while the mother has a child on her lap while feeding and or entertaining the other child. Food is everywhere and she is 100% flustered and exhausted while he just had a great meal completely oblivious to her exhaustion.

In Mexico that scene does not exist. Just last night while out having sushi at 7:30 PM a young couple come into restaurant and the mom pulls the baby out of the stroller and immediately the father takes her, and she orders dinner for both of them. She has a glass of wine, and he entertains the baby happily.   I watched in awe, in silence and in total appreciation. I have a new perspective here and one I am so relieved to have had.