Social Reflection

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Ecuador is filled with rich culture and diverse peoples, as well as underlying social and political issues hidden within their society. I have noticed strong differences between Ecuadorian gender dynamics and the way I was raised. A couple of days ago, I was helping my host Mama make ceviche and I mentioned that my mother does not like to cook. Mama then asked who cooks at my house for my three younger siblings and I, to which I replied my dad cooks. She looked disapprovingly and surprised that my mother was not the primary caretaker of my siblings and I. As stated in Culture Smart, “Ecuadorians have what might be called an old-school approach to gender relations”. It is clear that women are expected to cook, clean and appear attractive for their husbands. This expectation is manifested through advertising of clothing on mannequins, billboards and commercials. The woman is portrayed as provocative and sexy, while the man is shown to be strong and dominant. These attitudes towards gender have created problems of gender inequality and discrimination towards women. Since women are regarded as subordinate and less capable than men, there is a large population of women in poverty and unaware of their rights. Ecuadorian women also suffer from domestic violence that often go unreported due to this social norm, especially among the indigenous population. Assigned roles as homemakers for women has led to problems of lack of education and illiteracy, which promotes prostitution, early pregnancies and poverty among women. Although these attitudes towards gender are woven into Ecuadorian society, they create serious social issues for the economic and political future for women.

In Quito, there are walls covered in graffiti and vendors spread across the streets. Although in the U.S. graffiti is regarded as destructive, Ecuadorian graffiti is used as medium for political and social discourse. These city walls promote thought and communicate the way of life and history of Ecuador. Quito is famous for the largest murals in Ecuador, depicting indigenous lifestyles, independence from Ecuador’s conquerors and the beauty of the surrounding nature. There is a famous saying that, “no wall is white in Ecuador”, because the murals tell a story of the people. It communicates where they come from and where they would like to go as a society.

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