‘Hips Don't Lie’: Exploring how the image of Latina femininity, hyper-sexuality and identity in the mainstream media affects the lives of Latin American women in London
While studying Human, Social, and Political Science at the University of Cambridge, I proposed the following research question for my third-year dissertation:
How do Latin American women in London navigate experiences of racialised femininity and hypersexuality based on mainstream media and community expectations?
Through interviews, I investigated how Latin American women view media representations and their interpretations of 'hypersexualisation' - what it means to them, whether they have experienced it, and whether it is tied to media representation of Latin American women.
I found six key findings, which were the following:
The Power of Visual Imagery
When asked about representation in media they consumed, women primarily discussed U.S. visual imagery and how these shaped dominant ideas of Latin American women. Latin American celebrities with an international presence were also referenced. Women acknowledged the importance of dominant representations while critiquing how they remain exclusionary and reinforce stereotypes.
Latin American women named significant representatives were Jennifer Lopez, KAROL G, Anitta, Shakira, Sofia Vergara, and Anya-Taylor Joy. There were mixed attitudes towards these women; for instance, while women celebrated their achievements, there was criticism that they had more Eurocentric features. Women of African, Asian, and Indigenous descent felt excluded, feeling that visual imagery still has a long way to go. Brazilian women also felt excluded as more focus was on representing Spanish speakers.
British Mainstream Media
Participants noted a lack of representation in British mainstream media, which may have also impacted how non-Latin Americans in London perceive Latin American women. In the absence of media representation, women explored depictions of Latin American identity and femininity in London through community spaces and alternative media. These included the Colombian Consulate, which has a very active role in the celebration of Colombian heritage, and 'Popola', the queer Latinx and Afro-Caribbean night club. One participant identified 'My Uncle Is Not Pablo Escobar', a play performed at the Brixton House, as the first time they felt represented as British-Latinx.
The internet emerged as an important source for finding representation. Some used TikTok to locate other Latin Americans in London. The internet also provided access to streaming services, where women could access Latin American visual media or listen to Latin American artists.
The Latin American Body in Constructing Identity
All participants discussed how there was a stereotypical imagination of what Latin American bodies should look like from non-Latin Americans - petite, slim, curvy, and tanned, but light skin. Most notably, there was excessive focus placed on the idea of having large buttocks - the absence and presence of large buttocks were then used by non-Latin Americans to determine whether a woman 'looks' Latin American or not.
The Latin American body was also frequently discussed regarding movement - women were expected to be able to dance. Furthermore, one woman discussed how she felt that non-Latin American men draw a correlation between the ability to dance and the ability to perform well during sex.
Women shared how they felt that their bodies were more openly commented on, suggesting a sense of entitlement to Latin American bodies - women were either told their body 'gave away' that they were Latin American, that their body did not 'look' Latin American or asked invasive questions about cosmetic surgery.
Perceptions from the British General Population
Women felt that heterosexual cisgender men, irrespective of ethnic background, were the primary perpetrators of attributing hypersexuality to Latin American women. The ‘Latin American’ identity was seen as a 'fetish' or 'type' to be consumed for sexual gratification - for instance, when a woman's Latin American identity is revealed, she becomes seen as 'more' attractive. However, this sentiment was not just limited to men, with one woman sharing how British populations, and 'Westerners' more broadly, perceive Latin American women as a 'sexual' group, which directly opposed how she perceived herself.
The perception of Latin American women was heterogeneous - some women shared generally favourable treatment of their Latin American identity. In contrast, others experienced derogatory comments related to migration status or dating men for citizenship, even if they were born in London.
Is there a pressure to conform?
Most women felt a degree of pressure to conform to the stereotype of Latin American women, but this did not mean they acted on it. The pressure was predominantly rooted in the expectations non-Latin Americans placed on them based on U.S. media representation. Women who grew up in Latin America discussed being unaware of these stereotypes before migration, which came as a cultural shock. Some women have internally questioned whether they are Latin American enough' as they fall outside of the imagined appearance and behaviour of what Latin American women should look like - this included wearing clothes women were not entirely comfortable in or behaving more friendly than they usually would.
There was a duality in conformity to stereotypes—for some women, conformity was a way to access new opportunities. For instance, one woman shared how she will send headshots for acting roles that are 'sexier' as she is aware that directors are looking for this in Latin American actresses. Another woman shared how they may lean into the assumption that they can dance within dating as they can benefit from it.
However, the pressure to conform has dangerous impacts - women who were born in London or migrated at a young age were most impacted by pressure to conform, which led them to behave in ways they now consider age-inappropriate. Most notably, women felt they needed to act 'sexually' from a young age as, despite being teenagers, Latin American women born and raised in London thought they 'had to' project a sexy image as the imagination of the hyper-sexualised Latin American women was ever-present in their lives growing up.
Skin Tone and Ethnicity
Not all women experienced hyper-sexualisation the same - instead, women felt that skin tone and their physical appearance impacted the intensity of how they were sexualised. Women of African descent discuss a double sexualisation - one participant shared that they were perceived as 'exotic' because they were Colombian. Then, their Blackness elevates this sexualisation to a higher degree as they are objectified through exoticised curiosity. In a similar dynamic, women of Asian descent discuss a similar phenomenon - one woman discussed how she was initially sexualised through the lens of Asian women as 'submissive' or a 'sexual geisha'; however, once revealing her Brazilian identity, the way she was sexualised shifted to match stereotypes of Latin American women. Women of Indigenous descent experienced a dichotomy - one woman discussed how her skin tone and ethnicity were sexualised, which led to her being allocated to sexual acting roles. However, there was also an expectation to be 'whiter'. This led her to avoid tanning and having her initial acting headshots over-exposed.
Latin American women who identified as 'white-passing' or 'European-presenting' discussed the levels of privilege they experience in being able to 'hide' their identity. For instance, if women were in situations where Latin American women were being openly sexualised, they could decide not to disclose their identity. However, the appearance of light skin and dark features still led to sexualisation as one woman described her appearance in terms of and discussed that this was 'exciting' for non-Latin American men.
Concluding thoughts
The London Latin American community are institutionally invisible, yet Latin American women's bodies are highly visible because of their racialised sexuality. I end by foregrounding the need for British Latin American representation. Without official statistics, we cannot develop accurate research, as we are unaware of the demographics of Latin American communities. The London Latin American community has been present for decades. Further research is requisite to understand London Latin American women's voices and their myriad experiences.
Join our Young Women’s Advisory Board 2025!
Would you like to unlock your full potential to champion and lead action to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG)?
At LAWRS, we are looking for 10 enthusiastic Latin American Young Women aged 18 to 24, based in London, to join our Young Women’s Advisory Board for one year 🥳
What’s it about? 🤔
The Young Women’s Advisory Board is an initiative by the Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS) and its project for girls and young women: Sin Fronteras. The programme seeks to train Latin American Young Women for collective action at the intersection of migration, age, gender, amongst other issues.
This programme provides you with theoretical and practical skills in feminist leadership and advocacy that you will be able to apply in your life, your career, and with your community.
The program will be held in English and Spanish and meetings will be in-person in London.
Policy, sorority and leadership!
Who’s it for? 🤷🏽♀️
Latin American Young Women aged 18 to 24*, based in London, are invited to participate in the Young Women’s Advisory Board and will receive a stipend to support their engagement in the programme (at London Living Wage levels).
* This also includes first and second generation young women with Latin American ethnicity and European/UK nationality.
* You must be at most 24 years old by the time of submitting the application form.
How? 👩🏽💻
The one year programme (May 2025 - March 2026) consists of 12 Leadership and Advocacy training sessions and group meetings about tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) as Latin American young migrant women advocates, and 3 organisational planned activities (LAWRS’ Annual General Meeting (AGM), LAWRS’ International Women’s Day event (IWD), and the International Women’s Day Million Women Rise March).
Programme Timeline 🗓️
Programme Starts: Saturday 10th May 2025!
Leadership and Advocacy training sessions and group meetings:
All of these will take place on Saturdays from 11am - 3 pm, in-person in London.
- 10th of May 2025
- 24th of May 2025
- 7th of June 2025
- 21st of June 2025
- 5th of July 2025
- 19th of July 2025
- 2nd of August 2025
- 13th of September 2025
- 27th of September 2025
- 25th of October 2025
- 22nd of November 2025
- 6th of December 2025
Organisational planned activities:
- 8th of November 2025: LAWRS's Annual General Meeting (AGM).
- 28th of February 2026: LAWRS's International Women's Day Event (IWD).
- 7th of March 2026: International Women's Day: Million Women Rise March
Program Ends: Saturday 7th March 2026.
* Throughout the year we expect to have participative activities where the YWAB can amplify their network and uptake action. These are highly recommended activities, however they are not compulsory and will not be financially compensated.
Benefits 🤩
With the Young Women’s Advisory Board you can: gain skills, meet new people, and influence LAWRS’ policy work bringing young migrant women’s voices to the centre of the organisation and the public debate.
Get involved in the work that we do, get paid for your time, gain valuable experience to include in your CV, get trained in leadership and activism, and be invited to LAWRS events and beyond!
This is your chance to create a more equal world for girls and young women, participate in a collective social change actions programme to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG), and shape LAWRS’ policy work.
Apply Now! 🙋🏽♀️
Apply online using our Application Form: ➡️ ➡️ https://forms.gle/PXK37PotgJyS1sr29 ⬅️ ⬅️
Applications open until Friday 25th April 2025.
Please note that completion of the application form does not guarantee a place in the programme.
If your application is accepted, you will be invited to an interview. The interviews (30 minutes approximately) are going to be conducted online, on the 28th April and 1st May at some point between 10am and 4pm.
If selected, you are expected to attend the opening session on Saturday 10th May 2025.
Contact 🤳🏼
Melissa, the project coordinator, would be happy to talk to you if you have any questions or need support with your application. You can contact her at: sinfronteras@lawrs.org.uk / 07802 645001.
We would be grateful if you could also share this information with your network as we want to ensure many young women know about this opportunity, especially those with a passion to make a difference in the lives of women and girls.
Thank you for taking an interest, we can’t wait to hear from you! 🥰
Voices of Young Latinas: Peer Research into Sexual Harassment at London Universities
The Young Women’s Advisory Board (YWAB) at LAWRS is launching its latest work: ‘Voices of Young Latinas: Peer Research into Sexual Harassment at London Universities.’
Who We Are
The YWAB is a group of young Latin American women aged 18-25 dedicated to addressing all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG). We approach this work from our unique lived experiences and intersecting identities as migrants, Latin Americans, and young women. By gathering in a safe, collaborative space, we focus on building leadership and advocacy skills, engaging in policy discussions, and increasing our abilities to influence decision-making spaces to benefit young women in our community.
Our Programme and the design of a Peer Research Report
Our YWAB programme ran from April 2024 to March 2025, with training sessions focusing on peer research, leadership and advocacy, VAWG, sexual harassment, and artivism. These sessions have been guided by LAWRS, Partnership for Young London, and the artist Ximena Ruiz del Río.
Through discussing shared experiences, we discovered a gap in research concerning how Latin American women’s intersecting identities affect their experiences with sexual harassment in higher education. The impact of this harassment deeply affects us as we navigate university spaces. To amplify our advocacy efforts, we decided to create a peer research report that gives voice to these experiences.
We held a focus group to design our research question. All of the participants within our group were either starting, in the process of, or had finished their university degree. We discovered that most of us had faced some form of sexual harassment tied to our identities as Latin American women. These abuses were often unseen, overlooked,or normalised yet they had a profound personal impact in our lives. Our research explored how stereotypes, accents, migration, racism, xenophobia, and sexism intersect and shape these experiences.
We carried out 13 semi-structured interviews and designed and distributed a questionnaire, receiving 32 survey responses. Using thematic analysis, we collaboratively wrote this peer research report, which includes key findings and policy recommendations.
Key Findings
Our research revealed five key findings:
- Sexual harassment has a significant negative impact on Latin American women across multiple areas of life.
- University procedures for reporting sexual harassment are broken, making them an inaccessible and time-consuming process which deters reporting.
- Multiple stigmatisation of being a migrant, Latin American, and a woman dissuades women from reporting as it positions them as more vulnerable.
- Stereotypes surrounding Latin American women make them more vulnerable to sexual harassment as they’re perceived as more ‘sexually available’.
- The frequency of sexual harassment paired with the stereotyping of Latin Americans in the U.K. results in these behaviours and acts being perceived as the ‘norm’.
These findings provide valuable insights into the realities faced by young Latin American women and shed light on the critical issues affecting their lives.
For a more detailed understanding of our research, including a full description of the key findings and policy recommendations, please read our full report here.
Thank you for supporting the voices of young Latinas.
Our Artivism: A Creative Response to Tackle VAWG
As part of our peer research process, we also created a social media campaign to raise awareness of sexual harassment and advocate for young migrant women's rights. Our campaign reflects our commitment to tackling all forms of VAWG in British society.
Check out the entire campaign, images, and messages on our Instagram page: Sin Fronteras - LAWRS Instagram.
Get Involved
If you have any questions or want to participate in our free activities for young Latin American women, we would love to hear from you! Sign up through our Google form, or contact us via WhatsApp at 07802 645001 or by email at sinfronteras@lawrs.org.uk.
Our activities are open to Latin American girls and young women between 14 and 25 years old living in the UK, including first and second-generation women with Latin American ethnicity and European/UK nationality.
We can’t fight in the dark: Brazilian women facing violence
A research by the King’s College in partnership with LAWRS found out that VAWG among Brazilian women in London is “alarmingly widespread”, with 4 in every 5 Brazilian women in London have experienced some kind of violence.
The study, published in March 2018, shed a light on cases of violence suffered by Brazilian women in London, provided data and offered policy recommendations to tackle the issue. According to the study emotional/psychological violence was the commonest type of violence experienced in London (48%), followed by physical violence (38%), with 14% experiencing sexual violence.
The study also found that cases of VAWG are intersectional as women of mixed race were more likely to experience violence (63%) than white women (44%). Insecure immigration status prevented women from coming forward and reporting the cases of violence to the police. Apart from highlighting the need for the Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) Bill to set standards for the protection of migrant victims’, some of the proposed solutions to prevent VAWG cases with Brazilian women are extending ‘recourse to public funds’ to domestic violence victims, specialist training for agency officers; and increased collaboration between support organisations and government authorities. The study reinforces the need for safe reporting mechanisms to be implemented as we campaign in Step Up Migrant Women.




