Hispanic Mechanic

[Bakkerbaard]

This has all the potential as coming off racist, so let me first say that this is not the intention. I trust any ignorance on my part will be corrected by those who know better.

Now. What's with the latin mechanic trope?
How did that happen? In the majority of media I've experienced that involved a mechanic, they were of latin origin. In fact, the only two exceptions that come to mind right now are a demon and a hunchback.

It has its roots in reality, it appears. Though not internationally. In the Netherlands it's mostly pasty white guys who were told to do that because they can't read so gud.
Still, I watch a lot of Real Mechanic Stuff, and the mechanics on there are mostly of latin... uh, make.
I remember watching that West Coast Customs nonsense whenever I couldn't fall asleep, and whatshisface running the place had a lot of latin employees as well. More recently I saw Gotham Garage's stuff and, granted, they're pretty caucasian, but their engine specialist, Constance Nunes is... oh. Portuguese... Eh, still counts.

Anyway, you get the idea.
The reason I'm asking is because I'm starting very rough outlines for a book about a truck, and the driver's wife is the mechanic. I'm sure she's not going to be white, but I don't know where she's from yet.

 

[Dee-123]

Hey there. At the end you say 'the reason you're asking', but there are just two questions in your post - are you looking for an answer to those? What's with the latin mechanic type? How did that happen?
There are a lot of socio-economic and political factors that drive profession-selection based in no small part on people's access to education. Anyway, I don't think that's what you're asking. What are you asking?

Best,

 

[Bakkerbaard]

Okay,
to put it more concise:
Where did the latin mechanic trope come from?
And if it's based in reality, how did that happen?

 

[Dee-123]

Hi. It's more of a stereotype than a trope, but anyway...

It came from people's observed reality where a higher proportion of Latin people were mechanics than say lawyers, doctors, pilots etc. Why would that be the case? Because large volumes of immigrants into the US do not have the required qualifications to do degree-level jobs. Many of them don't have the language ability demanded by other jobs - mechanics rely on their technical skill, not their English. Some enter illegally and gravitate towards jobs where they don't require paperwork. Some Latin people really love being mechanics. There are many more reasons.

Are you asking because you're concerned it will come across as racist? It shouldn't, unless you lean heavily into negative stereotype. E.g. there's no problem writing a murderer as black, white, asian, male, female, whatever, so long as you don't make that the reason they're a murderer.

 

[Bakkerbaard]

Are you asking because you're concerned it will come across as racist?

No, not really, I think. The way it is in my imaginary draft right now is that she's instrumental to the story.
I wasn't sure if I wanna add to the stereotype. Still not, really. It helps my process if I can picture a person, see them walking around, doing their thing, and most of all, hear them talk.

But, thanks for clearing it up. I should have been able to extrapolate it myself, now that I read it. ;o)

 

[CdnWriter]

There's also the NEED to fix stuff that breaks because no new stuff is coming in.....think Cuba and how the USA has had an embargo on them since the Cuban missile crisis. Take a look at the tv program, "the Island Diaries" about Cuba and look at the vehicles. All of those vehicles would be in a museum in USA or Canada.

It means Cubans are usually brilliant at fixing older cars, merely by virtue of the fact they've been doing it forever. And......another stereotype that has some basis in fact, it's usually men that work as mechanics.

 

[Bakkerbaard]

another stereotype that has some basis in fact, it's usually men that work as mechanics.

I'm definitely not gonna do that, though. I have a thing for women being good at a traditionally male job. I don't know if that's sexist in its own way, but I don't believe I care either. ;o)

I do remember the Cuba-thing. Not that I was there, but I know that whenever I saw things about Cuba, they always had the coolest cars.