A collaborative publication of the Latin American Studies Program

Divisadero

Spring 2015

Spring 2015 Article

Un Apoyo Mexicano

By Charlee Garcia

Do you think the appreciation changes when playing football women instead of men? Clear. Historically, there has not been much support for women's football, but today the support has increased. Transnational female football is changing the way we see the football through the two sides of the US-Mexico border. Football is a very important sport in Latin America and the United States, has inspired national pride in recent years.

For the Mexican culture, football is very important, a large percentage of the population has a deep appreciation for the game. An author of "Bloomberg Business" talks about the effect of the national team of Mexico on the Mexican population. He describes his experience of being in the stadium as Mexico played against the United States, " And again the crowd Went wild, wide smiles all around, patriotic pride reignited. "It's Mexico. This is Mexico, "one fan Told Me. And I was right. For the briefest 90 minutes, every Mexican there experienced a long lost sense of Belonging From their everyday lives in the US The team was their way back to Mexico. The team was Mexico . "Football is something that ignites passion among the Mexican people at the same time brings people to their country. This support comes from Mexican citizens but also of the Mexican people who live in other countries, such as the United States. Today, there are many men and women who have dual citizenship and play for the national teams of Mexico. Something interesting about the process of playing for a national team, is that many people believe you have to be born in that country for a chance to represent. The reality is not, to play in the Mexican team as a US citizen you just have to have both citizenships. Someone may represent Mexico if someone in your family (mother / father / grandfather / grandmother) was born in Mexico. The process of receiving the citizenship of another country takes a long time, but there are many countries where young people living in the United States can play by patriarchal country.

In addition, The National Federation of Women's Soccer Mexico was established in 1999, before the world will be held in the United States that year. For many years, the National Women's Football Federation did not have the resources to establish a program with many benefits. The problem was not to find good, but financial support and political players. Mexico is a large country where much of the population lives in rural areas with indigenous cultures. These native cultures implement the idea that only men can play football. According to the article, "Characterization of Gender Roles" Kim Schmitz and Sarah Diefenthaler traditionally describes the Mexican culture sees gender roles in a more macho light. For example, " Women Have Been expected to make ultimate sacrifices for Their families, Especially for children the evils Whereas Have Been expected to earn the income for the family yet to play a minimal role in the Functioning of the family. These great sacrifices That Women Have Had to make encompass the spectrum of education, careers and a social life outside the family. "Because of this, the women's team has had the support needed to grow and maintain a well-established program because the idea of masculinity it has been recorded in the Mexican culture. In 2010 when the Mexico women's team traveled to Germany to participate in the World under 20, they reached the quarter-finals and that's when they called attention to the country of Mexico. Support about women's football has changed a lot in recent years, rather than the Mexican Federation, American Federation and Canadian Federation have formed the nwsl in the United States. The nwsl (National Women's Soccer League) was established in 2013 and there are eight teams. The teams were supported by the USSF (United States Soccer Federation), CSA (Canadian Soccer Federation) and the Mexican Football Federation. Each federation (Canada, USA and Mexico) pays for the salary of one of the national players. Canada pays for 16, USA 24 and Mexico pay for 14 to establish teams with players who have played at a competitive level. Each team will have national players representing their country to be "equal". Players who graduate from college have the opportunity to play these professional teams and there are also women from other countries who come to the US to play in the nwsl.

 

Mexican National Players Bianca Sierra and Nayeli Rangel

In addition, women who play for the national team of Mexico and the nwsl have noted positive changes in the culture about women's football. Bianca Sierra has played football for most of his life and has had the opportunity to play for the national team of Mexico for five years. She was a citizen of both countries was born in California and played football for the University of Auburn. Sierra said, " The support has a lot Increased in Both the US and Mexico. In the US we now Have a professional league (nwsl) to play Which is growing to be very established in Mexico and support from all around the country have Increased tremendously from the first time I played here. People are now genuinely interested and supportive of us. We Have Been Able to create a culture Which inspires hope for younger girls That want to follow in our footsteps. "Sierra offers insights into the augmentation support in Mexico and the United States to demonstrate that changes in views about women's football it has been positive. Another player, Nayeli Rangel, born in Mexico and has played for the national team for thirteen years and has been the captain of his team. Rangel talks about the difference in support female football has now against the support when she started playing by the federation. Rangel describes it, " The support has changed considerably. Now today there is more support, more people believe in us (women) and gradually has improved that in our country (Mexico). This support has risen football now more girls playing here in Mexico because people have seen how we have grown as a federation. " 

The point of view of women's soccer in Mexico has changed considerably in the last five years. Culture in Latin America has changed because of transnational players. They have worked very hard to achieve their desire to have more opportunities to play in demanding to enhance levels. Support in Mexico change when women showed that the game is important to Mexican culture and no matter what genre it plays. Bianca Sierra said it perfectly, " Soccer is a beautiful game That Has the Ability to bring people together. When I started playing for Mexico I felt like We had very little support. Now, I feel like we are Actually a national team with the NATION supporting us. Have we worked hard to be Where we are today and it That Makes it much better to know That we've not only grown as a team but as a country as well. "You are transnational players have prepared for a long time to represent Mexico and now there is a national support can grow as a whole team.

Everyone can support the Women's National Team Mexico this summer when traveling to Canada for the Women's World Cup when Mexico play against Colombia on June 9!

  


Works Cited

         "A Mexico World Cup Would Be No-Show an Economic No-No." Bloomberg.com . Bloomberg, nd Web. 13 Apr. 2015.

Schmitz, Kim, and Sarah Diefenthaler. "An Examination of Traditional Gender Roles Among Men and Women in Mexico and the United States." (Nd): 139-43. Web.