Spanish

Marimacho

Marimacho is a very derogatory term that originated by gender vigilance and has been used to attack women with a gender expression that did not correspond with the strict female canon. Used in Spain, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, and Chile.

The first dating is from 1611, contained in the manuscript supplement of the dictionary by S. Covarrubias as follows:

“este nombre ha puesto el vulgo a las mujeres briosas y desenvueltas que parece haber querido la naturaleza hacerlas hombres, sino en el sexo, al menos en la desenvoltura”.

“this name has been set by the common people to the determined and brazen women that nature seems to have wanted them men, but in sex, at least in resourcefulness”.

From this fragment, we can deduce two things. First, it was an expression used by the common people that is collected in a dictionary later, so we cannot rule a much earlier origin. And secondly, speaking of spirited and brazen women, meaning that women are strong, spirit, courage, resolution, panache, gallantry, gentility, with the thrust to drive or perform an action. All this according to the RAE and according to the meanings of the dictionaries of the time. No talk of women who look like men by their appearance, but by their abilities and activities, which at that time were exclusive to men. Nor does any reference to sexual orientation, and this may be because, as we have seen on other occasions, it was not conceived that women had no reproductive life sexuality.

It will be much later when the term Marimacho, in addition to name masculine women or who behave like men, start to be used as a predictor of sexual orientation, with the simplistic argument of “if she makes man things, perhaps she is lesbian”.

Synonyms:  Ahombrada, Amachada, Compadre, Fuerte, Hombre, Hombruna, Macha, Machenca, Machetona, Machín, Machín-rin-rin, Machina, Macho, Machona (Peru), Machorra, Machúa, Machungo, Machina, Marimar (by a series of Mexican tv), Manflora, Marimacha (Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru y Venezuela), Mariamacho, Mariomacho, Masculina, Santo varón, Varón.