Y Tu Mama Tambien

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Despite the fact that the road movie ‘’Y Tu Mama Tambien” contains a variety of references that could be seen as fitting into the traditional masculine road movie narrative, the road movie manages to revise and criticize these stereotypical patterns in a number of ways. The opening scene of the movie shows a passionate sex scene, in which Tenoch is making love to his girlfriend. Soon after, another sex scene follows, which shows Tenoch’s friend Julio engaging in sexual acts with his girlfriend as well (Cuarón 2001). By showing these erotic scenes in which young women are objectified as sexual objects, one might presume that the road movie conforms to the traditional ‘’machismo’’ sexual culture that is evident in Mexico, which tends to value men’s power over women (Diekman 2005, 212). However, …show more content…
This role reversal is very much evident when Luisa becomes sexually involved with both Julio and Tenoch. In a typically ‘machismo’ culture, sex is generally taken by the man and for his pleasure (Diekman 2005). This is not the case when we observe Luisa’s interaction with the boys. She is confident and is the person initiating and directing the sexual encounters in the hotel rooms and en route to the beach even going so far as to convince them to sexually experiment with each other (Gibbs 2005, 7). This is a definite departure from the typical male view on sex portrayed in traditional road movies. Furthermore, during one sexual encounter, it becomes evident that Tenoch is inexperienced and unable to please Luisa which goes against the traditional masculine road movie narrative, in which the man is the initiator. In addition, it becomes evident that both Tenoch and Julio are clumsy lovers when the next day Luisa initiates sex with Julio in the car while they drive (Donapetry 2006,