Macho Nation? Chicano Soldiering, Sexuality, and Manhood during the Vietnam War Era

Abstract

During the Vietnam War Era, gender functioned as the terrain upon which many Chicanos struggled to adjust to life in the military and make sense of the Vietnam War. Utilizing interviews with Chicano servicemen and the theoretical insights of critical men’s studies, this article interrogates the conventional notions of masculinity often associated with military service and machismo and reveals a range of masculine identities and behaviors, both gay and straight, that existed during the Vietnam Era. Through military service, many Chicanos crafted their own definitions of manhood, despite the existence of hegemonic ideals within the larger Chicano/a community and the US military.