In the United States, Mexican peoples have also run into trouble with mislabeled stereotypes. With the Mexican’s fight for power came the rise of the Chicano movement, and thus, “chicanismo.” When Mexicans first began coming into the United States, they were outcast from both their Mexican heritage and their new home in America. They were left out, similarly to the mestizos, centuries ago. It wasn’t until the 1960s that Mexicans began to embrace the term “chicano” and even use it to their advantage. With time, “chicano” became a term of ethnic pride and self-determination. The Chicano movement fought to maintain the Hispanic culture in America and to establish legal rights for Mexican-Americans.

Within the Chicano movement there was also specifically the Feminist Movement which fought for the rights of Mexican women in America. In May 1971 over 600 Chicanas met in Houston, TX for the Mujeres Por La Raza Conferto protest for equality for Mexican women. According to a survey taken at the conference, 84% of the women there felt as though they were not encouraged to seek professional careers and education was not considered important for Chicanas, 84% thought that there was not equal pay for equal work, and 72% felt as though there was discrimination towards them. They met to address the issues and press for equality, successfully establishing their rights in their community.