Ugly Betty creator Silvio Horta helped young Latinas see themselves on screen

Los Angeles Times

"Before Ugly Betty, there had never been a Latino family on TV simply existing — living regular, working-class lives," says Yolando Machado, in an appreciation of Horta, who died at age 45 this week. "The Suarez family wasn’t stereotypical or caricatured; their Latino-ness wasn’t exaggerated," says Machado. "And Betty herself reflected what many children of immigrants could, and can, relate to: living a life between two worlds." Machado adds: "Despite constantly being told she wasn’t enough and being consistently underestimated, Betty was confident and always stayed true to herself. In pop culture, women of color aren’t typically allowed to be confident — and if they are, they’re seen as vain or conceited or anything but just secure in themselves. In Betty’s case, her looks and weight were always a target in the ultra-white world of fashion magazines, but instead of changing herself, she shone brightly, stood out and became an essential part of what made the magazine work. She had romances and was desired. She had opinions and thoughts. She was multidimensional and loved. Such messages are still important for young Latinas to see, and not merely because Westernized standards of beauty shouldn’t be the lens through which all women are viewed."