Quinceañeras - the new piñata of cultural cliches

The NY Daily News reports that lo and behold quinceañeras are getting out of control. Over the past five years, I've seen non-Latino marketers and journalists cling to the concept of quinceañeras as some kind of panacea to reach young Latinas. The magazine Quince Girl launched with no Latinos or Latinas in the reins of power. Surprise surprise.

To me, quinceañeras are like piñatas - a cultural hallmark "discovered" by non-Latinos, and as result truly destroyed, turning something that was once rich and meaningful into something tired and cliche.

15 gone wild
Supersized quinceañeras have hijacked a Latino tradition
BY DOLORES PRIDA
http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/2007/08/08/2007-08-08_15_gone_wild.html

"With an estimated 400,000 Latinas turning 15 each year, we're talking about mucho dinero here. And everyone's out to make a buck out of this trend, which keeps getting more elaborate by the day, with movies, telenovelas, how-to books, Web sites and even a magazine — Quince Girl, the brainchild of a non-Latino male."