This paper concerns cultural and social ideas and practices on gender differences among Latin American immigrants in Australia. It explores the ways in which immigrants' notions of gender relations expressed asmarianismo/machismogenerated in their societies of origin, influence the social gender relationships among the settlers in Australia. The argument is thatmarianismo/machismoare ideological constructs which reinforce woman's oppression and at the same time help to perpetuate social relations of inequality between men and women.