# Belly-rubbing Mexicans **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 1, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906 "2008-01-01T18:46:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/1 "2008-01-01T18:46:39Z")
Inspired by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=449749). When I lived in L.A. I’d often see Hispanic men (just guessing Mexican) standing around with their T-shirts pulled up and rubbing their bellies. Why? ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/2 "2008-01-01T18:49:04Z")
I see black kids on the street do that. Never a Mexican though. I always understood it to mean that they were selling crack. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/3 "2008-01-01T18:52:04Z")
[QUOTE=jasonh300] I always understood it to mean that they were selling crack. [/QUOTE] These guys didn’t look like crack dealers. (What’s a crack dealer look like? I don’t know, but they didn’t fit whatever image I might have had.) They generally appeared to be in their 30s or 40s, wearing T-shirts and jeans and often straw cowboy hats. They looked like day-labourers. Never saw a black guy do it. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/4 "2008-01-01T18:54:02Z")
Are these real threads or are they meant to be a riff on all those “Why do black people do XYZ” ones? ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/5 "2008-01-01T18:55:16Z")
It’s because their mom taught them not to scratch their balls in public. ---
**Author:** ![BuddhaRojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de0a6/32.png) [@BuddhaRojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuddhaRojo)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/6 "2008-01-01T19:04:29Z")
[QUOTE=Freudian Slit] Are these real threads or are they meant to be a riff on all those “Why do black people do XYZ” ones? [/QUOTE] I am trying to figure this one also. As far as the OP, because they like their beer and they are full. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/7 "2008-01-01T19:16:17Z")
[QUOTE=Freudian Slit] Are these real threads or are they meant to be a riff on all those “Why do black people do XYZ” ones? [/QUOTE] :dubious: I really want to know. If one person does it, maybe he’s scratching an itch. But when you see the sight often enough, and the rubbing is more of an idle instead of purposeful motion, and if it’s observed only among a particular demographic (in this case, Hispanic males approaching middle age and dressed in a more-or-less rural fashion), then there’s probably a reason for it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/8 "2008-01-01T19:22:22Z")
This is a habit in Panama as well. Men who are relaxing will often pull up their tee-shirts to expose their bellies. Basically I think this is just to cool off on a hot day. I think the belly-rubbing part is just incidental. But as far as I can tell having a big pot belly is not regarded as being unattractive (as it is in Anglo culture), so some guys may just be showing off. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/9 "2008-01-02T00:10:12Z")
I’m not hispanic but I sometimes catch myself doing this. Usualy wile relaxing on a hot day. It just feels good. ---
**Author:** ![Genericuser234](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5daacb/32.png) [@Genericuser234](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genericuser234)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/10 "2008-01-02T00:15:10Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] These guys didn’t look like crack dealers. (What’s a crack dealer look like? I don’t know, but they didn’t fit whatever image I might have had.) They generally appeared to be in their 30s or 40s, wearing T-shirts and jeans and often straw cowboy hats. They looked like day-labourers. Never saw a black guy do it. [/QUOTE] [http:// [youtube.com](http://youtube.com) /watch?v=ZmgE9csoMek&feature=related](http: [//youtube.com/](https://youtube.com/) watch?v=ZmgE9csoMek&feature=related) theres what a crack dealer looks like. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/11 "2008-01-02T00:30:07Z")
[QUOTE=jasonh300] I see black kids on the street do that. Never a Mexican though. I always understood it to mean that they were selling crack. [/QUOTE] Hmm. That idea is exactly the same size and shape as the urban legend about the [sneakers on the electrical lines](http://www.snopes.com/crime/gangs/sneakers.asp) being a sign that crack is available here, or that a certain gang controls this neighborhood. (Real meaning: someone had some old sneakers and was bored.) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/12 "2008-01-02T00:35:28Z")
I saw a lot of middle-aged and older guys in India do this too. How odd. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/13 "2008-01-02T00:39:30Z")
Seems like a lot of people pull up their shirt and rub their bellies. Maybe the question should be, “Why don’t you?” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/14 "2008-01-02T00:55:51Z")
The really clever thing would be to rub their bellies while patting their heads at the same time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/15 "2008-01-02T01:09:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Hmm. That idea is exactly the same size and shape as the urban legend about the sneakers on the electrical lines being a sign that crack is available here, or that a certain gang controls this neighborhood. (Real meaning: someone had some old sneakers and was bored.) Yeah, before there was crack, there were shoes/sneakers thrown over the wires. At that time, the legend was that they demarcated gang territories. ETA: In the neigborhoods where I lived in the late 80’s-mid-90’s, the secret signal was that the guy said to you, “Hey, want to buy some crack?” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/16 "2008-01-02T01:54:05Z")
[QUOTE=marochko] [http:// [youtube.com](http://youtube.com) /watch?v=ZmgE9csoMek&feature=related](http: [//youtube.com/](https://youtube.com/) watch?v=ZmgE9csoMek&feature=related) theres what a crack dealer looks like. [/QUOTE] [Moderating] **marochko** , I’ve broken the link because it contains audio with repeated obscenities. We have a rule here against direct links to content that is not appropriate for a work environment. If you wish to refer to such content, make sure it is not in the form of a clickable link. This said, that link is almost entirely irrelevant to the subject of this thread. It was quite unneccesary in the first place. **marochko** , this the third time in a few days I’ve had to caution you about something. I would strongly advise you to read all the stickies concerning rules and etiquette for this site before posting again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/17 "2008-01-02T02:03:57Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] This is a habit in Panama as well. Men who are relaxing will often pull up their tee-shirts to expose their bellies. Basically I think this is just to cool off on a hot day. [/QUOTE] And India too. Both hot, humid places. L.A. is hot, but not humid. And before that I lived in a desert. Maybe a habit learned in humid areas? Do people in the South do this? I’ve been to New Orleans five times, twice in the summer, and didn’t notice it. But I was very busy during the summer visits. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/18 "2008-01-02T02:12:38Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] Inspired by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=449749). When I lived in L.A. I’d often see Hispanic men (just guessing Mexican) standing around with their T-shirts pulled up and rubbing their bellies. Why? [/QUOTE] Why don’t you [Ask the Mexican?](http://www.houstonpress.com/2006-07-13/culture/why-do-mexicans-swim-with-their-clothes-on/) (Scroll down.) ---
**Author:** ![Mesquite-oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@Mesquite-oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mesquite-oh)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/19 "2008-01-02T05:12:58Z")
Being a middle aged Hispanic guy, perhaps I can be of some assistance by collecting data through introspection a la Wilhelm Wundt. O.K, I am outside wearing a t-shirt. My hand is inexplicably heading towards my belly…it is going underneath my shirt…I am feeling an urge to rub…ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO!.. aww screw it. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906/20 "2008-01-02T11:15:39Z")
Ehm, Mom isn’t either a guy or a mexican, but she does it, lessee: - when it’s hot, - when she has gas, - when she has heartburn, - when she can’t go to the bathroom, - when she’s been going too often… Seems to me like some people just like rubbing their own bellies. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-rubbing-mexicans/431906.md?page=2)