Some gay Americanas moving to Miami from other states may have a hard time finding community here. We have a different type of “community” due to ingrained homophobia thus why in 2009 we had our very first gay pride parade (Wooo hooo!)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klv71U...
Most Caribbean-born Latina women attracted to other women don't relate to being called "queer," "lesbian" or "tortillera," words created by a past political gay movement to help us form community (Chicanas seem to be different). These women have built a Latina subculture represented by strong Latina friendship bonds. They text, tweet, meet at parties, movies, theatres, the beach, Unity Church, political events, softball games, motorcycle cliques, restaurants, friends’ houses, concerts, art festivals, gay clubs, Facebook and so on.
Since most non-political Miami Latinas loathe being branded or labeled, they try to blend in with straight folks by looking and acting het (long hair, makeup and jewelry). If you don't form part of the Latina posse/clique you might never know that a restaurant is filled to the max with lesbians. Although there aren’t exclusive gay restaurants in Miami, there are dozens of gay friendly restaurants where LGBT’s meet on a regular basis. Unfortunately, you probably need to be Latina/o or connected to the Latina/o gay culture to fully experience our “community.”
Latino effeminate gay males have always been more open about their sexuality and praised as “fabulous” or “elegant” with “impeccable taste” because they’ve had great role models in authors, actors, designers, etc. In the past, Latina lesbians were viewed as an ugly, strange breed of granola crunching, flannel-wearing creatures who acted like men or perverts who had sex with each other for men’s pleasures (these were the only types of “out” lesbians thus why folks thought we were all alike). But that’s changed due to a new generation of completely open-minded kids and teens, media exposure and excellent LGBT books and film. (Back in the dark ages, my Cuban culture found lesbianism abhorrent or fun and games for straight men’s pleasures and shockingly, some still do!).
Even in these times, Latina conservative lesbians aren’t as open as gay Latino men until older in life. It's hard to believe that some conservative, religious people still feel women’s core is supposed to be deeply rooted in motherhood and we need to be seen as the decent, loving, bearers of life, not women who have sex with other women (they don’t see the love part) without procreation. Unfortunately, a lot of the misconceptions and hatred towards gays began with biblical passages. I think the bible needs to be revisited by those who follow it verbatim because Jesus was about love, not H8.
The more Latina lesbians and bi's come out (just as gay and bi men do) and Latina authors depict lesbians as “mainstream” and as “normal” as heterosexuals with exact universal feelings and experiences, the more the last bits of the decaying ancient attitudes will be destroyed and be replaced by acceptance.
Up until recently, 95% of Latina/o LGBT’s had been closeted and have married the opposite sex. In the past, being open about our sexuality and labeling ourselves worked to help other Latinos come out as doctors, lawyers, actors, musicians, authors and so on. Spain has gay marriage, but older lesbians still aren’t coming out in troves (gay guys are). Ricky Martin just came out after living a lie all his life–millions of girls were in lust with him and he was a major homo! Although things have drastically changed, it’s still common for Latino and black folks attracted to the same sex to deny their preference and have long-term relationships with the opposite sex.
Even in these times, I still get emails from Latina teens terrified of coming out. Although I’ve received dozens of emails from gay male teens, not a single one has been closeted. What does that say about Latina girls who love girls when everyone thinks the world accepts everyone and being closeted is a thing of the past?
Note: My book, Down to the Bone, is being taught along with Octavia Butler and Chimamanda Adichie by a professor at U of M. Her students asked me dozens of questions about my book and two of those questions concerned the lack of Miami's gay “community.” I loved being part of this project and it made me think hard about what I mentioned above.
Tidbits:
There are seven billion people in the world and I imagine that if we weren’t tied to ancient beliefs, customs, and religions, there would be seven billion ways to define our sexuality.
http://www.gaypolitics.com/2012/05/30...
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/...
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/03/11/...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMztNh...
http://mayraldole.wordpress.com/
Most Caribbean-born Latina women attracted to other women don't relate to being called "queer," "lesbian" or "tortillera," words created by a past political gay movement to help us form community (Chicanas seem to be different). These women have built a Latina subculture represented by strong Latina friendship bonds. They text, tweet, meet at parties, movies, theatres, the beach, Unity Church, political events, softball games, motorcycle cliques, restaurants, friends’ houses, concerts, art festivals, gay clubs, Facebook and so on.
Since most non-political Miami Latinas loathe being branded or labeled, they try to blend in with straight folks by looking and acting het (long hair, makeup and jewelry). If you don't form part of the Latina posse/clique you might never know that a restaurant is filled to the max with lesbians. Although there aren’t exclusive gay restaurants in Miami, there are dozens of gay friendly restaurants where LGBT’s meet on a regular basis. Unfortunately, you probably need to be Latina/o or connected to the Latina/o gay culture to fully experience our “community.”
Latino effeminate gay males have always been more open about their sexuality and praised as “fabulous” or “elegant” with “impeccable taste” because they’ve had great role models in authors, actors, designers, etc. In the past, Latina lesbians were viewed as an ugly, strange breed of granola crunching, flannel-wearing creatures who acted like men or perverts who had sex with each other for men’s pleasures (these were the only types of “out” lesbians thus why folks thought we were all alike). But that’s changed due to a new generation of completely open-minded kids and teens, media exposure and excellent LGBT books and film. (Back in the dark ages, my Cuban culture found lesbianism abhorrent or fun and games for straight men’s pleasures and shockingly, some still do!).
Even in these times, Latina conservative lesbians aren’t as open as gay Latino men until older in life. It's hard to believe that some conservative, religious people still feel women’s core is supposed to be deeply rooted in motherhood and we need to be seen as the decent, loving, bearers of life, not women who have sex with other women (they don’t see the love part) without procreation. Unfortunately, a lot of the misconceptions and hatred towards gays began with biblical passages. I think the bible needs to be revisited by those who follow it verbatim because Jesus was about love, not H8.
The more Latina lesbians and bi's come out (just as gay and bi men do) and Latina authors depict lesbians as “mainstream” and as “normal” as heterosexuals with exact universal feelings and experiences, the more the last bits of the decaying ancient attitudes will be destroyed and be replaced by acceptance.
Up until recently, 95% of Latina/o LGBT’s had been closeted and have married the opposite sex. In the past, being open about our sexuality and labeling ourselves worked to help other Latinos come out as doctors, lawyers, actors, musicians, authors and so on. Spain has gay marriage, but older lesbians still aren’t coming out in troves (gay guys are). Ricky Martin just came out after living a lie all his life–millions of girls were in lust with him and he was a major homo! Although things have drastically changed, it’s still common for Latino and black folks attracted to the same sex to deny their preference and have long-term relationships with the opposite sex.
Even in these times, I still get emails from Latina teens terrified of coming out. Although I’ve received dozens of emails from gay male teens, not a single one has been closeted. What does that say about Latina girls who love girls when everyone thinks the world accepts everyone and being closeted is a thing of the past?
Note: My book, Down to the Bone, is being taught along with Octavia Butler and Chimamanda Adichie by a professor at U of M. Her students asked me dozens of questions about my book and two of those questions concerned the lack of Miami's gay “community.” I loved being part of this project and it made me think hard about what I mentioned above.
Tidbits:
There are seven billion people in the world and I imagine that if we weren’t tied to ancient beliefs, customs, and religions, there would be seven billion ways to define our sexuality.
http://www.gaypolitics.com/2012/05/30...
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/...
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/03/11/...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMztNh...
http://mayraldole.wordpress.com/
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message 1:
by
Kylie
(new)
May 01, 2010 09:03am
great article Mayra! the lesbian community is so lucky to have you and especially the Latina lesbian community. I so admire the work you do.
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