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Larissa Pimentel
Professor Rodrick
English 115
Unbearable Culture
Dan Guerrero, a Latino director, known for his work on Gaytino! An autobiography
satirical piece that reflects on his life and growing up gay in a Latino community. Guerrero was
the first Latino to bring light to the culture clash of the LBGT community and the Latino
community. Since this piece by Guerrero the light hasnt fully been given on the subject of gay
Latinos and how they are influenced to change aspects of their lifestyle in other words to hide
their homosexual lifestyle. Latino cultures machismo, traditional men masculinity, is a key pin
as well as religion that causes a Latino to mask or consider masking their sexuality. Latino
communities force gay Latinos to hide their homosexuality due to the traditional machismo, and
religion that are present in the Latino community and culture. Although, the Latino community
holds family values as a priority, we can see the severe down playing of the negativity towards
homosexuality in the culture from its close-minded ideas, religious thoughts, and the machismo
idealism within that sets homosexual Latinos to hide their true identity.
Traditional masculinity is an aspect of machismo, which is measured by a mans
manliness, which proves that theyre the ideal man. In the Latino community there are many
aspects that are taken into account, one of those being clothing that states if youre wearing tight
clothing, then youre a maricn, a faggot, an offensive word to describe gay men. The worst
insult you can hear is a maricn (faggot), or that youre acting like a girl. Those things are still
happening, unfortunately, (Reyes). Seeing as the being referred to gay is an insult, we can see
how frowned upon it is to be gay in the Latino community. Showing any sort of difference in the

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uniformed attitude or appearance of the idealistic macho man is a sign of weakness and results in
getting referred to as a girl. Wearing any flamboyant vivid colors would also result in the insults
that have taunted and tormented the young Latino boys, as theyre referred to a not real men or
an equal to a girl. In the machismo mind this is an insult beyond insults. This then subjects many
Latino LBGT youths to hide their sexuality to hide from the insults, and disappointment they
would cause their fathers that see homosexual males as feminine. Seeing the insults that are
being pointed and thrown at them, many of the homosexuals in the Latino community feel
unsafe. Insults are a form of bullying, and being as it is coming from family it brings light to the
great meaning behind it, if your own family is putting you down, what makes you think others
wont? Many conform their life to hiding away their sexuality portraying themselves as someone
they are not. Sexuality is a big part of ones life and having to hide that because of family
members with close minded thoughts is sad to see, many sun their children, having their
homosexual relatives feel unloved, so instead they decide to hide themselves and play the part of
someone theyre not.
In Latino culture, there is heavy influence from the church that many take into account,
most primarily older adults that are conservative and traditional. More than two-thirds of
Hispanics (68%) identify themselves as Roman Catholic according to a 2007 survey by the Pew
Hispanic Center and Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. The Catholic Churchs position on
homosexuality is based on a distinction between being lesbian and gay and acting on it,
accepting the former while at the same time considering the latter to be wrong and sinful,
(Human Rights Campaign). This shows the influence of religion on the Latino culture that
appears in many different aspects such as folk corridos, music, and in art. As said in the article
Religion and Coming out Issues for Latinas and Latinos it states, that distinction becomes

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blurred and the message that many Catholics hear is that merely being gay is sinful, (Human
Rights Campaign) and this shows the intensity and impact religion have on the Latino culture,
they make it a big part of their life that they abide to the rules of the religion even if it means
turning their back towards their family and friends. Many homosexuals take great influence from
religion, and to have that taken from them is horrendous. They have their beliefs that they take
serious with and find comfort in, and then get told that it is a disgrace with such words as Jesus
hates gays. In every aspect of their life they see that theyre letting people down and in addition
theyre shunned from their own beliefs. Finding no other way they choose to conform to the
conditions of being accepted even if it means hiding themselves. Homosexual relatives rather be
comforted and be in touch with their family than be at ease with themselves.
With the great pressures of machismo and family structure, many feel ashamed to admit
their homosexual lifestyle. In an article, slightly more than half of LBGT Latino youth are out
to their immediate family, and nearly 6 in 10 say their family is accepting of LBGT people. Still,
about one-third report lack of family acceptance (Kane). This shows the impact a family has on
a person, as theyre unable to come out to their family and express their true self. The LBGT
youth is subjected to exemplify themselves as someone theyre not as a result of not being able
to rid themselves of the pressure of consumption. Although, as time goes on and acceptance
graces the community many dont have the privilege to join the group in self freedom and selfidentity. Concern about family acceptance is the top problem identified, and having their
families accept and support them is a key change they wish for their lives, (Kane). This shows
how family is important in Latino culture, subjecting the youth to feel unwanted and as disgraces
to the family with their sexuality and the only form they find to prevent this feeling is to hide it.
Latinos hold great values and one of those values happens to be their family, this is something

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they hold close to them, so out of fear of rejectment they keep their secret safe. Being surrounded
of a culture that is so heavily close minded and based on traditions, you find it hard to be open
and be the difference within. Hearing many stories of parents kicking their children out for being
homosexuals, they rather hold in their true self than lose something that is incredible valuable in
their eyes. With the fear of being pushed out the family and community, they hide it and lead a
double life away from the pressures of the Latino community that contain heavy influences from
a machismo idealism, family values, and religion.

In the poetry slam video posted by YouTube channel skiscoh, it depicts the harshness and
reality of the Latino youth that is unfortunately are taught to conform and settle with lies. As
stated in the video, dont ask, dont tell that turn a blindside toward the Latino LBGT youths in
their community, as it is easier to ignore than accept for them in the hands of machismo idealism.
It also refers to the beings of LBGT Latinos that dont have anything to identify themselves as
their identification is looked down upon. The hurt that they go through and undergoing as
someone theyre not is justified by the Latino community as a form of protection. Living a
double life away and hiding their sexuality will protect them from the taunts and insults from
their own people and family. Theyre forced to believe the only way to be safe of taunts, and to

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be fully loved and accepted is to stage themselves as someone theyre not and conform to it all,
as rules and obligations that are set within the Latino community.

This form of Chicano art to depict the beautiful love in same sex relationships and raise
awareness for the LBGT community. As we can see from the image posted by social media
account Culturamalvada, the beautiful masterpiece with such an amazing meaning towards it was
ruined for depicting two men close to each other that symbolized their love and nurture towards
each other. This shows that the homophobia in Latino communities is an issue, seeing as a form
of art that is cherished and adored by many was ruined for the image depicted. Latino LBGT
members can see the disapproval from around them daily from within their home to within the
streets of their community, theyre frowned upon. Seeing the disapproval coming from all
different directions of their life they feel the need to conform to hide their sexuality from
everyone. They mask their sexuality to prevent the disappointment of the ones around them,
altering their identity and personality to fit to the standards of approval from their community.

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Homosexuality is a very controversial issue in the eyes of many from conservatives to
liberals to races of different kinds. In the Latino community the way they respond to
homosexuality is to disapprove of it, coming from influences of the typical macho man idealism,
family matters, and religious matters many Latino LBBGT members seem to mask their
sexuality to protect these values. In the matter of trying to protect the important aspects from
within them, theyre harming themselves by abiding to these Latino community rules that alters
their identity making it merely impossible to every reveal ones self. A family oriented culture
like the Latino culture is subjected to altering identities of many homosexual youths out there
and it need to stop now.

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Works Cited
Campaign, Human Rights. "Religion and Coming Out Issues for Latinas and Latinos | Human Rights
Campaign." Human Rights Campaign. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.
<http://www.hrc.org/resources/religion-and-coming-out-issues-for-latinas-and-latinos>.
Culturamalvada. Por Vida. Digital image. Advocate. N.p., 15 June 2015. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.
<http://www.advocate.com/california/2015/06/18/lgbt-latino-artists-threatened-after-sanfranciscos-gay-cholo-chicano-mural-de>.
Kane, Robin, Anne E. Nicoll, Ellen Kahn, and Sharon Groves. Supporting and Caring For Our Latino
LGBT Youth (2012): 1-36. The League of United Latino American Citizens. May 2012. Web. Apr.
2012. <http://lulac.org/assets/pdfs/LGBT-LatinoYouthReport.pdf>.
Reyes, Raul A. "LGBT Latinos: Despite Challenges, Greater Empowerment, Progress." NBC News.
N.p., 15 June 2015. Web. 17 Oct. 2016.
skiscoh. Slam Poetry: Being Gay in the Latino Community @ Presencia Latina 2011. YouTube.
YouTube, 12 July 2012. Web. 20 Oct. 2016.