Let’s Unite to End Ignorance

This weeks readings where by far my favorite. I love going into “taboo” subjects that tend to appall ignorant people. As a Chicana heterosexual female I tend to wonder into the hardships that the LGBT community goes through. I grew up in a very strict home where being anything else then straight was prohibited. Actually, it was not even supposed to come up. We where not allowed to talk about same sex relationship however, our drunk uncles where allowed to goof around with it and make fun of each other for being “gay.” Since a young age I wondered why people would make fun of people who fell in love with certain people. Growing up Chicano is hard enough then we add being queer makes things all that more difficult. Not only are people rejected by society but they have to fight against their family and their culture. Thankfully, in this day and age we are more open and a bit more accepting. People have raised their voices in the ongoing battle of equality. Even though there are still so many things to fight against like Carla Trujillo mentioned in “Chicana Lesbians: Fear Loathing in the Chicano Community,” there are several things that the Chicano LGBT go through. For example, accepting their sexuality, motherhood, religion and several other things. It isn’t a simple struggle. I found an article called, :LGBT Latino Artists Threatened After San Francisco’s Gay Cholo Chicano Mural Defaced”. It is about a mural that was vandalized only because it showed two cholo/a couples being in love. This obviously threatened the cholos traditional machismo by being showcased in a different position. Being gay in the Chicano community is hard but people ignorance will never make it easy. The article mentioned something that went well with the reading of Carla Trujillo, “It’s hard to be gay and lesbian and still be in this Chicano culture,” says Paul. “But [being transgender] is a new thing that [Chicanos] haven’t even touched on.” We need to start touching on these subjects because they aren’t just conversations it is people lives. Who are we to deny everyone happiness? I recommend to take a second and check it out.

http://www.advocate.com/california/2015/06/18/lgbt-latino-artists-threatened-after-san-franciscos-gay-cholo-chicano-mural-de

 

The Struggle of Surviving Here and There

Without a doubt, the Latina/o community is based on strict traditions and old-fashioned beliefs. Maintaining the community this way helps individuals feel as though they are keeping their culture alive. What they fail to realize is that their traditions and beliefs sometimes marginalize people within their own group, such as those who identify as LGBTQ. Coming out as LGBTQ in society is already a difficult task because many view this lifestyle as ‘taboo’ and ‘unnatural.’ Coming out as LGBTQ in one’s Latina/o community is just as complex because of the common misogynistic, masculine, and patriarchal ideologies that both men and women internalize. Women within the Latina/o culture are expected to marry a man, have children, and dedicate their time towards their family. To their families, identifying as LGBTQ means that they will not keep that expected role as a woman, causing these women to feel as though they failed their loved ones. Over the past couple of years, a handful of transgender Latina women have been murdered with many of those cases still unsolved. In the article “The epidemic is real: transgender Latina in Texas murdered,” author Dawn Ennis states, “Tijerina’s name is now among 19 trans victims of murder in the United States in 2016. In all of last year, at least 21 trans people were killed. More than 80 percent of those killed in 2016 have been women and about 20 percent, including Tijerina, have been Latinas, according to HRC.” The violent experiences of these victims are not taken seriously or even publicly announced because no community and culture find them valuable or worthy enough for justice. Since these women were far from the traditional expectations of the Latina/o community, they have not really bothered to figure out the reasons behind the violence towards these specific victims.

Ennis’s article reminds me Carla Trujillo’s “Chicana Lesbians: Fear and Loathing in the Chicana Community” because Trujillo makes a point of how a Latina woman’s identity is not taken seriously if a man is not part of her life. A woman’s independence always threatens a man because that means he will lose control over something he has always been used to dominating. Cherrie Moraga is one of many lesbian Chicana scholars who have dedicated their work towards reclaiming their gender and sexual identity. In Moraga’s “Queer Aztlan,” she addresses her bold move to bring up LGBTQ issues within the Chicana/o moviement since they were hardly talked about. I feel as though Moraga expresses some kind of resentment towards her community because they made her feel like an outcast since they did not represent the different layers of her identity fairly.

Although I truly love my Latina/o culture, I feel as though the patriarchy and masculinity is damaging the identities of women who identify as LGBTQ. We cannot call ourselves a connected community if we keep marginalizing people who have every right to be a part of us, even if they do not follow the ‘traditional’ values that are imposed by men.

 

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/08/epidemic-real-transgender-latina-texas-murdered/

 

Expressing Sexuality In Chicana/o Families

In today society, the community of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) has become very present. However, the LGBTQ community especially Chicana Lesbians women continue to oppressed and rejected by different communities that are composed by patriarchal social structures. The Chicana/o community that identifying as Lesbian or as gay individual are constantly rejected and challenge especially in the patriarchal structured Chicana/o or Latina/o families that live in heterosexual ideologies. In the readings, Chicana Lesbians: Fear and Loathing in the Chicano Community” Carla Trujillo Chicana Lesbian are seen as a “threat in the community” because of the male dominance social structures that they live in. Their sexuality among their community is a constant issues that they have deal for not being accepted but as a Chicana lesbian Trujillo addresses how embracing their sexuality has helped accept themselves despite the negative concept Chicana Lesbians face. On the contrast, in the reading, “Queer Aztlan: the Reformation of Chicano Tribe” writer Cherrie Moraga discusses the struggles she deals with being a Chicana Lesbian in a community that did not accept her as she is. She suffered from sexuality oppression but eventually accepted despite the struggles of “limitation “ and “alienation”. Trujillo and Moraga discussed similar issues of Chicanas who in the pathway of finding themselves through patriarchal structures. Individuals in the LGBT face oppression in their families for being different.

I came across the article, “Latino American More Accepting and Supportive of the LGBTQ Issues, Yet LGBT Latino Youth Still Feel “Rejected” in Hispanic Community” writer Nicole Akoukou Thompson examines how the LGBT community has grown and become visible in the last couple of years. However, Latinos who identify in the within the LGBTQ community have found themselves exposed to discrimination and hate crimes in the last couple of years. Although in the last recent years, more Latino families have began to accept to support LGBTQ, Thompson describes how some people in the Latino community negative attitude continues to be present against LGBTQ individual because of religion. Families that are involved in the church are influence to not support the LGBTQ community because they do not support gay marriage or “homosexuality.” The church is an institution that is does not support gay marriages or homosexuality.” The young youth that begins to identify within the LGBT community constantly worries about the not being accepted within their families or Latino communities because of their sexuality. Thompson emphasize that the Latino LGBT community need support from their families especially the youth who begins to develop to uncover their sexuality. For a Chicana lesbian or gay it is difficult to accept himself or herself when no support that is provided from their families and their communities. I thought it was interesting that this article discussed how it is important for Latino communities to be more open an supportive the oppression structure that are input into the LGBT communities. Without support LGBT individual with continues to be marginalized and hide him or herself from society. Any individual should be able to express and liberate themselves no matter how they identify as.

http://www.latinpost.com/articles/7246/20140212/latino-americans-accepting-supportive-lgbt-lgbt-latino-youth.htm

Carla Trujillo and Gloria Anzaldua

Carla Trujillo in her reading Chicana Lesbians: Fear and Loathing in the Chicano Community mentions how lesbian Chicanas are seen as a threat in the Chicano community. The Chicano community is based on a patriarchal structure, and heterosexual. It is seen way out of the norm for a Chicana to be a lesbian. Her reading is divided into sexuality, identification, motherhood, and religion. The article that I found was about a famous Chicana queer author Gloria Anzaldua. Anzaldua was an author that wrote about the struggles Chicana Lesbians faced within the Chicana community. Within her writing she served as a way to let others know that there should be no shame in being a Chicana Lesbian. In this article the author goes into depth into one of Anzaldua’s articles “La Conciencia de La mestiza” . Anzaldua knows that she does not belong in her culture because she is queer, however, she creates a new identity for herself and calls it “the new mestiza”. A mestiza in a term used to describe someone with “indigenous ancestry but also shares current civilization blood and traditions” as stated in the article. I found this piece to be a good example because it relates so much to the reading by Trujillo. Today, people are still not widely accepted of Chicana Queer , they are seen as outsiders. However, with readings and allies they are able to live a life where there is no need to hide. These authors are resilient to the negativity the Chicana Community faces them with. And because they feel that they do not belong they create new identities, in which they are able to be accepted.

Gloria Anzaldua’s, Mestiza

Challenging the Social construction of Gender and Sexuality in Chicano families!!!

chonies

This week’s material challenges the social construction of gender and sexuality in Chicano families. Recently I read an article in another class, which connected to this week’s discourse on sexuality and Chicano families. In her article “Speaking from the Margin: Uninvited Discourse on Sexuality and Power,” Emma Perez raises some very important points when it comes to interlocking systems of oppression (racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, and homophobia) that women of color experience in the greater Anglo society and the Chicano community. Perez makes it clear that we cannot have “a class and race based revolution…as it cheats the revolution” (57). In other words, we can’t leave sexuality out of the discourse when thinking about a revolution that seeks to overthrow patriarchy/heteropatriarchy. At the core of her argument, she critiques “Freud, Lucan, and Foucault’s, the male theoreticians, to name a few, concluding that they are “theoretical imbecibles” when it comes to women” (59). Because each theorist places women on the margins, she calls out their gendered theories, which reinforce notions of male superiority and dominance and power, rooted in the heteropatriarchal structure of our society. She suggests that we “reject this addictive pattern of patriarchy… which requires us to shed to the internalized sexist, homophobic, elitist, and racist behaviors” (66). Similar to Perez, Trujillo also talks about sexuality and challenging the heteropatriarchal nature of our society in her article “Chicana Lesbians: Fear and Loathing in the Chicano community.” She not only talks about the gender roles that are imposed on Chicana women, but she also talks about how the culture teaches women to not embrace their sexuality. As she notes, “As Chicanas, we are commonly led to believe that talking about our participation and satisfaction of sex is taboo” (186). At the core of Trujillo’s argument, like Perez, they challenge the patriarchal structure of our society that perpetuates interlocking systems of oppression. Some of us get used to thinking about issues only associated with class and race, however, we can’t forget about the marginalization of the LBGTQ community. We must be conscious of how heteropatriarchy only acknowledges the male/female dichotomy-we must be conscious of the social construction of gender-we must reject the reality of the status quo that has been imposed on us, and reconstruct the reality that strives for social, economic, and political equality-one that accepts all people not matter their race, class, gender, sexuality, etc.

Perez, Emma. “Speaking from the Margin: Uninvited Discourse on Sexuality and Power.” In Building with Our Hands: New Directions in Chicana Studies. Eds. Pesquera, Beatriz M., Torre, Adela de La. Berkeley: U of California, 1993. 57-71. EBSCO Host. Web. 08 Sept. 2016.

The Chicano/a LBGT Community

This week’s readings offer us with an insight into the struggles of the Chicano/a LBGT community. In Cherrie Moraga’s Queer Aztlan, she discusses issues of Chincano nationalism, identity, and Chicana feminism. She says that some of the greatest flaws of Chicano nationalism is institutionalized heterosexuality, inbred machismo, lack of cohesive national political strategy. She shows how women are seen as adelitas and only good for the 3 F’s. Women do not receive the respect, equality, and credit for making the Chicano movement possible.The importance lies in giving up being man and the idea of superiority that goes with being a man. In Moraga’s lecture, she introduces us with more struggles of the LBGT community. She shows that a difference exists between the women and men. Men are experiences different struggles because of their lack to reproduce in a homosexual relationship. They also deal with issues of being seen as the feminine partner and being oppressed because of patriarchy and oppression of women and femininity. A multi issue approach is needed to address the LBGT community and it’s liberation from the system of patriarchy. Carla Trujillo also touches on similar issues that Moraga does. She stresses on the importance on finding your identity and self worth outside of defining yourself with a man. A woman should not feel worthless if she is single and/or has never experienced motherhood. The needs of women have been put aside because we are seen as commodity to serve our counterpart. The traditional machismo heterosexual families sees homosexuality as a threat to family and religion. Womanhood, manhood, and the family structure need to be redefined in order to liberate the all genders and the homosexual community. We cannot continue to think that homosexuals and people that identify as different genders do not deserve the same rights and freedoms that the traditional heterosexual families and communities get.

In which ways do you think individuals (homoesexuals, women, men) that do not live traditional lives can find a way to feel worthy despite the attitudes being held against them?

 

High Five to Chicana Lesbians

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This week’s reading were very interesting to read. The reading I found the most compelling was Carla Trujilo’s article, “Chicana Lesbians: Fear and Loathing in the Chicano Community. ” In her article, Trujilo discusses how all women in general suffer from male oppressions, but at the same time, she points out that there are different levels of patriarchal oppression which separates Chicana lesbians and feminists with heterosexual Chicanas. Altough she goes on to describe how Chicana lesbians are oppressed by and rejected from the Chicano community because they pose a threat to the established social patriarchy, Chicana lesbians have learned to confront their sexuality, to love their bodies, and become independent of men unlike heterosexual women. Still, in the end, Trujilo recognizes that Chicana lesbians and heterosexual Chicanas need to come together as a collective to establish their own voices as women since both groups of women share the status of woman, universal of the body, and the suppression of sexuality. She ends her article by stating “we must fight for own voices a women, since this will ultimately serve to uplift us as a people (193).” I foumd this statement empowering even though I’ve heard other versions of it from many strong Latina women.

What I liked the most about this article is Trujilo’s argument that Chicana lesbians learn to love their bodies earlier or more than heterosexual Chicanas since she must love herself both as a woman and a sexual being before she can love another woman. I found this fascinating because I never thought about this before since I am not a lesbian myself, but it sure makes sense.  I honestly think this group of Chicanas do not receive the credit they deserve. Not only do they face the same obstacles as heterosexual Chicanas, but they also have to confront their own sexuality in order to come out on top these obstacles, and that is admirable.

Week 6 Reader: Fighting Different Battles, Sharing a Common Goal

pic1In Next of Kin, Rodriguez emphasizes on the role that gay men take as members of society. An important point that Rodriguez makes is that gay men share similar conflict to lesbian women. They both have to adapt to a life where family reject them because they do not conform to the “norms”.  Rodriguez encourages gay men to speak up about issues of sexuality, and to speak up against subordination within the family. Rodriguez also discusses how femininity is looked down upon.

Carla Trujillo focuses on the Lesbian contribution within the Chicano society. Trujillo explains how Chicana lesbians are seen as a threat to the Chicano community because it disrupts the established order of male dominance. But is it really that they fear, or is it the “what would people say? “fear.

Trujillo explains how women are forced to suppress their sexual desires, and that talking about it is like a taboo. I never really notice this but I can connect it with my family and what we are allowed to speak about.

Whether, Chicanas or Africans, Lesbians have the courage to love both themselves and other women. They are able to acknowledge their sexuality, even though it goes against their culture, religion and social structure

I understand when Trujillo says that we live in a patriarchal society that devalues women, and when a lesbian women comes into the picture it challenges all aspects of “the perfect world run my men” Lesbians reject compulsory heterosexuality and this is a threat to men.

I find it ridiculous how a Woman is seen as only complete human beings when attached to a man and incomplete when they are not mothers. Chicanas have been socialized to believe that the sole purpose of their existence is to raise children. Being a mother is nothing bad in fact it is something beautiful, but when it is something that is only expected then it no longer is an experience.

Do you think that Chicana women become pregnant because they feel like that’s a Chicano fulfillment? Do women become mothers because they want to become mothers or because they genuinely believe that that is their purpose?  This makes me think about Chicano families having children when they are struggling in life?

I personally refuse to bring a child into this world knowing this child will see me struggle to pay rent, struggle to put food on the table. I refuse to make a child see me ask my family for help because I can’t afford to pay my bills.

Now I’m not saying that asking for help is bad, I just wouldn’t want my child to see me struggle. I am only 24, and I might be wrong, but maybe that’s just how I have been shaped by society and family. I do want to have children in the future, but not because it is expected from me, but because I truly want to take care of a child and raise a strong independent human being.

 

 

 

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Week 6: “Queer Aztlan”

cherrie

In this week’s reading, “Queer Aztlan” by Cherrie Moraga, she talks about herself, the Chicano Movement, The Gay/Lesbian/Transgender Movement and fitting into these movements despite what anyone said. Cherrie also brings up Chicana Feminism and how that helped her accept who she was. The into to her essay she explains that “Queer Aztlan” was being made in her mind for about three years with the help of Ricardo Bracho. Cherrie states, “We also talked about Chicano Nationalism, which never accepted openly gay men and lesbian among its ranks” (Moraga, pg. 225). To me, this statement she made was strong because I can imagine being in her place. She probably felt like she could not be open about her sexuality because she would be judged and not accepted within her own community and race. Cherrie and Ricardo talked that they needed a Chicano homeland that accepted all its people and their joteria (gayness). They came to a realization that maybe The Chicano Movement was dead. They believe this because for generations many Chicanos are dating and marrying non-Chicanos, the population goes down and they also forget their culture. Cherrie says that she “mourns” the dissolution of an active Chicano Movement for this reason. Another statement Cherrie brings up that stood out to me was, “If women’s bodies and those of men and women who transgress their gender roles have been historically regarded as territories to be conquered, they are also territories to be liberated” (Moraga, pg. 227). Because this is what Feminism is all about. Just like men want to be accepted as these Macho men, then women should also be liberated and accepted to be strong just like men. Gender roles should not be applied. What do you guys think???