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?

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.

In 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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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???

I have never been familiar with the rap genre, let alone Chicana/o rap. All I ever really knew was that the genre was developed for and by underrepresented communities of color. In chapter three of Next of Kin, author Richard Rodriguez talks about the development and impact that Chicana/o rap has had towards various cultures and generations. Chicana/o rap has not had much commercial success mainly because artists within the genre are not major names such as Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Tupac Shakir (Rodriguez, 101). A lot of times people even question this type of rap because they do cannot relate to its message or significance. Rodriguez also makes the argument that although Chicana/o rap was supposed to bring awareness to the marginalized community, it still carries strong misogynistic messages and bashing towards individuals within their own group. Although I do agree with what he is trying to say, I feel like the ‘mainstream’ rap tends to do the exact same thing. In modern days, both ‘mainstream’ rap and Chicana/o rap have distanced themselves from the original social justice topics that people would use to communicate suffering and mistreatments among underrepresented communities. Women are often referred to in a dehumanizing matter so I do not know what makes both types of rap any different. If Chicana/o rap wants to be more successful and memorable, then I think it should be more inclusive and political towards events that are going on in our society today. Maybe there will be a change in audience and attention. Why would the mainstream be anymore appealing than the other? Why do you think it is so common (AND ACCEPTED) that rap focuses on women in such a negative way? Do you think people would find rap less appealing if it got more political and serious? What does the audience find so amusing about homophobia and sexism within rap music? Do you think the audience even understands what homophobia and sexism is and how it negatively affects our society?

In this weeks reading, Ch 3, author Richard Rodriguez focuses on Chicano/Latino Rap culture “…seeking to address the politics of masculinity and working class identity in relation to the family and Chicano nationalism as mobilizing forces within a contemporary popular culture frame” (96). Rodriguez discusses how Chicano rap and hip hop culture  perpetuate this idea of heteropatriarchy (sexism and homophobia) in the community. He critiques various Chicano rappers, notably Kid Frost’s music, showing how the lyrics are ethnically and male centered, marginalizing other communities of color, gay community, and women. One example that Rodriguez uses to prove his claim that Chicano/Latino Rap is rooted in heteropatriarchy is by comparing Kid Frost’s lyrical content with Corky Gonzales’ poem, “I Am Joaquin,” noting the similarities of how both works are directly associated with Chicano Nationalism and how both steadily use “La Raza” as a mechanism to bring male unity, which gives us a sense that this unity is among males, straight males that is, not gays or lesbians, or women-but, hyper masculine men. In short, he shows how Chicano rap culture can be male centered/hyper masculine placing straight males at the center, dangeroulsy not acknowledging women, gay community, or other people of color, placing them in a inferior position.

While he challenges Chicano rap culture and how it perpetuates heteropatriarchy (homophobia and sexism), Rodriguez also acknowledges the importance of rap and hip hop artists who create spaces for discourse addressing the sociopolitical injustices happening in the community. However, as Rodriguez notes, Chicano rap culture doesn’t have to overcompensate when it comes to manhood; they do not need to be hard, or tough gangstas to be a man. Or, when it comes to La Raza, it shouldn’t mean that only the “homies or homeboys or bros” can claim it. La Raza is about men and women uniting together, not just “males, preferably with gansta leanings” (121).

Questions: What are some other examples that Rodriguez uses to address heteropatriarchy in Chicano Rap?

Do you agree that Chicano rap which overcompensates the Chicano identity loses perspective audiences?

Do you agree with Rodriguez position on Chicano Rap???

Do you think Rappers/Hip hop Artists are even conscious of their homophobia and sexism in their music? Or is it simply about the dollars, and they could give a rats a$$ about how it influences our youth or perpetuates these systems of oppression?

In chapter three, “The Versus of the Godfather” in the book Next of Kin: the Family in Chicano/a Culture Politics Richard Rodriguez discusses about the Chicana/o rap culture. Chicano rap or rap in general is a form of identity that helps in individuals express themselves throughout their lyrics. In Rodriguez’s book, he examines how Chicano and Latino rap addresses certain political and working class identity in the rap culture frame. He mentions how a popular culture forms such as rap can help “empowerment…within an everyday context” (Rodriguez, 96). Chicano and African American rap music share almost the same characteristics within their lyrics because they discusses about different aspects and narratives of their communities that they address throughout their music. However, Chicano rap is not as popular African American. On the contrast, Chicano Rap involves ties within family context as well through rap family narratives that impacts both black and Chicano culture. Rodriguez focuses on how the aspect of family is integrated into the art of rap kinship of gender and heterosexuality that are composed into the rap. It was interested to see how Rodriguez also discusses how Rap is an important aspect of the Chicano culture. Chicano rap incorporates historical and contemporary issues like the Chicano movements or current movements regarding the culture. Rodriguez mentions how “the evolution and dissemination of Chicano rap necessarily entails understanding the social phenomena that motivate and influence popular culture’s content and form” (Rodriguez, 104). Chicano rap or hip-hop culture demonstrate how the “power of the culture nationalism “ and the dominance of others towards “la Raza”. In the Chicano rap also focuses incorporates poetic aspect that about culture nationalism in the songs. On the contrary, Chicano rap revolve surrounds the aspect of family because of the struggles and unity “discourse to consistently involve it for the sake of political though and mobilization” (Rodriguez,133). Chicano hip-hop describes the content of family into their rap because Rodriguez empathizes the important of family kinship that is written and said in the music that involves Chicana/o family aspects. As a result, while reading Rodriguez’s text, I have thought a lot Chicano rap in present day, I come to think that Chicano rap is not heard as much as other hip-hops music. Do you think Chicana/o rap is not popular like other rap music because it involves a lot of the culture aspect or family kinship?

In Chapter three of Next of Kin, The Verse of the Godfather, Rodriguez elaborates on Chicano Rap and brings up various famous Chicano rappers like Kid Frost. Rodriguez mentions how Chicano Rap is very similar to events occurring in the Chicano Movements because it is a way in which various rappers got their voice herd against things they are passing through or rap about their oppression. Chicano Rap empowers many youth Chicanos. He makes the connection between I am Joaquin by Corky Gonzalez, and La Raza by Kid Frost. “Chicano Rap and Chicano movement poetry must be read as resistance narratives, especially given how both emerge from youth culture and social movement”(Pg. 113). The poem I am Joaquin served to empower several Chicanos, and help them embrace their identity in a time where many Mexican-Americans felt they didn’t, and felt lost. La Raza also got the attention of several Chicano youth making them feel like they belong somewhere. Corky Gonzalez in general was a great speaker during the Chicano Movement, which made him the “godfather” for many Chicanos, and so is Frost because of his promotion to La Raza. Both I am Joaquin and La Raza are based on masculinity and brotherhood, however, it does not mention whatsoever anything about female, or even a queer perspective. Chicano Rap was based on a more patriarchal aspect not being inclusive of gender, and sexuality. In conclusion, I was intrigued by the connection that Rodriguez made about I am Joaquin, and La Raza. It was no surprise to me when I read that Chicano Rap was not popular like other types of music. Like always the minority group was devalued, yet it is fascinating to see that while some might not see it as important it helps to empowers, and encourages many Chicanos youth.

The article “Decoding The Food And Drink On A Day Of The Dead Alter”, gives a brief history on the origins of this holiday. They begin by explaining that its rooted from the Aztecs who believed one should not grieve the lost of a loved one but rather celebrate their lives once a year when their spirits make their way back to earth. The article then explains that everything on an alter has meaning, such as sugar skulls who represent the vitality of life, and decorated tissue paper which is meant to represent the fragility of life. This article made me so hungry, I love Pan De Muerto so much! This article also made me really happy because i love the traditions of my culture, Dia De Los Muertos is one of my favorite holidays. For myself the holiday is special and important, one of my jobs is a sales associate at Pier one Imports and around this time we sell Dia de los Muertos decorations and it sometimes bothers me when i see people buying them for halloween decorations because its not meant for halloween and i find myself getting really defensive sometimes. Does anyone else feel that way? Like when i see the sugar skull costumes, used as halloween costumes i’m like really?  Every year my family and I make a beautiful Alter in our home. This is the first year that its going to be really special for me though, I lost my grandfather earlier this year and he was my best friend, so I’m really excited to be able to honor him this year for Dia De Los Muertos.

Imagined Borders:

Locating Chicano Cinema America/America

In the book “The Ethnic Eye” chapter, “Imagined Borders: Locating Chicano Cinema America/America” by Chon A. Noriega, he describes the conflicts marks underlying conditions for the production of Chicano film and the critical discourse on them. Noriega explains the location of Chicano Cinema to the level of historic-graphic operation. He goes on to talk about Coco Fusco’s writing on Black and Latino media in the late 1980’s. Fusco’s writing talked about historical moments on “Minority” intellectual or cultural production. Noriega explains that Fusco flip flops on her position on location and this “dual location” became a methodology in which she reads against her main purpose of oppositional thinking and “minority” texts. This point makes Noriega question the function of “Chicano Cinema” within different categories which are Nationalist, and American, Pan-American to compare them in “Chicano Cinema”. Noriega also illustrates that Chicano Cinema developed not just in Hollywood and in New Latin America but through avant-garde traditions within Chicano cultural population. Noriega tells us that during the Chicano Civil Rights Movement a few Chicano students used this form of art to express how they feel. Noriega illustrates that the first Chicano film was “I Am Joaquin” (1967), and that it helped the Chicano Movement to represent the culmination of an intertexual dialogue between the movements rural and urban visionaries: Luis Valdez and Rodolfo Gonzales.