Coming Out in The Latinx Community
By Jaquelin Bautista
The following article appeared in the October 2019 edition of The Campus.
Throughout the past few decades, we have seen monumentalprogress for the LGBTQ+ community, including the legalization of gay marriageand the first national monument honoring LGBTQ+ history. However, there aremany communities that are not experiencing the same level of progress andacceptance of LGBTQ+ rights. Coming out can be one of the scariest points ofone’s life and many individuals fear rejection due to societal norms, religiousbeliefs, and discrimination. Studies show that individuals in conservativecultures or organized religions have had negative experiences coming out.
As we embark on the celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, itis important to address the internalized homophobia that exists in thisculture. Studies agree thatreligion can affect attitudes towards LGBTQ+ communities. A 2007 Pewstudy found that 68% of Latinx identified as Catholic, 20% as Protestant, 8% as secular, 3% as other typesof Christians (Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Orthodox), and 1% as adherents ofother religions. The Catholic church has strong ties in many LatinAmerican countries; there are traditional ceremonies for days on end and allthroughout the year, including Día de Los Reyes Magos, Las Posadas, and FiestasPatronales de San Salvador.
The Catholic church has continually rejected the LGBTQ+community. In June of 2019, The Vatican issued an official document rejectingthe idea that people can choose or change their genders, and proclaimed thatmen and women were meant to be together for procreational reasons.
The family is the basic unit where value, belief, and behavioraldevelopment occur, and is the main source of support in ethnic communities. Rejectionfrom the family and cultural community are major fears for gay men and womenwho contemplate coming out. In a survey conducted by Genfoward, Millennial Attitudes on LGBT Issues: Race,Identity, and Experience, it was found that 61% of Latinos surveyedindicated they experienced “a lot” of discrimination towards LGBTQ+ individuals in their racial community, incomparison to 43% of African-Americans, and 27% of whites. The same surveyfound that 42% of Latinx believe that the acceptance of homosexualitydiminishes societal morals.
All these factors impairone's choice to come out to their family and loved ones. Coupled with these destructive attitudes isthe concept of Machismo, an attitude that perpetuates men as masculineand rejects any form of femininity. This ideology limits freedom of appearance andoften revokes the gender expression of members of the LGBTQ+ community.Additionally, women are expected to nurture the family and serve theirhusbands. For both gay women and men who want to break these gender norms, itcan be daunting to push the barriers of community beliefs.
While change is being madearound the world, Latinx LGBTQ+ communities face additional issues, that derivefrom cultural beliefs and standards and are not often discussed. Latinxsexuality is extremely complex and does not often get portrayed in academia orthe media. In fact, 50% of Latinx millennials believe that issues faced by theLGBTQ community of color are incongruent with those promoted by mainstreamorganizations. There have been numerous horror stories of people coming out inthe Latinx community, nonetheless, it is not an isolated issue; many culturesaround the world reject the LGBTQ+ community.
One student at The CityCollege of New York, who wished remain anonymous, recalled when they came out;
“My mother wasn't upset. She said that we would figure this out. My father, on the other hand, was deeply upset. He didn't talk to me for weeks. It was painful to see someone who loved [me] so much, go from talking to [me] every day to not even making eye contact. What my mom meant by ‘get through this’ [was] to find God. She started taking me to a prayer group, and church on Saturday nights and Sunday morning. I even had to confess. It was awful to be in a space that didn't want me there, a space that swore I couldn't be loved for who I am. On top of it all, other members of the church, and even the priest were always trying to “heal” me. Things between my parents and I are better, but I still hold back on being my true self.”
In order to begin to tacklethese challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, we must begin the conversation.We must talk about these issues, share the stories and journeys of Latinxindividuals who are openly gay. Starting a conversation will educate those whohave accepted a negative attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community.
