Masculinity and Homosexuality in the Chicano Culture

When discussing problems of race and homosexuality in America, people often talk about the issues of being a homosexual minority living within the dominant white community. With the focus frequently placed on the relationship between the hegemonic Anglo- American cultures versus the marginalized communities, people often overlook the homosexual issues that are deeply rooted within their own racial community. So, in this blog post, I will be examining what it means to be gay male within the Mexican and Chicano community. Using Cherrie Moraga’s “Queer Aztlan: the Reformation and Chicano Tribe” article, Tomas Alamaguer’s “Chicano Men: A Cartography of Homosexual; Identity and Behavior” article, and a clip from comedian George Lopez’s 2008 stand up act on HBO as references, I assert that the patriarchal beliefs, gender-coded ideologies, and strong familial ties prevalent within the Chicano culture negatively stereotypes and suppresses male homosexuality.

Homosexuality in Mexico is rigidly circumscribed by the prominent role the family plays in structuring homosexual activity. Unlike the European- American culture in which the role of the family as a regulator of the lives of gay men and lesbian has progressively declined, “in Mexico the family remains a crucial institution that defines both gender and sexual relations” (Alamaguer 541). It is within our family that we develop of perception of the world and society. The ideologies that or family members believe often get passed down to the children whether through our words or gestures.

Two of the most common ideologies within Chicano families are their patriarchal and gender-coded practices and stigmatism. In the Mexican/ Chicano patriarchal culture, men dominate the lives of the “inferior, passive, self-sacrificing, dutiful women” (Almaguer 540). In terms of gender-identity, “aggressive[ness], active[ness], and penetrating sexual activity” are the “true markers of the Mexican man’s tenuous masculinity” (Almaguer 540). Hence, masculinity is attained by the negation of all that is considered feminine and by the “sexual subjugation of women” (Almaguer 540). These strong conceptions of masculinity and male dominance in the Chicano society, Moraga argues, developed in “reaction against Anglo-America’s emasculation of Chicano men” ( Morage 99). In order to preserve their masculinity, Moraga inserted that the men of the Chicano Movement “embraced the most patriarchal aspects of their Mexican culture” which gave men the most power in the family structure (Moraga 99).

The terms that are used to refer to homosexual Mexican men are generally coded with gendered meaning drawn from the “inferior position of women in patriarchal Mexican society” (Almaguer 541). In the Chicano culture, homosexuals are stereotyped as playing the passive sexual role and exhibits feminine gender characteristics and are looked down upon for not truly being a MAN. Homosexual men who are assumed to take on the passive/ receptive sexual position are viewed as having “betrayed the Mexican man’s prescribed gender and sexual role” (Almaguer). The condemnation of homosexuality within the Mexican/ Chicano culture is very apparent. For instance, in the Spanish language, the word puta refers to a female prostitute while its male form puto refers to a passive homosexual, not a male prostitute. “It is significant that the cultural equation made between “the feminine, anal receptive homosexual man and the most culturally stigmatized female in Mexican society (the whore) share a common semantic base” (Almaguer 541).

The derogatory perception of homosexuals as being effeminate, passive, and the negation of manliness are still very apparent in the Mexican and Chicano community. Such is illustrated by the dialogues of George Lopez, a famous Mexican/Chicano identified actor and comedian, in his 2008 HBO stand-up comedy performance. In one part of his act, George Lopez states a person could not be gayer if if he were to walk around with a tiny Starbucks cup in your hand and that he “might as well put a d*** in your month. Mass Puto!” And, if a person were to go around with a blue-tooth on, he might as will “get another d*** and put it in you’re a**.” Throughout the entirety of the act, George Lopez also overtly uses the punch line “f*** that puto” while talking about a malicious or hateful person. Such statements express the belief that gayness is equated with negativity, femininity and the receptive sexual position. In response to all his dialogues, the audience roars with laughter, and right after the blue-tooth statement an audience member even takes off his blue-tooth.

I am not saying that George Lopez is homophobic or bashing on homosexuals, but it is clear that parts of his act portray certain negative stereotypes about homosexuality. Such negative portrayals of homosexuality in the media are partly responsible for why homosexuals are continually equated with playing the passive sexual role and exhibiting feminine gender characteristics and are looked down upon for not truly being a MAN in the Chicano community. All in all, the patriarchal beliefs, gender-coded ideologies, and strong familial ties prevalent within the Chicano culture negatively stereotypes and suppresses male homosexuality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN-DweJfyIY&feature=related