Speaking of lowrider culture and gayness: It's been a few years since David Gonzales got in trouble with the Los Angeles Police Department over his homies ("'Homies' toys anger anti-gang forces", Los Angeles Times, May 24, 1999).Gonzales had been drawing a comic strip called "Homies" for Lowrider magazine but only drew the ire of law enforcement agents when he decided to launch a toy line based on his creation.
The line of two-inch toys featured what could be called stereotypical representations of people involved in Mexican-American gang culture which were sold cheap through vending machines in Latino neighborhood stores. Foes argued that they glamourized gang culture to children.
Gonzales addressed some of their concerns by creating "positive" or inspirational background stories for each character but some stores stopped selling them due to the outrage. Almost ten years later, though, Homies have survived and are still in the marketplace. And, according to today's Santa Fe Reporter, already have a gay Homie or two in their ranks.
From the article:Santa Fe Reporter: The Homies all have detailed back stories that can be read on your Web site (homies.tv), stories that often challenge visual stereotypes. Are there any gay or transgender Homies?So far, I haven't found him in the roster of Homies available at the Homies site but I did find Bouncey the lesbian Homie. Let me know if you find the gay barber. I want one!
David Gonzales: No transgender Homies. I have been approached by the gay community. So far, there’s one guy, he’s like the barber for this big cartel guy and he ends up going into hiding in a little barber shop in LA and he happens to be gay. But maybe more will surface in the future. I’ve got lots of races, Jamaicans, Koreans, all kinds of Asians and even a journalist, with a sensitive ponytail and a notepad. But, you know, how do you incorporate everyone?
Updates: A reader writes that the gay barber's name is Peloquero (see comments below). A link to his 'back story' seems outdated though. But another reader has provided us with this link which has an image of the Homie in question (above, left).
Image credit: 67 Degrees with a 40% Chance of Rain
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2 comments:
It's Peloquero, though him being gay really seems like an afterthought.
Peloquero:
Peloquero is the official Homies barber (Peloquero). Having honed his skills while being the personal barber for Carlos Caca Molinar, the head of a huge Latin American drug cartell, ...Peloquero is in now in hiding. The Feds and DEA have broken up the cartel and the various heads are now on trial. The Feds want Peloquero to testify against them, because they figure as Carlos`s barber, he knows a lot of incriminating information.
Peloquero would never testify because he knows that would be suicide. He knew the business he was in. He used to fly in private jets, roll around in private stretch limos, party down with Carlos the Caca on his private yacht...all this while always in the company of an endless supply of fine babes. He looked the other way as Carlos dealt his caca all over the North Central and South American continents. He figured he was innocent of any wrong...he wasn`t a dealer... just a barber. Problem is that Carlos now wants him dead. Nothing personal...he always liked Peloquero...its just business. He`s afraid the Feds will turn him and make him a snitch.
So Peloquero is hiding out in the Barrio from both the feds and the cartell. He pays his bills by cutting hair for the Homies. Most of the Homies know his past and like to tease him about it. Worm uses his past to get free haircuts. He threatens to rat him out if he doesn`t give him freebies. Peloquero tells the other Homies that one day his scissors are gonna slip and Worm is gonna have a haircut accident.
Lil Chino: Lil Chino is a champion kick-boxer orginally from Nicaragua. He is totally loked out and will fight anyone, any size, and in any arena. He enters every ultimate no holds barred fighting tournament he can. He`s taken on boxers, crazy bikers, big nightclub bouncers, huge cornfed rednecks from the mountains, Chinese Japaneese and Korean martial Artists, wrestlers, Thai kick boxers, ninjas and even a pissed of Budhist Monk and a Sumo wrestler. Lil Chino fears no one! But he has to get his fade on...so he looks good in the ring. And no one does it like El peloquero.
Oh yeah...by the way...Palequero is gay...just deal with it...the Homies do.
http://www.homies.tv/homies2008/homies_peloquero.html
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