To Guanabee or not to Guanabee...

Can you force someone to give an apology he or she does not believe in? Of course you can! It happens all the time in major showbiz or in sports.

Does it matter if the apology has been forced out of somebody if only to save face? Perhaps. But I'd rather the apology be sincere rather than half-assed or insincere.

This comes to mind because I took a decision last night to sever my ties with a website I have absolutely adored up to this point and has given this site major support as well (you no longer see their 'Partner Scoops' widget on Blabbeando anymore for one).

When quirky Latino gossip site Guanabee approached me a couple of years ago and asked if I was interested in being a "Featured Partner" I jumped at the chance. It's not that I got any monetary compensation from it but they often highlighted some of my posts which brought a lot of traffic to this site.  The value of that traffic wasn't necessarily the number of hits on Blabbeando but the fact that they came from readers of a non-LGBT Latino site.  In that sense, Guanabee helped to direct a lot of non-LGBT Latino readership to what happens to be a site with an LGBT-focus and I thought that was great.

As a gossip site, Guanabee does engage in campy humor sometimes and probably uses language that would not be used on other newsier sites. But, even within those parameters, yesterday I was alerted to a post that I felt went beyond the pale.

In "Eva Longoria Confronts Bitchy Queen on H8R", Guanabee Associate Editor Marcelo Baez using his Nacomprende nickname writes the following:

The CW is running a new show called H8R (pronounced "hater") where celebrities confront random people who hate them while attempting to win them over [...] We actually enjoyed the episode. In it Eva Longoria confronts a bitchy queen who fags out on her and her supposed self-Mexican hate

In the clip featured on Guanabee, a guy who comes across as an obnoxious twit goes all off on Eva Longoria's 'Latina-ness' and then gets all flustered and embarrassed when Eva Longoria shows up to challenge his views.

Call the guy an obnoxious twit, call the guy insufferable, but Baez instead calls him a "bitchy queen" who "fags out" when she shows up. This, on a site that is marketed to the general Latino public.

Up to this point, I've had a great relationship with the site's leading editors so I reached out to them to privately express my concern.  In response, I was forwarded a message that Baez sent to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) when they made an inquiry about the post.  In it, Baez stood his ground and argued that the informal tome used on the site and the fact that gays had appropriated terms such as 'queer' gave him the liberty to call someone a 'fag'.  Baez also argued that he wasn't necessarily questioning the man's sexuality but, instead, he was calling him off on his intolerance.

That pissed me off even more so I wrote back again and tried to calmly explain, among other things, the fact that gays appropriating certain language does not mean it gives free reign for these words to be used  at free will, by anyone, on any site or publication - or in day to day conversation.

I never got a response.  Instead, Guanabee posted a follow-up last night titled "Gays, Do The Words "Fag" And "Loca" Offend You? GLAAD Says They Do"in which Baez defends the post making some of the same arguments he made in the response to GLAAD e-mailed to me and expanded on them.

I blew a fuse. And I quickly fired a Tweet severing my relationship with the site.

In the meantime, GLAAD, who alerted me to the post in the first case and had been exchanging messages with the editors as well, also reacted.  They launched an action alert asking people to "Tell Guanabee.com you are not laughing". It mentions the actions I took last night.

In my anger I missed something in Marcelo Baez' latest post: For what I believe is the first time on the site, he tells his readers he is an openly bisexual man.  In retrospective, it does explain his argument about appropriation of words that are used to insult members of the LGBT community even though I still don't agree he should have used the terms.

Does this make any difference? There was no mention of this on the original post that would have led anyone to assume that Mr. Baez was trying to appropriate such language as an openly bisexual man.  Instead the words "fag" and "fagged-out" were used to denigrate the man in the CW show.  I have since had an exchange with Marcelo on my strong feelings that it would have been wrong even if he had disclosed his sexuality in that post and I know he strongly disagrees with my assessment.

This morning, though, I woke up feeling something was missing from all of this.  GLAAD's call to action will continue and sites, like this one, will begin to pick up on it.  Guanabee and Marcelo will decide whether to stick to their guns and push back - or eventually apologize.

But in the larger context of things, I do see an opportunity here to expand the dialogue on usage of these terms in the Latino community as well as whether the fact that the person using the language is a member of the LGBT community changes these dynamics in any way (in some ways, the debate is similar to usage of the 'N'-word among African-American individuals where some African-Americans feel it's always wrong and others feel it's a way to appropriate the term and strip it from it's original intent to hurt someone based on one's race).

As things stand right now, I have asked to be removed from the Guanabee site.  GLAAD is mobilizing against Guanabee. And Baez and Guanabee seem to be standing on their ground. I've had several exchanges with the editors of Guanabee throughout the day, including Marcelo, and they have expressed in no uncertain terms that they are sad to see me go, would love to continue the relationship, but understand my decision to go.

Part of me keeps looking at that post and the way the language was used, with or without the context that it was written by a bisexual man, and wonder how I can keep a relationship with a site that doesn't 'get' why I am so disappointment by the post.

Having said that, if Guanabee had been as homophobic as some are charging - and I am not talking specifically about GLAAD's reaction but that of individuals who might not have ever visited the site and are judging by this post alone - they would have never prominently featured this blog on their site and be so open to promote gay content on their site.  It turns out, according to Marcelo, that he is the editor at Guanabee who promoted most of the Blabbeando content that made it on their site.

I know I don't often ask readers to comment and with such long posts, who is gonna bother reading this entry to this point.  But, if you would please take a moment or two to comment, should I stay or should I go?  Would working with Guanabee promote an editorial decision I do not agree with or would it provide a platform for their general Latino readership to continue having access to my point of view on the issue and on other issues as well.

Jennifer Lopez: It's OK to be out in the Latino music industry (EXCLUSIVE)

I don't do many interviews on this blog. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's because I get pitched so many promotional interview opportunities that have little if anything to do with this blog. Perhaps it's because I haven't mastered the art of interviewing. But when the chance came my way to interview the amazing Jennifer Lopez how could I say no?  Her handlers said she wanted to reach out directly to her Latino LGBT fans through this blog and I was thrilled.

Unexpectedly, I got all nervous and stuff. I'd heard La Lopez was a tough interview to do, that she was furiously protective of her privacy and short on answers. So I prepared a long laundry list of 'Yes' or 'No' questions and hoped they'd would be enough for the 10 minute interview.

Turns out I signed up for a whole different interview than I expected and didn't get to ask all the questions I had prepared.  Jennifer was gracious, open and sweet.  What follows is the transcript of our conversation.

BLABBEANDO – Hi Jennifer! This is Andrés Duque from a blog called Blabbeando.
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Hi, how are you…
BLABBEANDO – I’m good. I wanted to introduce myself: I write a blog about the Latino lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community – and I’m a huge fan so I really wanted to thank you for taking this call.
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Absolutely! Thank you for having me.
BLABBEANDO – First of all, as a huge fan, I’m hating you right now because you put the 'Lambada' back in my brain after all these years [JL laughs]. And also, over the weekend, I couldn’t stop saying 'Let me introduce you... to my party people' [JL laughs again]. And I wanted to ask you how do you feel about the impact the song is having this week and how you came along to release it as a single [Currently "On the Floor" is the #1 song and #1 video on I-Tunes].

JENNIFER LOPEZ – What it means? First of all, it’s amazing. I feel totally overwhelmed. It’s not the type of thing like asking people who have been in the business for a while and they’re like “Oh-kay, my record’s out.”
It never gets old when it hits, it’s like ‘YES!’ People like it! I love it! I love it! You know, because you have to believe in your music so when other people get it it’s just awesome. It’s just amazing.
BLABBEANDO – And you’re really busy right now, with "American Idol", so it must be difficult to stop and sit back and enjoy the moment. But, are you enjoying the moment?
JENNIFER LOPEZ – I am. I am. That’s probably what’s different about this album and this time in my life than it was for this album - and my first few albums, I should say. You know, it’s that I’m actually more in the moment now. I’m more mature now and smart enough to not miss it [laughs]. You know what I mean? This is amazing, this is great and I want to really, really want to be present for this whole thing. I’m just… really, I’m enjoying it.
I’m enjoying doing “Idol”. We are having a great time. We are having a lot of fun. I’ve enjoyed that process. I find it a very creative process. Back and forth between the contestants and us. And what we can share with them from what we know being in the business for a long time. And I love that.
And the record being out right now at the same time, and that all working, that wasn’t planned per se? I knew I was gonna put out and album this year but I didn’t know when. It worked out. It worked out great and it’s all just working together and it just feels really great. I feel really fortunate, really lucky right now, Andrés.
BLABBEANDO – Now, I know that there was a change when it comes to record companies. Was there a point where the album almost didn’t see the light of day? Because that must have been frustrating, working on an album and having it almost not come out on the market.
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Yeah. That wasn’t the case. The case was that I had come to the end of my contract and I had to decide whether or not to stay with SONY or not stay with SONY and I felt… and I went to SONY and asked them if I could move on.
And they - at that point in time - with the transitions going on within the old company, understood. And I had a good enough relationship with them from having some much success – I had done seven albums over there – that they understood me wanting to do that and, like I said, there were transitions going on. They weren’t prepared to do what they needed to do for me and that album at that time. It was really a mutual ‘Yeah, maybe this is the best thing,’ and we decided to part ways.
And I know people want to make more of it than that. That I was dropped or SONY was messing up. They want to make this really big thing about it. But it really was a conversation between me and one person at the company going ‘I think it’s just time, we’ve run our course and let’s find a new home’ and that’s what happened.
I knew that there were places that I could go and who wanted to work with me, and new fresh blood where I could go to and it happened smoothly and quickly.
BLABBEANDO – Now, the ‘fresh blood’, you’re singing with Pitbull and you have new collaborators and you seem always keep up with the latest [music] styles. And it really sounds fresh. I loved – I can’t even pronounce it but – “Loubutins” and I love “On the Floor” and you’re gearing these songs to a dance music [crowd] and, to some degree to the gay community, because we love dance music. And I think you’ve been really smart in the past to use some of the best dance producers and remixers. Talk to me about how you came to work with Pitbull and what other people you are collaborating vocally in the new album.

JENNIFER LOPEZ – For me, when I go to do my music, there’s always gonna be a mix of all the things that I am. I’m a Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx. You know what I mean? And here’s always gonna be a mix of dance and urban in my stuff – and pop music - so once you throw all that stuff into the bag then it’s all about me just being myself.
So whenever I work with different producers – I worked with RedOne on a lot of the tracks in the album – and with him it was like ‘Let’s do some great dance tracks’. When I worked with Tricky and Dream, I went to them and I said ‘Let’s do my kind of more urbany-feel pop-record’ and I go to different producers for different things – but it all has to be very ‘me’.
It doesn’t work with every single producer you go in there with, you know what I mean? [laughs]. You go in there and nothing happens. But sometimes, like with RedOne or Tricky and Dream you go in there and in a week you make five, six, seven records. And with the records that actually worked, that are in the album – a lot of Tricky and Dream, a lot of RedOne – those are the ones that you have a lot of chemistry with.
BLABBEANDO - I also wanted to ask you, because in the past you’ve been a professional friend and a personal friend… Last year there was actually a number of people in the Latino music industry that came out as being gay or lesbian, and they include, of course, Ricky Martin but also Angelo Garcia, who was also a former Menudo, Lisa M who did salsa way back in Puerto Rico and now is doing reggateon, and Rita Indiana who is a tremendous up-and-coming talent from the Dominican Republic. So you have all these performers – mostly from the Caribbean – Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic – coming out. I wanted to know how you felt about Ricky’s tremendous step to come out as well as what the moment means in terms of… is the Latino music industry changing and making it safe for people to say who they are?
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Right. Are you asking me if I think it’s safer now?
BLABBEANDO – Yes.
JENNIFER LOPEZ – I just think it’s a reflection of the real world we live in. And it’s OK to be out. I do think it is. I do think it’s acceptable for people to be who they are. I am a huge advocate of that. In that sense, that’s the only way we can truly love ourselves, it’s by accepting who we are and letting everybody know who we are.
So, I’m very proud – you know – I’m friends with Ricky and I’m very proud of him and support him in everything he does. And all these people who have been... who want to step forward and tell the world who they are… I think that’s awesome.
BLABBEANDO – I also know you’ve been a longtime ally. You’ve always kept the gay community in mind in terms of the music you release and I know you know we are some of your biggest fans so…
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Absolutely…
BLABBEANDO - …I personally wanted to thank you for that as well.
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Absolutely. I mean, I had an aunt who was gay. I grew up with it. It’s just to me, being around dancers my whole life, you know? There’s a lot of dancers as well who are gay and it’s just not… For me it was never even anything as an issue. I had uncles… It was just seeing people were people. And it wasn’t one way or the other for me.
BLABBEANDO – That’s right. I think sometimes we – in the Latino community – we are your brothers, your sisters, etcetera, etcetera, we are part of the family. It’s more open than I think people give it credit for, at least in the Latino community.
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Right.
BLABBEANDO - Now, going back to the album: What’s the next single? Have you decided on that? Will there be different singles released to the Latino market and the American market?
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Well, we have a lot of plans for the album as things go along. We have three different choices that we can do as a second single and it’s really hard for us to choose. We think we know what we are doing and then at the last minute we might change it [laughs]. But we are shooting a video very soon with Li’l Wayne on one song called “I’m Into You” but there’s another song called “Papi” and there’s another song called “Run the World”. So there are a few songs that we are thinking about as a second single. And we might release some simultaneously: Some are more urban, some are more dance. And, also, we are releasing very soon – or if it’s not released already, I don’t even know if it happened in the past day or two – the Spanish version of “On the Floor”…
BLABBEANDO – That’s great…
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Pitbull did a new version of his rap in Spanish and I re-sang the whole thing in Spanish as well. We are gonna do a Spanglish version where we mix in the Spanish. And then we are probably gonna do a whole Spanish version of the album. So – We have a lot of plans for it.
BLABBEANDO – Well, I know my ten minutes are up but I really wanted to thank you for taking my call.
JENNIFER LOPEZ – Thank you, Andrés, I really appreciate it so much.

Related:

• Jennifer Lopez gets real (The Advocate)
• "Love?" - General Discussion (Yuku/Beyond Beautiful)

Partner scoops!

This is not one of the biggest blogs out there nor a particularly interesting times sometimes but, weirdly, it's often listed as one of the top five or ten Latino blogs out there and the top Latino gay blog in the United States - if you go by Technorati rankings.

This means that I am often pitched lots of stories, some of which have nothing to do with the topics I cover, and also receive lots of invites to partner on a project.  I mostly turn all of them down as I enjoy keeping the blog free of too much clutter.

Tonight, though, I am proud to announce that I've accepted an invite to join an editorial advertising partnership launched by Guanabee.com called "Partner Scoops" as featured in a widget I placed on the left hand column of the blog.

I've always loved Guanabee's irreverent editorial take on all things Latino and join them and other sites like Latin Gossip to cross-promote each other and ad what I hope will be worthwhile content to the site.

I often complain there aren't enough Latino-focused blogs out there and this is a great way to promote each other.

Austin Hispanic contractors' group apologizes for posting video deemed offensive to gays

The Austin American-Statesman reported yesterday that a local Hispanic contractors' organization had removed a video from its website and given apologies after a local television station received complaints that it contained demeaning portrayals of gays ("Hispanic contractors' group pulls video called demeaning to gays").

The U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association had recently been in the news for leading a successful protest against a morning talk radio show on KLBJ-AM in which a co-host had repeatedly referred to Latino immigrants as "wetbacks". On Monday, the parent owner of the radio station announced that the show would be cancelled. That same day, though, KVUE TV broadcast the news report highlighting that the same organization that led the fight against the anti-immigrant slur had the questionable video on its website.

What's exactly in the video and is it truly offensive to gays? You be the judge. The American-Statesman says that it consists of outtakes from a promotional ad for the Association featuring Mexican-born comedian Paul Rodriguez which were never used in the ad that actually aired. The paper described it as "Rodriguez dressed as a construction worker walking in an effeminate manner".

The Association has taken the link to the video off their site but I've managed to get my hands on a copy and have posted it above. The clip in question begins at the :30 second mark and lasts 35 seconds. In it, Rodriguez seems to be ad-libbing his way through the shoot and starts riffing on the gay community in Austin, speaking both in English and Spanish. Here is the transcript with translation of Spanish-language phrases:

Paul Rodriguez: Doesn't Austin have like a gay... a big gay population?

Contractor in blue: Si, esta rogado por locas ["Yes, nellies always ask him out"]

Paul Rodriguez: So you go, you go [prances] 'and specially for you...' [walks and simulates grabbing contractor's butt, contractors laugh, Rodriguez goes back and simulates holding contractor's testicles]
Paul Rodriguez: Cough! [contractors laugh]
Paul Rodriguez: [prances again] Estas bien nalgón ["You're cute, big butt guy"]
Paul Rodriguez: Let's go, let's go...
Off-camera: [Unintelligible]
Paul Rodriguez: [prances some more] dale a tu cuerpo alegria, Macarena ["Give your body happiness, Macarena", a quote from the song Macarena by Los Del Rio]. Here we go...

At 1:57 there's another bit in which Rodriguez addresses the two contractors as women and hands them over what he describes as invitations for them to join Jenny Craig and lose some weight.

After removing the link from the Association's site, spokesperson Paul Saldaña, speaking to the American-Statesman, said "The video was in poor taste, and we certainly need to be held accountable to the community's expectations."

Frank Fuentes, the organization's chairman, told the paper "We shouldn't have had it up there. I personally don't think it equates to what happened on the radio station, but I can understand why people would think that."

Both Saldaña and Fuentes said that Rodriguez had initiated the banter and that it was never part of a script. They said they had contacted local LGBT organizations and advocates and requested a meeting with them to apologize for the incident. The meeting, they said, is scheduled for later this week.

Their immediate action to remove the link and willingness to be the ones to actively seek a meeting with local LGBT leaders speaks well for the Association despite having posted the video in the first place. I also find it suspicious that people started to complain to media only after the Association's successful actions in shutting down a xenophobic radio show. Something tells me that fans of the show combed through the Association's website to find anything they could pin on them and show them in a bad light.

As for the video's content, does it offend? I guess it depends on your sensibility. To me it comes across as puerile, stereotypical, and - yes - a tad homophobic. But hey! It's Paul Rodriguez! Does it absolutely rile me up and make me want to boycott Austin, Texas? Oh, please, there are bigger fish to fry. At least, once on notice, the organization acted swiftly and properly.

Additional polling confirms Latino support for marriage equality

A couple of weeks back I wrote about some eye-popping numbers from a Siena poll and a SurveyUSA poll indicating that Latinos in New York State might be at a tipping point when it came to supporting Governor David Paterson's marriage equality bill.

With the news yesterday that Maine has become the 6th state in the United States to allow same-sex couples to marry and that a marriage equality bill has reached the desk of the Governor of New Hampshire, I thought I'd take a look at some additional polling numbers on Latino support for marriage equality.

On April 30th, Quinnipiac University released results of a national poll conducted between April 21st and 27th in which 2,041 registered voters were interviewed - and the Latino numbers are equally as eye-popping.

When asked "Would you support or oppose a law in your state that would allow same-sex couples to get married?" 52% of Hispanics said that they would support it against 45% who would not.

46%of Hispanics said that they think that "same-sex couples should be allowed legally to marry" compared to 19% who said same-sex couples "should be allowed legally to form civil unions but not marry", with 30% opting for granting same-sex couples "no recognition".

When asked if "same-sex marriage is a threat to traditional marriage between a man and a woman", an amazing 70% of Hispanics disagreed while while 28% agreed.

And when asked the cause of someone being gay on lesbian, 53% of Hispanics said that people were born gay, 29% who said homosexuality was a choice, and 9% said that people "become" gay or lesbian due to they way they were brought up.

The numbers, which mirror the NYS poll by Siena, show that Latinos nationwide support marriage equality at higher rates than whites or African-Americans in the United States, and oppose marriage equality at lower rates than either group.

In the meantime, a poll released this week by the New York Latino Research and Resources Network (NYLARNet) from surveys made late last year (1,232 voting age Latinos from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island were interviewed from Nov. 13th to the 30th), paints a more complicated picture.

For one, the survey didn't distinguish between civil unions or marriage rights for same-sex couples and simply asked participants whether they were "for gay marriage and or civil unions".

The answer was also complicated. 50% of Latinos in New York State said that they were for either but only 37% of Latinos in the other surveyed states responded equally.

Authors acknowledge that views might have changed between November and today although they do not venture to say whether support for marriage equality might have increased or decreased. They also do not try to explain why there is such a discrepancy between support for the recognition of same-sex partnerships in New York by Latinos compared to those of other states surveyed.

Out NOW: MARIPOSAS - A Modern Anthology of Queer Latino Poetry

New this week, from Floricanto Press, "MARIPOSAS: A Modern Anthology of Queer Latino Poetry" edited by Emanuel Xavier.

Here is what people are saying:

Just as blood curses through our queer Latino veins, so does a complex and sometimes contradictory history. The words captured in this volume of poetry perfectly capture a moment in time in which we all are in flux and yet still very much grounded in the moment. Personally, these poems speak to my being, my sexuality, my erotic desires, my future hopes and my wishes for new generations and yet they also stand for the danger that those words might also be fragile and easily forgotten. It is up to the reader to make these words count for something. And, simply said, it's just an amazing and moving collection of poems that truly represents who we are as queer Latinos at this crucial moment in time.

Oh wait! I think I wrote that! Embarrassingly, it ended up on the book jacket! Well, I meant it and don't just take my word for it.

Here's the legendary Felice Picano:

An 800-year-old tradition of Hispanic poetry gets a substantial augmentation, and at the same time, a wondrous makeover, with the rich, varied, sensual, often bi-lingual work in this collection. It helps that the translations by Xavier are so true; and that the poets amassed from all over the Americas, are mas o menos gay in subject matter and attitude.

And here is reviewer Richard Labonte writing in his Pride Source column "Book Marks:"

The 17 writers collected in Xavier's dynamic anthology of contemporary Latino poets make up a real mosaic. Some are American-born, others hail from Argentina, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Their poems are in English, in Spanish, even in "Spanglish"; some are bilingual, and a few Spanish-language poems also appear in English, translated by Xavier - a vibrant diversity connected by mutual queerness and common themes. One such theme is sexual desire: "Why, my God, do I like men so much?" Daniel Torres wonders, and "Suddenly, our sex lives were full of safety drills," Rane Arroyo laments. Another is defiant anger: "There are not enough hate crimes/ to kill us all," Yosimar Reyes declares in memory of murdered queens, and "You call me wet back/ Yes my back is wet/ Wet of sweat/ Wet of blood," Xuan Carlos Espinoza-Cuellar cries in the face of immigrant-bashing. Xavier is a generous editor: instead of compiling a "greatest hits" sampler of one or two poems by many poets, he has opted to limit the number of contributors, giving each a real showcase for his talent.

Anyway, it IS a great book and you should really get yourself a copy. It's exclusively available here.

Related links:

• Floricanto Press
• Emanuel Xavier

Obama on Hispanic Trending

Juan Guillermo Torne of Hispanic Trending sent me the following link to an interview he did with Barack Obama (in some ways it mirrors some of the issues raised by gay supporters):

Q: Why did your campaign take so long to proactively reach out to Hispanics in comparison to several of the other candidates? We saw Latino people gravitating towards you, but not until later in the game we saw a fully orchestrated effort from your camp to reach out to them?

Obama's response is here.

Film: "Tal Como Somos" to premiere at 24th Annual Chicago Film Festival

I already told you about the Puerto Rican thriller "Las Dos Caras de Jano" premiering at the 24th Chicago Latino Film Festival (which begins today).

Turns out there is a second gay-themed festival entry and this time it's a documentary.

According to press materials, "Tal Como Somos (Just as We Are)" from Juneteenth Productions "shares the realities of living within a culture where daily life means being torn between love as son, brother, father, friend and stigma, or even exclusion, for being different."

The trailer (above) betrays a certain "educational" film tone which is not surprising since the production company also makes educational videos and media such as "Tracking Syphilis: Countdown to Elimination" and "Destructive Force: Hip Hop Imagery in Advertising."

"Tal Como Somos (Just as We Are)" is featured on their page under a link that reads "Latinos Fighting Stigma" which makes me think that the framing of the topic was there before the film was produced.

Without having seen the film and without wanting to take anything from the experiences of those interviewed for the documentary, I will say that - personally - this sort of message framing usually rubs me the wrong way and, in other similar films that I have seen, takes away from the personal experiences portrayed in these films by not letting those experiences speak for themselves.

Then again my friend Dusty Araujo is in it! So I'll give the film some extra points [h/t: LifeLube].

UPDATE: ABC7 Chicago says that there is actually a gay and lesbian track at the film festival including films from Spain (Barcelona), Mexico (Quemar las Naves/Burn the Bridges), Puerto Rico (Manuel & Manuela - see trailer below) and Chicago (Just as We Are/Tal como Somos).

African-Americans and Latinos are more comfortable expressing their gay identity than whites

Over the years I have told anyone who would listen that the perception of the Latino gay community as being less willing to identify as gay or be comfortable with their sexuality - at least in the larger urban areas of the United States - did not match my perception of the community. This often seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Now, a new national demographic study released by the marketing groups New American Dimensions and Asterix Group seems to confirm some of my observations.

Among their findings:

"African-Americans and Latinos were more comfortable expressing their gay identity than whites, although their gay identity was not the most important part of who they are. And, while whites were more likely to be in live-together relationships than Latinos or blacks, they were less likely to include children in their family plans."

Today's San Jose Mercury News has a story on the findings and the Asterix Group has a downloadable condensed research report.

That version of the report also reveals that while "two thirds of gays and lesbians report experiencing stereotyping and discrimination," the feeling is more prevalent among whites than blacks and Latinos. A possible reason, the report notes, is that whites are "less likely to have been the subject of discrimination based on ethnicity."

Of all the groups that were studied, Hispanics ranked the highest in "recognizing and accepting the influence of gay identity" and also ranked as the ethnic group that was the "most comfortable about their gay identity."

They also were the most likely to prefer hanging out at "completely gay parties and bars" and were the group least likely to say that they felt discriminated for being gay.

A public confession: I am no longer Latino or Hispanic

So there's something truly shameful that I have been hiding from you. And, yes, I tried to keep it under control but now I feel the need to come clean. I hope you'll be understanding and also be able to forgive me...

It all began a few weeks ago when Jorge Valdivia, the Vice President of the Association for Latino Men in Chicago/ALMA, sent a message to me with a subject that read "Frida Fascination."

I was shocked! I mean, everybody certainly knows ABBA but nobody that I know truly adores ABBA's Anni-Frid Lyngstad, better known as Frida, for her solo work. And I guess I am specifically talking about her 1982 album "Something's Going On" which was produced by the then-great Phil Collins immediately following his first successful bid as a solo artist with 1981's "Face Value" (also a great album). Both albums document the disintegration of each artist's marriages and they also share one song, the beautiful "If Leaving Me is Easy." Collins also provided back-up vocals and drums for several tracks on the Frida album. I recommend it highly.

Anyway, so I'm about to write to Jorge to tell him that I can't believe that he also loves Frida and the moment I open the message I just know my Latino cred has just been shot to hell - maybe forever. Jorge, of course, was sending a note about a successful showing of Mexican artist Frida Khalo paintings or some sort of retrospective, NOT the other Frida. OMG!

The first to react was, well, Jorge himself who said he was ashamed and that I should really consider enrolling in a "Latin American icons 101" class.

Because I needed understanding and support I reached out to others and, well, I got no such thing. Pedro Julio Serrano from New York, Monica Taher from Los Angeles and Lorenzo Herrera y Solano from Austin engaged in cross-country cyberterrorism and plastered images of Frida Khalo on my MySpace page (hm, my MySpace page disappeared this weekend by the way, what's up with that?). So much for friendship.

So, like, am I still Latino?

ITN: The Latino edition of GayNewsWatch

In the news: As we prepare to go on hiatus (El Blabbeador is taking some much needed vacation time and it's not certain if I will have access to the internet starting on Monday through mid-August), we'd like to point out that someone seems intent in driving Blabbeando out of business (in a good way, I mean).

I haven't had much time to devote to covering some of the latest news from Latin America but, with increasing frequency, I log on to GayNewsWatch and I find English-language blurbs and links to English-language blog posts that have beat me to the punch anyway.

If you want to see what I mean, bookmark this link:

http://www.gaynewswatch.com/Page.cfm?PageID=8&RID=3

It will lead you to the latest LGBT news stories and blog posts related to Latino / Hispanic culture or Latin America on the site.

Among the recent stuff they have covered that I have not: Federico Garcia Lorca's ode to Walt Whitman, Puerto Rican political parties seeks out gay candidates, Carlos Gardel now said to have been gay, Border city hosts bi-national Brazil-Bolivia pride and Caribbean gay man wins damages for police harassment.

I am also thankful for their prominent featuring of this blog on their site.

Sticky Pages: Queer comic book artists at LGBT Center

On Saturday, June 9th, Ivan Velez' Planet Bronx Productions is hosting a queer comic book gathering at the LGBT Center. "Sticky Pages" participants include Jennifer Camper, Allan Neuwrith of "Chelsea Boys" fame, Abby Denson and Ivan himself.

For kids that found themselves visiting or going through the Hetrick Martin Institute during the late 1980's and 1990's his work on "Tales of the Closet" probably remains indelible from their minds. Here was a multi-issue comic book that portrayed gay youth and their lives in uncompromising and direct fashion which was made available to youth at the center for free and sold to visitor for a small donation.

My acquaintance with the Bronx native goes further back to my teen years in Syracuse, New York. At the time (the early to mid-1980's) Velez drew an ongoing comic strip for the Syracuse University student newspaper The Daily Orange which also dealt with coming out issues and homosexuality and certainly made a big impact in my life.

When I found out about Planet Bronx Productions a while back, I sent Ivan a quick message thanking him for the positive impact of his work in my life. Still, despite living in the same city, we have yet to meet. I hope to thank him personally on Saturday and, for the comic book lovers out there, I hope you can make it too.

• In somewhat related news, "Queer comics seized by Canada border services" (Xtra, June 7, 2007)

Favorite blog of the moment: Guanabee

OMG! If they hadn't linked up to one of my posts I probably would not have known about them but I am just loving this blog. Guanabee (as in wanna-be) is a Gawkerish look at all things Latino with a queer edge here and there. It was just launched on June 1st and so far so great:

• Fresa flashback: Latin Music industry still on that nostalgia trip
• MySpace now irrelevant in Spanish, too
• Trends: Introducing the Mexican American Prince
• Shocking revelations: Michelle Rodriguez is NOT gay
• Grupo Fantasma (who?) to back Prince on ALMA awards tonight
• Dear God, we're liveblogging the ALMA awards!

Coolness.

Press Release: 20 Años de Lucha! – 20 Years of Struggle!

Latino LGBT History Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jose Gutierrez
202-588-0067

The Latino LGBT History Project Welcomes You to Celebrate
20 Años de Lucha! – 20 Years of Struggle!

Washington, DC, - May 21, 2007 – The Latino LGBT History Project cordially invites you to the opening reception and the celebration of 20 Años de Lucha! – 20 Years of Struggle!, as part of the Capital Pride 2007. Join us for Latin food and refreshments on Friday, June 8, 2007 from 6:30pm.– 9:00pm.at Human Rights Campaign in the Equality Room, 1640 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Washington, DC

“The history of the Latino LGBT community will be presented through an astonishing and unique collection of photographs, posters, flyers, banners and memorabilia from 1987 to 2007. The event will include the participation of key Latino LGBT leaders and provide a better understanding of the 20 years of struggle to create a movement in our National Capital,” said Jose Gutierrez, Director of the Latino LGBT History Project

20 Años de Lucha! - 20 Years of Struggle! is a historical exhibit and a panel discussion focused on the growth and contributions of the Latino LGBT community in Washington, DC since 1987 when the first two Latino LGBT groups were formed: ENLACE and LLEGÓ. The panel discussion will be moderated by Mario Acosta-Velez, Latino human rights activist, and will include as panelists long-term Latino LGBT leaders: Letitia Gomez, Yolanda Santiago, Eva Young, Raquel Sapien, Ruby Corado, Frank Yurrita and Jose Gutierrez. The program will also include opening remarks by Councilmember Jim Graham and Christopher Dyer, Interim Director, Office of LGBT Affairs.

20 Años de Lucha! - 20 Years of Struggle! is sponsored by Capital Pride 2007, Human Rights Campaign, Gertrude Stein Democratic Club and Latin@s en Accion. The entire LGBT community is invited to attend this important event.

Albany black and Latino gay pride banner vandalized

From Albany, New York, comes word that a banner announcing a June 2nd Black & Latino Gay Pride celebration was slashed earlier in the week by vandals. Capital News 9 has the story (as well as video if you go to their webpage).

The annual event is put together by Albany's LGBT people of color organization In Our Own Voices.

Blog rundown

Rex continues his perusal of old ACT UP photographs (painful scanning involved) here (first part is here).

Arthur Leonard has decided to stop using the names of individuals when reporting on political asylum cases even if he will continue writing about asylum court decisions. He also has a fascinating analysis of today's dissenting statement by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision ruling against so called "partial birth abortions" AND a note about an anti-gay discrimination suit against Starbucks.

One of our favorite fag hags and savviest of Latina bloggers, elenamary says she has launched a Latinas for Obama group but also expresses some slight annoyance with Obama's lead Latino organizer.

Lorenzo has seen tension grow in the LGBT community over the last few years on the issue of same-sex marriage.

Good As You explores God Tube. Yes, I said God Tube, not You Tube.

OMG! I think I spotted Noel in one of Paul's debaucherous bar night posts.

JockoHomo has some Bebel goodness as a preview to the new CD.

Manhattan Offender celebrates Happy Gonorrhea Awareness Week! Yay!

Monaga is just, well, Monaga. Just about the most comprehensive site on gay night life (and day life) in the Dominican Republic.

El Oso Raro at Slaves of Academe remembers one of the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings.

Pedro Julio gloats (as well he should).

Calling all gay and bi Latino frat boyz...

As far as I know, Miguel "Cariño" Ayala, a cute papi who is currently based in DC (pictured), has been pretty much the lead flag-bearer for gay and bi Latino frat bros in the US over the last decade (mostly through an internet e-mail listserv that he set up way back when he was at De Paul University in Chicago and a Sigma Lambda Beta bro to boot).

Now comes word that a Lambda Upsilon Lambda bro and a Nu Alpha Kappa bro have set up a new space that they hope will grow into a "national entity."

So, if you are a Latino gay or bi guy and a current or former fraternity brother please head over to this site (Note: You will need a current MySpace account to join). Maybe, just maybe, they can truly build a national network.

PS: If you are a Latino gay or bi guy and a current or former fraternity brother and would also like to join Miguel's list (which is separate from the site link above), please send me an e-mail at blabbeando@gmail.com and I will forward your request.

Update: SF vigil in memory of Ruby Rodriguez this Friday

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Contacts:
Tina D’Elia, Hate Violence Survivor Program Director
(415) 777-5500 ext. 304

Alexandra Byerly, EL-LA Program Coordinator
(415) 864-7278

Community Mourns Murder of Latina Transgender Woman
Requests Attendance at Vigil to Demand Change

San Francisco, California (March 22, 2007) – A Nicaraguan transgender woman, Ruby Rodriguez, 24 years old, was murdered on Friday, March 16, 2007. Her body was found on the corner of Cesar Chavez and Indiana Streets in the Mission District of San Francisco. The murder is currently under investigation by the San Francisco Police Department. Community United Against Violence (CUAV), EL-LA, San Francisco LGBT Community Center, TRANS Project, allies, and community members will hold a community vigil in her honor on Friday, March 23, 2007 at 6:00PM, on the corner of 24th Street and Mission Street in the Mission District.

Organizers request that the community bring a white candle to the vigil. There will also be an additional altar set up on Cesar Chavez and Indiana Street, and community members are encouraged to bring flowers, photographs, cards and good wishes to this site. Let us not forget Ruby. She was an exceptional woman who was intent on improving her life. Ruby participated in various support groups and language classes, and idolized Chicana singer Selena.

This murder comes at the heels of at least two other violent deaths of transgender women of color in the San Francisco Bay Area over the past six months. Transgender people, particularly low-income transgender women of color, are disproportionately poor, homeless, criminalized and imprisoned as a result of systemic discrimination in our daily attempts to access safe housing, healthcare, employment, and education.

Unfortunately, Ruby’s murder is not an exception, but an everyday fear for many transgender people who are targeted and brutalized by institutions and society at large. Our communities mourn Ruby’s death and ask for a renewed commitment to real safety for transgender communities. It is vital that the Mayor’s Office, the San Francisco Police Department, and the District Attorney’s Office work to end the cycles of criminalization, poverty, and violence in transgender communities and communities of color.

Please direct any questions about the vigil to Tina D’Elia or Alexandra Byerly. If anyone has any information regarding Ruby’s murder, please contact Inspector Karen Lynch at (415) 553-1388 or Inspector Tom Cleary at (415) 553-9569 of the SFPD Homicide Unit.

---
Community United Against Violence works to end violence against and within the LGBTQQ communities, providing free and confidential counseling, advocacy, and education in English and Spanish. CUAV’s crisis line is (415) 333-4357.

ITN: SF TG murdered, Dupree loses support, internet sucks & mulah

A few news items that might have escaped your attention:

Body of transgender Latina found by roadside in SF: The San Francisco Police Department is "seeking to determine whether the slaying of a transgender victim found naked near the Interstate 280 freeway is somehow linked to reports of a nude woman seen walking on the same freeway two hours later" according to the San Francisco Chronicle [UPDATE: Candlelight vigil to be held in honor of Ruby Rodriguez on Friday, March 23rd in San Francisco]

Gay Dallas Constable Mike Dupree loses key support, sister still on his side: In a case that we have followed for a while, 50 year old Dallas Constable Mike Dupree - who had a 20 year old Honduran lover jailed when he spurned his advances - and hooked up with a female stripper - has lost key support from one of his deputies. His sister, though, is still on his side.

Latinos suck at internet stuff: The Pew Hispanic Center has the results of a poll.

Mulah: The Dallas Voice has an interview with fundraiser Enrique MacGregor (pictured above) on what it takes to raise money for organizations such as the Latino Cultural Center.

Update: Marine Corps begin inquiry against Matt Sanchez

I guess you could see this coming: The Navy Times reports tonight that the Marine Corps Mobilization Command in Kansas, Mo., has begun an inquiry about reservist Matt Sanchez' past as a gay porn star.

As the article says, "While Sanchez says he has put his gay porn past behind him, the Marine Corps hasn’t. Homosexual behavior is prohibited by an article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice that forbids 'sodomy.'"

This week I sent a message to Mr. Sanchez asking him to talk about his experience in the military as a Latino soldier and on his views on the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy.

There was an immediate reply: "Andres. There are no black, gay, or Puerto Rican Marines. There are just Marines. :)"

So I guess that's as far as I'll hear from Mr. Sanchez (I like the sideways smiley face though!).

Over on his blog, after a review of the testosterone filled flick "300," Cpl. Sanchez does give a link to a reply he posted on the Military Times (which also hosts the article posted in the Navy Times above).

His response: "I'll be writing another opinion piece on this subject to address this matter in my own words. I'd appreciate it, if my fellow Marines gave me the benefit of the doubt until then."

• Previously: Matt Sanchez 24/7 (March 8, 2007)