Homosexuality and HIV Among Latino Communities in the U.S.

Introduction: Homosexuality in Pre-Columbian and Latino History

This paper examines the difficulties Latinos face in being homosexual, the differences between homosexual Latinos and Caucasian homosexuals, how Latino homosexuals are treated within their communities and by their families, and how homosexual Latinos are treated within Latin America as a whole.

People have argued that homosexuality has been part of Latino culture since pre-Columbian times, as records from pottery and accounts from conquistadors of Aztec behavior confirm. As one source championing gay and lesbian rights explains:

"Homosexuality is a part of the pre-Columbian history of America. Spanish chroniclers observed various socio-sexual roles, including private same-sex relationships and homosexuality as public ritual. Surviving effigy pottery demonstrates that Native people practiced a wide array of sexual customs. Among the militaristic and prudish Aztecs, sex also had a religious aspect. Xochiquetzal was considered the goddess of eroticism and sexual relations and, in her male aspect Xochipilli, he/she was the deity of male homosexuality and male prostitution. Tlazolteotl exercised dominion over female prostitution, rape, and venereal disease."

Champions for gay and lesbian Latinos have used this historical foundation to further their cause, and also to argue that discrimination against Latino homosexuals is rooted in biases against the Third World:

"The contemporary 'gay and lesbian' identity can find critics among Latino/a, mestizo/a (and other) lesbians and gay men whose relationship to western societies is complicated by discrimination and other First World/Third World dichotomies. Gay Latinos and lesbian Latinas have struggled to carve out an identity within the larger structures of society, which are not ideal. The larger structures, more often than not, forget and ignore the histories of gay men, lesbians, and Latinos/as. As a result, our identities as Latinos/as, and as gay men and lesbians, tend to be rooted in specific and localized histories and experiences. This quality makes it hard to generalize to a broader 'Latino/a' gay and lesbian experience, even as this identity is developing as an organizational tool."

This idea is taken further still: "Gay Latinos and lesbian Latinas have reasons to celebrate their own history of affirmation in being gay or lesbian, and Latino/a. Along with freedom from persecution and internal self-doubt due to their sexual orientation, lesbian Latinas and gay Latinos have sought to address overlapping concerns particular to our race, ethnicity, national origin, and gender through organizations. Latinos and Latinas participated in the incredible and unprecedented growth of gay organizations during the decade following the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969. Gay and lesbian Latinos/as formed independent groups to deal with not only homophobia and sexism in their own communities, but also with discrimination and prejudice exhibited by predominantly white gay bars, businesses, and organizations. Lesbian Latinas created organizations, meetings, and events to directly confront sexism. These organizing efforts by gay and lesbian Latinos/as have also included attempts to produce, or reclaim, a gay and lesbian history from the Latino/a perspective."

Latino Cultural Values, Gender Roles, and Attitudes Toward Homosexuality

The traditional culture of Latin Americans ('Latinos') is very strong, family-based, and built on well-defined gender roles: the man provides, and proves his standing in society by his prowess in work, through his ability to provide for his family, and by his sexual prowess — fathering many children, keeping mistresses, and so forth. The male in Latino communities is therefore characterized through the terms macho and machismo. Females, on the other hand, are expected to be homemakers, devoted to their children and their husbands, living to keep the family together and well-cared for.

These are the traditional gender divisions within Latino communities, although in some countries — such as Colombia — and in immigrant communities within the U.S., these traditional cultural values are becoming more fluid, and women are generally being granted more liberation. This is not the case, however, for homosexuals.

The macho Latino culture does not recognize homosexuality as a viable option. The culture defines the homosexual act as somehow against nature, against the dictates of Catholicism, and against all Latino cultural values of familismo, machismo, and so forth. Homosexuals of both genders are therefore still frowned upon by the Latino community. As Larry Cruz, a champion of San Francisco's Latino homosexual community, explains: "Identifying as a gay person within the Latino culture is not easy. Generally speaking, homosexuality is not accepted as an identity in the Latino community, though there is a lot of homosexual behavior."

A paper by Marsiglia (1998) explores the relationship between ethnic, gender, and sexual identities among Latinos/as from a developmental perspective, and finds that culturally prescribed gender roles and a lack of support from Latino communities are oppressive factors that inhibit a healthier integration of ethnic and sexual identities for homosexuals living within these communities. The role that social workers can play in facilitating such integration is also discussed, along with other recommendations within a culturally grounded approach. The paper reports that social workers and increased intervention from individuals outside these communities can greatly help Latino homosexuals in their processes of self-discovery (Marsiglia, 1998).

HIV Disparities Among Homosexual Latinos

It is well established that homosexual Latinos suffer disproportionately higher rates of HIV than Caucasian homosexuals. Although Latinos make up only 13% of the U.S. population, in 2001 they accounted for more than 20% of new HIV cases reported in the United States.

Further, 14% of Latino men who have sex with men were found to be infected with HIV in a recent multi-city study of men aged 23 to 29, compared to 7% among Caucasian homosexuals sampled and 32% among Black homosexuals sampled. Additionally, 17% of newly reported cases of HIV infection involved Latinas, with 18.1 per 100,000 Latinas living with HIV — almost four times the prevalence found among Caucasian women.

Latinos are contracting HIV at an alarming rate, with Latinos twice as likely as Caucasians to contract the virus. Some 153,000 of the 833,000 HIV-positive people in the United States are Latino, and 82,000 Latinos have died of HIV-related causes. AIDS is the second leading cause of death among Latino men aged 35 to 44, and the fourth leading cause of death among Latinas in the same age group.

Hypotheses to explain the severity of the HIV problem among homosexual Latino men include the lack of openness by Latino homosexuals — driven by community oppression — which leads them not to seek safe-sex information, not to practice safe sex, and, subsequently, not to receive appropriate HIV treatment.

Conclusion: Race, Sexuality, and the Need for Intervention

We have seen that 'Latino,' as used in the U.S., is a broad term covering many distinct sub-cultures, drawn from different countries and different generations of immigration — first-generation, second-generation, and beyond. We have also seen that Latinos come from a strongly gender-differentiated culture where machismo rules, rendering homosexuality taboo. This has led to significant problems, most notably high rates of HIV infection among Latino men and, subsequently, among Latinas — who are often married to secretly gay husbands who contract HIV through same-sex encounters and then transmit the virus to their wives. These elevated HIV rates are further complicated by the sub-cultural diversity of Latinos, which produces different transmission routes, complicates treatment, and accelerates the spread of the virus.

As with many public health issues, homosexuality and HIV among Latinos carry racial dimensions. Homosexual immigrant Latinos who strive to live authentically, often against enormous odds and frequently at the expense of their health, deserve both empathy and support. It is troubling that, in contemporary America, people of a particular race and sexuality continue to risk their lives while pursuing their fundamental needs. The question must be asked: where are the programs for informing Latino homosexuals about the risks they face? Marsiglia's (1998) paper is admirable in its intent; hopefully its message will be widely adopted by those in a position to act on it.

Bibliography

Marsiglia, F. F. (1998). Homosexuality and Latinos/as: Towards an integration of identities. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 8(3), 113–125.

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