|
|
Greetings qvReaders!
As we become increasingly accepted in mainstream society, it important for us to take care of the issues that impede our growth internally. Too often, we are a Latino community that's divided-divided by inner racism, divided by language, divided by ageism, and divided by internal homophobia. But perhaps the single most divisive issue in the general Latino and also the Latino community is the expectation that we as Latino men are expected to behave in a specific way that's associated with being a man. As we have learned it from our Latino traditions, it is called machismo, and it tells us that we must be the providers of our family, and that we must walk, talk, and act like real men. It tells us we must be strong and that we can't let others see us cry. So what happens if we do cry? Does that make us any less of a man? And what about being QV? Does that make us less of a man, too? What if we're a man, yet effeminate? Are we still a real man? The truth is that there's no one definition of a "real" man-we're all real men. As QV men, it's okay to be feminine, and it's okay to be masculine, too. There's nothing wrong with having a healthy cry, or expressing any other emotions. Before we Latinos can move forward in society, we need to look within ourselves and start loving our own community better. We need to become more open-minded and accept our Latino brothers no matter what they look like, how they act, or what they do for a living. We need to look beyond the surface and see that we are all a part of the same family. Now, with all this said, it is important for us to remember that there's nothing wrong with being men. And when we talk about machismo in this issue, especially in a good way, we are talking about it in the sense of being men and being proud of our gender-much in the same way we are proud of our race and our sexual orientation. On the other side, when we talk about machismo in the negative sense, we are talking about the exaggerated attitude that is destructive and one that hurts people. What we are saying is that machismo is okay in the sense of being proud to be a man. However, you must not take the attitude too far and use it to discriminate and hurt others. So get ready to open up your eyes with this issue of qvMagazine. It's sure to spark new thoughts, and hopefully, challenge the way you look at the concept of machismo. Enjoy the new issue-qv17. -The qvStaff >>Next Article>> |
Once
again, we are turning a page in history as we enter the year
2001. For us QV and bisexual Latino men, we are witnessing many
changes in our community. From Los Angeles to New York, Chicago
to Miami, we are seeing our Latino QV brothers unite to form
a special bond that is unprecedented. We are also witnessing
growing acceptance from the straight community that has never
been seen before!