Marilee Lorusso
Staff Writer
Curiosity, awareness and a chance to gain insight into the subject of homophobia in the Latino community drew people to a roundtable discussion March 31 as part of the Engendering Diversity and Community Conference.
Male and Female participants from various backgrounds, including strict deep religious roots, families with progressive ideals and diverse sexual orientations brought different opinions and personal stories to the table.
In total, seven students and faculty members participated in a roundtable discussion titled “Homophobia in the Latino/a Community.”
“I think homophobia in the Latino community is very common, but seldom discussed,” said Associate Professor of Psychology Leticia Arellano-Morales, who led the discussion.
Arellano-Morales focused the discussion and referred to the topic using “Chicana Lesbians: The Girls Our Mothers Warned Us About” and “Living Chicana Theory (Series in Chicana/Latina Studies),” two books by author Carla Trujillo.
There are consequences for those who are homosexual and are not educated about the topic, as well as for young children who don’t understand and pick up words such as “gay” and use them in a derogatory way, she said.
Some argued that one of the main reasons the topic of homosexuality is rarely brought up is due to deep religious ties to the Catholic church. These people felt that the church’s stance caused some people to be more close-minded to homosexuality.
Arellano-Morales stressed the importance of starting a dialogue on this topic so that people gain an understanding of it.
“I thought the discussion was honest and informative,” said Peggy Redman, professor of education and director of teacher education. “I always appreciate it when students and faculty can have open dialogue.”
Marilee Lorusso can be reached at mlorusso@ulv.edu.
