Queer 1-1

Queer Latino Testimonio

Omar Rivera & Stephen Percy

Passing lines: Cultures of the Puerto Rican Queer Diaspora Written by Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes, he is a gay Puerto Rican author and

scholar.

Focuses on the immigration experience by certain LGBT Puerto Ricans.

Talks about and explains how Puerto Rican LGBT groups have very relevant similarities and differences from other Latin American groups.

He states that the reason for this is that Puerto Ricans are able to travel to and from the US mainland at will. This allows them to have more resources for their situation.

Concentrates on three Puerto Ricans in the LGBT group.

Manuel Ramos Otero, Frances Negron Muntaner, & Erika Lopez

Manuel Ramos Otero (First generation experience) (80’s and 90’s)

Migrated to New York in 1968, died of AIDS in Puerto Rico in 1990.

Regarded as most important 20th century gay Puerto Rican writer.

He wrote about his experiences in New York and Puerto Rico. His writings are very illustrative of the experiences of first-generation gay Puerto Rican migrants.

Most known works include…”Hollywood Memorabilia,” “El cuento de la mujer del mar,” and “Pagina en blanco y staccato”

Frances Negron-Muntaner (Recent first generation migrants)

Puerto Rican filmmaker and writer. One of the best known Puerto Rican Lesbian artists.

The book concentrates on her film, Brincando el Charco(Jumping the Puddle). The author makes a great point by stating that this title allows us to think in another way and that its like jumping from the island to the mainland.

Film makes it a two step process for immigration to the mainland. (1) expulsion from Puerto Rico and (2) incorporation into a multicultural community composed of different migrant generations.

Erika Lopez (Second Generation Migrants)

Erika was born in New York to Puerto Rican parents. She is an cartoonist, novelist and performance artist. She is openly bisexual.

In her work she has a semi-autobiographical character Tomato Rodriguez. In her works we see how Tomato goes through a lot to fit into both the Latino community and the LGBT community.

Conclusion of “Cultures of the Puerto Rican Queer Diaspora”

Every situation is different in the Puerto Rican diaspora.

Puerto Rican artists represent and analyze their complex and particular situations.

”Queer Rican Artists have documented and transformed an immigrant experience characterized by racism, poverty, linguistic difficulties, and homophobia, but also characterized by personal resiliency and cultural creativity. Puerto Ricans may have U.S. Citizenship but that doesn’t mean that their integration into U.S. society has been easy, particularly for queer or LGBT individuals.”

Overview: Queer Latino Testimonio

Cruz-Malavé uses the story of Juan Rivera and Keith Haring to illustrate the settings, lifestyles, and hardships of the Queer Latino community

By examining the places, events, and people that this couple encountered Cruz-Malavé not only shows the inner workings of the queer Latino community but their interactions with the outside world.

Shows where Keith Haring got the inspiration for a great deal of his works

What is a Testimonio?

Testimonio- a genre of literature that retells historical events using literary elements such as dialogue, poetry, and metaphors from eye witness perspective

Why did the author choose to write Juan’s story in the form of a testimonio?

What effects does this first-person narrative bring to the story?

Juan Rivera & Keith Haring Came from Different worlds

Met at Paradise Garage in New York and quickly became lovers

Traveled and experienced many people, places and things together

Both infected with AIDS

Keith passed away in 1990, but not before forming the Keith Haring Foundation which was made with intentions of spreading awareness of Haring’s artwork & working with AIDS-related charities

However, when Juan needed support after being diagnosed with AIDS, the KHF was not there to help him

The Places

Common themes within these places:

Sex

Poverty

Drug Trade

Political movements

Queer movements

How did these themes come into play in the discussion of these places?

Which place that Cruz-Malavé discussed stuck out the most to you? Why?

Coney Island

“The most extravagant and modern playground the world had ever known”

Urban Renewal

“Contradictory Ambiance”

El Barrio/East Harlem

• Spanish Harlem

• Harlem Riots of 1926

• Puerto Rican battle to maintain their identity and earn respect

• Cultural Movements

• What were some of the challenges and obstacles that the Puerto Ricans of El Barrio faced?

• What type of things did the Latino community do to attempt to overcome these obstacles and establish a place for themselves in Harlem?

Times Square

Why was this a good place for runaway children like Juan to come?

Does the descriptive scenery of Times Square remind you of any of our past readings?

The People

Section in book that names specific people and how they are related to Keith Haring and Juan Rivera.

Juan DuBose- Keith Haring’s partner from 1981 to 1986. Passed away in 1989 from AIDS.

John Gruen- author of the most frequently cited biography of Haring.

Gave Juan no representation in the bibliography, even diminished his name

Julia Gruen- Haring’s personal assistant from 1984 until his death. She became the executive director of the Keith Haring foundation after his death.

Refused to give Juan funding for his struggles with AIDS

Bibliography

Cruz, Arnaldo. Queer Latino Testimonio, Keith Haring, and JuanitoXtravaganza: Hard Tails. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. Print.

La Fountain-Stokes, Larry. "Queer Ricans: Cultures and Sexualities in the Diaspora." Cultures of the Puerto Rican Queer Diaspora. N.p.: U of Minnesota, n.d. N. pag. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. <http://latinosexualitygender.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/la-fountain-stokes-cultures-of-the-pr-queer-diaspora.pdf>.