For many, there is a desire to break out of the mold and be different. However, what many seem to miss is that the molds we have in place in society have been created by a singular group of people: white cisgender men. Therefore, I believe that it is important to do alternative research in order to promote difference. This will show that not everyone experiences all events the same. Every experience is processed differently, so we need to think intersectionally, especially in order to understand Joto identities.
The Joto identity draws upon the traditional patriarchal standard of Latinx/Chicanx households, where there are still clear distinctions between dominant and submissive, and where machismo, the Latinx hegemonic form of masculinity, still prevails as the most important thing to protect. Ocampo and Vidal Ortiz both discuss how masculinity heavily impacts the Joto identity. Ocampo (2012) suggests that because Latinx males are disadvantaged in some social areas, they make it up by using masculinity as a form of social capital. Vidal-Ortiz suggests that a man can keep his heterosexual identity and masculinity intact, while being with involved with another man. This all depends on the role the man is playing: is he activo or passivo? Those are the terms used by Latinx men when describing their roles in sexual acts. Being that this distinction exists, only those who are activo are the ones who may still be able to keep their heterosexual identity and masculinity unharmed (Gonzalez-Lopez, Vidal Ortiz, 2008). This distinction is a perfect example of a way that the Latinx/Chicanx queer identity is different from that of the white queer identity. |
Although there are parts of it that draw upon its white counterpart, Joto identity is still very different. In ‘“Thats My Place!': Negotiating Racial, Sexual, and Gender Politics in San Francisco’s Gay Latino Alliance, 1975-1983," Roque Ramirez’s shows the struggles that Latinx queer people had in finding a sense of community. Roque Ramirez talks about how Latinx men were able to hang out with each other and have a comadre type of relationship. However that is to the extent of which they would take their relationships. It was hard for them to share some genuine interests beyond something platonic because they were always after the “white trophy.” That generated a sense of competitiveness between these Latinx men. For many of the people mentioned in this article, there was always a longing to see a representation of their culture in the midst of a predominantly white community.
After seeing just how multifaceted the topic is, I realized that there are still some questions that need to be answered. Although there was plenty of research to discuss the importance of these identities, there was very little done to describe the difference between things such as Chincanx and Latinx. |