LGBT Politics in Latin America

Introduction

• The genesis of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) politics has been insufficiently addressed by political scientists who study Latin America.
• There is scant publication of studies on LGBT issues in political science journals in the United States.
• The lack of attention to LGBT politics is surprising, considering the field studies state formation, citizenship, democratization, civil rights, and other issues.
• The purpose of this reader is to show the presence of LGBT topics in Latin American politics during the current “third wave of democratization,” as well as in previous waves.
• The authors share the belief that LGBT rights are fundamental components of diversity and difference and that LGBT politics cannot be omitted from the study of democratization.
• Studying LGBT politics offers different insights about the democratization process.
• The progress of LGBT rights in Latin America has been uneven.

Key Themes

• Two major themes are identified in this reader
• The struggle for LGBT rights in Latin America has made unprecedented inroads in the twenty-first century, but not in every domain nor everywhere in the region.
• Laws and policies against discrimination based on sexual orientation, legal recognition of same-sex couples and gender changes, policies against homophobia, and the inclusion of LGBT activists within government are now common in several countries and cities.
• There has been little progress in many other domains, regions, or countries.
• These inroads were long in coming and it is unsure they will continue or even endure.

Focus

• Focus is on the uneven and late achievement of LGBT rights in Latin America, and the potential for that achievement to stagnate.
• Examines the political factors that have blocked or propelled LGBT rights in the region.

Fighting Heteronormativity

• LGBT politics challenges heteronormativity which refers to the tendency of societies to organize social relations and citizen rights based on reproductive heterosexuality which is considered ideal.
• Leaders and opinion makers often apply this standard of reproductive heterosexuality in judging a person’s worth, potentially affecting rewards like acceptance and job promotions.
• Heteronormativity imposes the expectation of opposite-sex partnerships, raising children in heterosexual environments, and performing gender-based roles.
• A heteronormative environment is typically uncomfortable with diversity, affecting nonconforming individuals psychologically and politically.
• Heteronormativity places all nonconforming citizens within any polity at high risk of feeling or experiencing exclusion, denigration, discrimination, ostracism, victimization by hate crime, forced migration, and neglect by state security and welfare policies.
• LGBT politics struggles against the conditions that give rise to these experiences and the feeling of living with the threat of these experiences.

Concerns and Classifying LGBT Citizens

• LGBT social movements and citizens are united in their opposition to heteronormativity, not all share the same political concerns.
• The desire for emotional, affectionate, and sexual relations with members of the same sex is crucial when defining gay/lesbian sexual orientation.
• The translation of desires into sexual practices is not crucial.
• Homosexuals, like heterosexuals, may practice celibacy, monogamy, nonmonogamy, or frequent changes in sexual partners.
• The recognition of their gender identity and the end of their exclusion from almost every social domain of life is typically the main issue for transgendered individuals.
• Gender identity refers to a person’s deeply felt internal and individual sense of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex/gender assigned at birth, including the personal sense of the body.
• Transgender individuals may or may not choose to modify bodily appearance or function (by medical, surgical, or other means) or alter expressions of gender, including dress, speech, and mannerisms
• Some people wish to partially or fully adapt their appearances anatomically and/or through clothing and makeup away from the gender identities attributed to them at birth, to reflect their true gender identities; such citizens are called transgender, transvestite, or transsexual.
• Gender and sexuality are considered non-binary by a school of thought called the “queer approach”.
• A general term to describe a person born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male, is Intersex.

Politics of Advancing LGBT Rights

• LGBT politics in a heteronormative society results in converting LGBT desires and identities into actual behaviors.
• Politics, with social hostility, influence LGBT behavior and identity, though generally not desires.

Essential Factors

• Degrees of recognition and tolerance, socialization, and legal practices shape a person’s self-acceptance, activities, and expression.
• LGBT rights must challenge the notion that sexualities and gender identities are fixed
• LGBT individuals must develop strong identities themselves to gain political power

LGBT Politics - Dilemma

• The fact that the population comprised of LGBT citizens is typically a minority is a dilemma for LGBT politics.
• The second dilemma resides with the possibility of hiding one's desires, identity, and behavior and of managing one’s public identity which makes the structural impediment of small numbers even more restricting.
• The closet practice endemic to LGBT citizens hurts the strength of LGBT forces

Issues and Challenges

• Sexual categories aren't social groups with identifiable bonds and settings.
• Establishing social political bonds requires efforts of visibility.
• A central issue of LGBT politics is therefore not just fighting homophobic institutions and attitudes, but also the tendency of LGBT people themselves to seek the closet.

Latin America in the 2000s

• LGBT issues have become more openly debated topics and progress has been seen in policy areas.
• By 2007, approximately three-quarters of persons needing antiretroviral HIV/AIDS treatment in the Americas received that treatment, the highest coverage in the developing world
• Latin American cities are becoming increasingly “gay friendly”
• LGBT studies have become part of Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Chile higher education.
• Significant homophobia in Latin America, except in Mexico, Brazil, and Uruguay is registered.

Key Questions

• Why did this coming-out experience occur at this particular historical moment?
• Will the progress continue?

Problems Facing LGBT Movements in Latin America

• Prolonged homestay tends to distort and delay the rise of a gay identity
• Independent youths face various dilemmas
• Limited availability of the closet(s)
• Role of income and competing economic issues
• Role of shocks and horrors in drawing attention to LGBT rights
• Role of religion
• Difficult interaction between political parties and LGBT social movements

Homophobia at Home

• Young people live with their parents or extended families resulting in household discrimination.
• The very people who are closest affectively and biologically, immediate relatives, are the ones who have the hardest time accepting LGBT identities and practices.
• For transgender youths, rejection is much stronger.
• LGBT citizens are likelier to find the household to be an uncomfortable and even unsafe environment, where it is dangerous to exhibit LGBT desires, identities, and behaviors.
• Coming out to parents and close relatives is typically a nerve-racking experience that individuals from other nondominant groups seldom experience.

Staying Home Longer

• Majority typically stay in larger, multi-generational family homes because they can’t afford to move out.
• Youths can be forced to hide their identities until they can move out or become independent

Consequences from Lack of Housing Can Lead To

• Street youth who might be free from homophobia are still likely to be exposed to abuse, crime, and lack of opportunity
• Emigration to other countries
• Forced heterosexual marriage

Latin-America Multiple Closets

• There are more closeted options in Latin-America such as

Closet Options

• Marital life closet
• Good parent Closet
• Bottom versus Top closet

Social Acceptance

• While these offer protection, safety, and security for Latin-Americans, they may also affect a greater social acceptance

LGBT Politics - Income Levels and Class

• LGBT rights expanded the most in the world's richest countries
• Poor economic conditions can be associated with fewer opportunities for expansion of LGBT rights since economic challenges for many trump issues of sexuality
• As income levels rise, people are more likely to fight for LGBT rights.
• in upper classes have greater tolerance of closets for gay behavior so long as it conforms with hetrosexuality stereotypes.
• Middle-class people are less likely to choose household exodus.
• Income helps increase access to education which combats homophobia.

LGBT - Social Movements

• Benefit through greater numbers and mobilized support
• A greater movement to fight and recognize LGBT issues
• Can be limited through political obstacles that prevent the growth of the movement

LGBT Movements, Religion, and Latin America

• Organized religion is an obstacle to sexual rights with Christian churches often taking an opinion against it.
• Some religions have faced past opposition from churches, although may have also had support from them.
• Some Catholic Church groups became major advocates
• Officialy condemn homosexual behavior.
• In Latin America they don't often criminalize or condemn so much as English speaking countries
• Most scholars agree that are players, objecting to non-hetornomative conducts

Political Party Division

• LGBT, because those to oppose or have limited support are in dire need of allies
• Some parties attempt to be catch all which can cause resentment of grouping together

Factors at the Individual Level

• LGBT youths stay in their original households for much longer, confronting a homophobia that hinters youths from coming out and self-acceptance
• More of a choice to remain in a closet that makes it harder to come out

Factors that Affect Bloom Late

• The need to fight authoritarianism, also set rights and abuses to be established, dominated Agenda
• Religion poses a large issue
• Catholic as policy is veto opposed over, party is in problem.

Progress Moving and Reaching

• LGBT movements can greatly depend because they know people to mobilize more. Globalization pushes as most powerful since it promotes rights. Some see it to welcome the global market for LGBT market.
• Often scores with indices of globalization is higher in Latin America.

Globalization and Latin America

• Globalization continues to support and serve

Conclusion

• Factors can favor or damage LGBT rights