Discussion Questions
Danitza Rodríguez Jiménez
- According to the essays, how have the terms “queer” and “maricón” changed over time? Is this term still one that straight people should avoid?
- Are the terms “maricón” and “marimacho” intended to have the same meaning about the person being called it?
- How does the extreme prevalence of Catholicism in the Latinx community impact the homophobia and transphobia queer folk experience?
- Is the experience of a queer Latinx person living in Latin America different from one living in the United States? How so? How might life differ in different Latin American countries?
- How do we see machismo and homophobia and transphobia support one another?
- What do these essays tell us about how a queer identity matters for immigrants, undocumented, refugees, and those experiencing housing insecurity?
- According to the essays, the “X” in “Chapinx” signifies the crossroads between many identities. What does the “X” in other terms, such as “Latinx” and “Chicanx” mean to you? Is the “X” beginning to represent more identities than previously thought?
- How can we see queerness being commodified by other groups? How could this be used as a tool to invade or gentrify spaces meant for queer people of color? What other kinds of consequences could arise from the commodification of queerness?
- As shown in the essays, Latinx people can hold many different identities. How might variations in one’s identity affect their Latinx experience? What kind of disparities and challenges do the different identities make the person more vulnerable to?
- How might the struggles of queer Latinx folk differ from the struggles of transgender Latinx folk? How might they be similar?
