“Queer Aztlan: the Re-formation of Tribe,” Moraga
Within this essay “Queer Aztlan: the Re-formation of Chicano Tribe,” Cherrie Moraga explores many issues pertinent to a queer utopia. Here Moraga engages our attention with issues of homophobia, sexism, and masculinity to imagine what a “Queer Aztlan” might entail.
My question is, how is a Queer Aztlan an instance of a queer utopia?
thequeerartofutopia 
This is a great article! Moraga does an excellent job of calling out homophobia.
The striving for a queer world free of sexism and homophobia is a wonderful vision of a queer utopia.
“Through an interesting play on words, the word utopia is defined in English as nowhere – no place. But this could also be read as now here – here and now.” – from “Cyber-Marx: Cycles and circuits of struggle in high technology capitalism”
Love the play on words. Now, here, we need to work for a queer utopia or Queer Aztlan. Additionally consider Munoz…
“Queerness is also a performative because it is not simply a being but a doing for and toward a future. Queerness is essentially about the rejection of a here and now and an insistence on potentiality or concrete possibility for another world.”
Hayden Thrasher-
After reading this article and seeing the side title of this blog ‘Queer Utopia as Re-formation’ I looked up the definition of Utopia. It gave me the definition “an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect” I thought it was ironic that the first words were an imagined place, almost indicating that this is a place that can’t or won’t exist. On the first page the quote says “What we need, Cherrie is a Queer Aztlan. A Chicano homeland that could embrace all its people” (225). When I put these two definitions together it seemed as though it was saying that this desired place where everyone is accepted would only ever be a Utopia; a place that we merely dream of or imagine existing. Considering articles we’ve read in class and others I’ve studied in sociology I feel as though this could be an accurate assumption. Although we have made progress in creating places and values that focus on stopping stereotypes against people, I think there is such a great deal of progress to still be made. It is constantly in the news instances where people are being bullied for being homosexual or not being treated the same as those who are heterosexual. As we’ve talked about in class, the first step is to raise awareness of these problems and educate those about what can be done to solve it. I think a “Queer Aztlan” or Utopia is something to ultimately strive for, a place where people would be treated equally and would feel completely safe.
I just thought you should know your post really helped me put together the two worlds in my mind. Just wanted to say thanks, and great post!
Hayden this really summarized my thought on the article as well. Also, in the article the quote “we seek a nation strong enough to embrace a full range of racial diversities, human sexualities, and expressions of gender” was used. I feel that a modern day utopia would be one like the definition you looked up, fused with the previously mentioned quote. I feel that for a utopia to exist, peace must be one of the key components, and for peace to exist all races, gender or other variations of people’s lifestyle should be embraced with open arms.
The one quote that I think really summed up this whole article was this: “we seek a nation strong enough to embrace a full range of racial diversities, human sexualities, and expressions of gender. We seek a culture that can allow for the national expression of our femaleness and maleness and our love without prejudice or punishment.” Queer Aztlan, if it met all of these demands, would then be a perfect instance of a queer utopia, a place where everyone is treated with equal respect. However, if this is to be achieved, the chicano nation needs to stop excluding females and homosexuals. They must recognize that their hopes will never be realized until everyone can fight join in the fight, not just straight Chicano males.
I agree that the above quote does a solid job of summing up the entire article. I find it ridiculous that we cannot find this Utopia where everyone is treated equal. Another quote that really stuck out to me was “They are the ones who, like there black, Asian, and Native American counterparts, doubt the American Dream because even if they got to UC Berkley, their brother is still on crack in Boyle Heights, their sister had 3 kids before she’s twenty, and sorry they cannot finish the last week of the semester cuz Tio Ignacio just got shot in front of a liquor store” (Moraga, 1992). This quote hits home for me because it does a great job of representing how real these issues are, and how they effect all sorts of people.
The quote that really rings loud and clear for me was “We seek a nation strong enough to embrace a full range of racial diversities, human sexualities, and expressions of gender.” After taking a Chicano/a and Latino/a ethnics class and taking Women Studies now, this quote means more to me then it would have before. We have so easily been blinded into thinking that the world we live in today is so perfect. However, over years of fighting and protesting, females, homosexuals, and people of another skin color then white are denied certain rights. I do not think just Chicano/a people seek a nation that welcomes all, but all cultures of some mass want a nation like this. Where everyone wants to be treated as people and not as a color. Individuals deserve to love who they want and express their gender however they feel. I like this quote because though I see myself as a white, heterosexual female, I have friends who have been discriminated for who they love and how they express themselves. I do not want them or anyone else to go through that pain again. We need to reach this nation of peace by working together and education the younger generations today how not okay it is to discriminate against others
I thought this article was really good and brought somethings up that i never really thought before. We get stuck just looking at things one way this made me look at gays and lesbians from a different view. “since lesbians and gay men have often been forced out of our blood families, and since our love and sexual desire are not housed within the traditional family, we are in a critical position to address those areas within cultural family that need to change.” This part in the article made everything click together. That times are changing and as a society we need to change the way we view and judge certain aspects of homophobia. We need to be open society eyes to not judge people for their skin color, sexual preference and gender roles.
I enjoyed the article because I haven’t read many articles dealing with homophobia. Queer utopia is a powerful movement that deals with people that are determined in having a queer world free of sexism and homophobia. The article reinforces peoples dislike in the gay community by discussing how lesbians and gay men that don’t fit the social norm of what society should look like, are forced out of families and friendships. This is a very sad situation that should happen to no human and it needs to be dealt with. One quote that drew my attention was, ” On some level, our brother— gay and straight—have got to give up being “men” (233). The author meant this by saying that men need to stop thinking that they are superior to women in society. This could be meant in the workforce, daily house life, or just in general. This may be true but I feel that it would be very difficult for men to stop thinking that because it is somewhat embedded into peoples minds and is apart of human nature to think that.
The word “utopia” by itself causes me to think about what my own world, completely fair and without judgement, would look and feel like exactly. I found myself relating to the way that Moraga described her emotions the first time she saw the word “Aztlan” etched into the mountain side. She wrote that “Aztlan gave language to a nameless anhelo (yearning) inside me” (227). I think that everyone can relate to the feeling of being totally lost, confused, or scrambling to set things straight in their own minds, at some point in their life. We each have, or have had, our own reasons for wanting change or at the very least a place we can live without feeling as though we are tip toeing around something or another. Moraga’s utopia was given the name Aztlan when she whipped around the corner in her VW van that day, because she finally felt free from the pressures of being a homosexual Chicana (probably because there was nobody else around). She describes beautifully how she longs for a world that doesn’t discriminate against those two descriptive words that are often attached to many different stereotypes. However, just as the definition of the word utopia involves other words such as “imagined” and “ideal”, her Aztlan is also just a figment of her imagination. The worst part is that, as we have discussed in class, we are a far ways away from living in a world where everyone is accepting of one another, and her Aztlan will remain in her imagination for much, much longer.
I have not heard much of Aztlan before. After looking up Aztlan and learning what it was, I wonder why I had never heard of this place earlier in my education or family/friends. I keep thinking that maybe I have not heard of Aztlan before because it’s not part of my heritage or culture, and in conversation with my friends who do share heritage with Aztlan the topic has not come up. But that isn’t good enough to not know. “The nationalism I seek is one that decolonizes the brown and female body as it decolonizes the brown and female earth” (162). This quote helped me to think of a reason to answer my question. I think it maybe the fact of the culture I belong to did colonize the Southwest similar to how the American Indian tribes were colonized. I mean, why is it that I was told Christopher Columbus discovered America when the land was already occupied and the Vikings had visited the same land before him? Why is it made out in our history books that the only wars that have taken place were between Indians and early settlers?
It seemed to me while growing up that people fought for land and that it involved tomahawks and guns. I don’t remember ever being told that Indians were burned and killed with their body parts turned into souvenirs. My point is this: Maybe I wasn’t taught these things so I would not view the country I live in as a colonizing powerhouse ready to terminate the people already occupying the same land who may one day become citizens. As the land was colonized so were the people and they were subjected to the common view of their bodies not being “clean” when there was nothing wrong with them to begin with. As society has colonized the ideologies of what is appropriate of gender and race.
As society has colonized the ideologies of what is appropriate in gender and race, there seems to also follow the colonizing of what is acceptable in every community. To be decolonized or free in a utopia sounds like heaven, but it is impossible to undo history and the historical views that have been forced on communities, such as the Chicano, to be passed down to each generation. Hopefully, one day there will be a utopia that is not subjected to historical views of a “clean” race or a perfect heterosexual relationships between human beings.
I found this article and its content to be very interesting. It was easy to relate to its author and the way she describes being lost and confused as to her place in her culture and society. The way that this utopia and Aztlan were described painted a beautiful picture of how the world should be for every person, regardless of their background or life choices, giving them the freedom to live the life they want to. All of the hardships mentioned makes me empathize with anyone who has been mistreated. A statement that caught my attention put things in perspective, “If women’s bodies and those of men and women who transgress their gender roles have been historically regarded as territories to be conquered, they are also territories to be liberated” (227). It is just so simply put but I believe it holds a great amount of truth and wish it was only so easy to bring this change to the world. The way in which this article presents the historical background of the Chicano culture and all the individuals have faced and their resulting actions opened my eyes to something I have never been educated about and allows me to think about my life compared to others in a whole new light. It seems as though this is important history to our country’s early formation and its a shame it doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.
The quote that really stick out to me is ” in a queer Aztlan there would be no freaks no others to point ones finger at”. A utopia is an ideal community or society and I believe this quote perfectly exemplifies how a queer Aztlan is this utopia. It is simply a place where race gender and sexual preference are not barriers with which people divide themselves. The thing is in this envisioning of a utopia it is perfect for simplest of reasons that everyone can control. That is in theory it is not so far removed from the world we live in today. Unfortunately in actuality it is something distant.
The article gave a very interesting perspective on what it was like for Moraga growing up feeling out of place, which is common for many homosexual individuals today. She had to hide both her ethnicity and sexual orientation for quite some time before she finally came to terms with who she really is. It seems as though it is extremely difficult to be forced to never be who you truly are because of society’s homophobia or racism. The start of this article reminded me of the “double edge sword” that Pandora Leong talked about in her article “Thinking Outside the Box.” Even though Moraga is not a heterosexual, she must conform to heterosexual ways, as that is the standard that society sets for her. She states “our feelings about sex, sexual power and domination, femininity and masculinity, family loyalty and morality has been shaped by heterosexist culture and society.”
the quote that stuck out to me the most in the article was the one say how “As a lesbian, i don’t pretend to understand the intricacies or intimacies of chicano gat desire, but we do share the fact that our “homosexuality” our feelings about sex, sexual power and domination, femininity and masculinity, family, loyalty and morality has been shaped by heterosexist culture and society” this quote caught my eye and made me think that although gays have there own identity and live the lives in which they have the right to live there in some way forced to learn in the society and culture that is made by heterosexuals. The ideologies that are passed down to everyone from the time of birth is one of a heterosexual, and then even when one as found there identity being proud of them selves and being able to speak freely of who they are, they still have to come back to the real world which is made up from a heterosexual manner which is not one in which they can completely relate to or be completely accepted by. In a perfect world or utopia, there would be no word homophobic or heterosexual, as the utopia which is formed is one of an equal and non judgemental society and not a society were if you are of homophobic nature you are seen as a stat.
When given the name of this blog The Queer Art of Utopia and the article to read my first though was what does utopia mean exactly? I have heard this word before but never given it much though or time to really look in to it. I learned that it is ones ideal state or place. immediately, i began thinking about what that means to me. What is my ideal place? are my standards to high? can i even turn this wonderful place in to reality? or is this ideal life a state of mind that i must achieve? Questions began flooding my mind and as i began reading I though more and more about how everyone is striving to achieve there own utopia. In the Reading Queer Aztlan: the Re-formation of Chicano Tribe, the author states “As we are forced to struggle for our right to love free of disease and discrimination, “Azlan” as our imagined homeland begins to take on renewed importance. Without a dream of a free world, a free world will never be realized.” That speaks wonders to me that even though it may start as just a dream if you are willing to stand up and fight for it anything can happen. The stone wall uprising is living proof of the fact that anything is possible and that you can you make your dreams or utopia a reality. The Utpoia seen in this reading is described in the next portion of this section “Chicana lesbians and gay men do not merely seek inclusion in the Chicano nation; we seek a strong enough nation to embrace a full range of racial,diversities, human sexualities, and expression of gender.” It continues to say “we seek a culture that can allow for the natural expression of our femaleness and maleness and our love without prejudice or punishment. In a “queer” Aztlan, there would be no freaks, no “others” to point ones finger at.”(235). This section of the reading made a lasting impression on me. Yes our society has come a long way throughout history however, will we be able to ever fully end discrimination? While learning about all of the discrimination surrounding us today my eyes have been opened and mind has been challenged with the though that while some peoples Utopia may be a luxury life style others is to just have the freedom to be themselves with their own identities. Leaving me questioning what i stand for and how far will i go to make a difference.
After completing the reading, I believe that Queer Aztlan is an instance of queer utopia because it is a “place” that encourages thoughts such as freedom, peace (of mind and body), and acceptance. The quote, “As we are forced to struggle for our right to love free of disease and discrimination, “Aztlan” as our imagined homeland begins to take on renewed importance.”, shows the importance of having this “place”, at least in your mind, to help people though times of distress.
Another quote that I found important from the reading that seemed to fit perfectly with the film about Stonewall was, “Without the dream of a free world, a free world will never be realized.” I felt like this would be on the minds of all the men and women that endured the riots because that had to continue to “dream” that someday they wouldn’t be prosecuted and discriminated against because of their sexual orientations.
Upon reading Cherrie Moraga’s “Queer Aztlan: the Re-formation of the Chicano Tribe”, I was struck most by the explanations of the machismo and homophobic attitudes of the “hispanicization” of the 1980’s. In attempt to re-define themselves against the anglo-american emasculation, the male dominated chicano movement pulled on extreme ideals and values of their culture and heritage (while completely disregarding and selectively forgetting others). The quote within Moraga’s essay that stuck with me the most was: “Women were, at most, allowed to serve as modern-day ‘Adelitas’, performing the ‘three Fs’ as a Chicana colleague called them: feeding, fighting, and fucking.”
To me, this speaks of how the idea of Queer Aztlan was born. Which is exactly how the queer utopia was born: out of necessity for preservation and personal freedom. In the beginning of the essay, Moraga quotes Ricardo Bracho in what I believe is the best way to phrase that concept: “How will our lands be free if our bodies aren’t?”
Queer Aztlan/queer utopia could be other worlds, other lands, other experiences. But I believe that they could be this world, this land and these experiences. These things start with the acceptance of people without any country and culture, for their color, their sexual orientation, and any other persuasion that might not be considered “natural”. This is the same process that every other civil rights movement went through to achieve what they have achieved (and the things that have not yet been achieved). If we can accept one civil rights movement, and allow one grouping of people their well deserved citizen rights…then what is the difference between that group, which fought so hard, and any other group which has also fought so hard? Nothing, besides what the generations have become accustomed or used too.
A quote from the article that I found to be most interesting talks about how the Chicano and Chicana culture is still very old fashioned when it comes to homosexuality. A qutre from the author saying “lesbians and gay men have often been forced out of our blood families”. This quote immediately made me think about the documentary The Stonewall Uprising. A large part of the movie interviewed gay men and women from the 60’s who were kicked out of their houses and forced to live on the streets simply because they were gay. These men and women lived in America, and this article made me realize how families could still be like this today, especially those that have a rich cultural background. Because I am from a mostly white area, I’m not often around gay men and women who are of different ethnicities, and this article really opened my eyes that not only is homophobia still around today, but there are some instances where it is even much stronger and involves more hatred than I had ever known about.
This article was definitely a good one to read. It explains the utopia and Aztlan way of doing things. The author does a good job in explaining herself and the use of her words to explain situations fit perfectly. Homophobia does exist and the queer movement could be something that is feared by many. The article discusses some of the views toward these communities and how homophobic individuals are affected. What would be the perfect world we could live in? We know that it would not consist of just a heterosexual world. What grabbed my attention was “…our bothers—gay or straight—have got to give up being “men”. I don’t mean give up their gentiles, their unique expression of desire, or the rich and intimate manner in which men can bond together. Men have to give up their subscription to male superiority” (233). I believe the author is trying to implement the idea that gay or straight there should be no male superiority. Men do not have to give up their feelings or the way of being themselves, but they have to give up the idea that being straight is superior to being gay. Being homophobic has created superiority and the author does a good job at bringing this issue up as well. Heterosexuals have implemented and sometimes forced individuals to follow what is expected by society. The society we live in now is not the same one from previous years. What is expected by society keeps changing and individuals should be able to identity and live their lives how they want to without being forced to be someone they are not.
I grew up in a community where I was one of five or so white kids in my graudating class. Beacuse I am from an agricultural area, my community is around ninety percent migrant workers. Honestly, I never thought much about how where I grew up was different from the majority of the population until college. While reading the Moraga artilce, I realized how many of these issues I saw through my friends, and those I’d known my whole life. My high school has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the state, this was discussed some in the article. I never really considered this before, but could this be because of the demographics that exist there? I had a few friends myself who had children in high school, and when asked if a condom was used, the answer was almost always, “No, he didn’t want to and I didn’t feel right making him.” When the article talked about male superiority in Mexican families and relationships, I realized that this could be why. If Mexican girls or women dont’ feel that they are able to stand up for their rights and health, they will never be able to make their voice heard. Just as the article stated, if things are to change in the Chicano movement, “Men have to give up their subscription to male superiority.” (Moraga, 233). Through what I have experienced through being emersed in this culture, I have realized how important male superiority is. The majority of the time they are not to be questioned and are seen to know best. This then brings up the question of where lesbians fit into this societal mold. If men are the head of society and the head of relationships, where does a woman couple fit in when there isn’t a male for them to answer to. Through my own personal experiences and through reading this article, I realied that in the chicano movement, women will have to be willing for their voice to be heard in order to further advance.
The way in which Cherrie Moraga discusses Queer Aztlan shows the reader that she is not just talking about an actual physical location for those who are Chicano and gay or lesbian, but more so a mental state of being. This mental state of being is where this article ties in with the thought of Queer Aztlan being a queer utopia, Moraga is looking to find a safe, and welcoming place where she can be her true self, both physically, with herself, and in the minds of those around her. Like Moraga says, “it is a new nationalism in which la Chicana Indigena stands at the center, and heterosexism and homophobia are no longer the cultural order of the day,” representing to the reader that all she wants is a place where she can feel equal to those around her, whether they are heterosexual or homosexual, she wants a utopia that does not just satisfy herself but all of the other homosexual people that can relate to what she has felt over her lifetime as well.
The article, Queer Aztlan: the Re-formation of the Chicano Tribe, is highly intriguing for many reasons. It begins by describing the radical reduction for the Chicano culture, mostly from the viewpoint of sociologists. The third generation could, for all respects and purposes, become indistinguishable from the rest of the population. This idea further promotes the idea that there needs to be a place that can be a representative safehaven for the Chicano culture, a sacred landscape, a place where nationalism doesn’t divide into categories of the modern era, into heterosexual and homosexual. Aztlan, the mythical home of the Aztecs, represents this idyllic place, this utopia. The society would be free from “this constricted ‘familia’ structure [where] the patriarchal father figure remained in charge both in their private and personal lives”. It would be a place where the social taboos of discussing female sexuality, male homosexuality, and lesbianism were not in existence, and visions of female and gay leaders could be, and would be realized. Aztlan is a utopia, it is a place where Chicana feminists would not be heavily critiqued, and would be able to achieve the Chicana liberation they constantly advance. In Aztlan, gay men and lesbians would not be forced from the homes of their families, and love and sexual desire would be spoken of as necessary for a healthy life, instead of being quieted and not discussed. The traditional gender roles would be broken down, and become more individual. Aztlan would not be shaped by heterosexual society, and being homosexual would not make you a designated minority group. The people would recognize that freedom is based on both sides, and that both men and women, heterosexual and homosexual, need to be free and accepting before the utopia, the world, can work harmoniously. People could love free of disease and discrimination. AIDS would not be a driving force in preventing gay men (among others) to silence themselves, because it would not exist. In the utopia of Aztlan, people can live free, be “two-spirited”, and be highly respected members of a society that recognizes them as they are, humans.
An issue mentioned in this reading, as well as many others is hard for me to wrap my mind around as a white, middle class American. The United States is so often thought of as a melting pot of people from different backgrounds in which everyone belongs. In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Even groups that represent a minority can leave some members feeling like they don’t belong. As the author says, “I experienced the racism of the Women’s Movement, the elitism of the Gay and Lesbian Movement, the homophobia and sexism of the Chicano Movement, and the benign cultural imperialism of the Latin American Solidarity Movement.”
It can be hard to maintain your identity and culture when you live in a place that only wants you to mesh into theirs and forget about your past and heritage. “Were immigration from Mexico to stop, they say, Chicanos could be virtually indistinguishable from the rest of the population within a few generations. My nieces and nephews are living testimony to these faceless facts.” As a lesbian it can be even harder to find a place in this country, even in areas where acceptance would seem obvious. She refers to another instance in where she, as well as many others, didn’t belong. “Lesbians and gay men were not envisioned as members of the “house”; we were not recognized as the sister planting the seeds, the brother gathering the crops. We were not counted as members of the “bronze continent”.
I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to be in this situation. But while reading this, I was able to put myself in the woman’s shoes for a moment and understand a little better what the world must be like through her, and so many other excluded Americans, eyes.
I found it interesting that the term “utopia” comes from the Greek word meaning “no place”. I think that it illustrates what the gay/lesbian communities are trying to accomplish, and that is, being seen as equal. Although there has been an immense amount of improvement over the years, gay rights are still being modified. The quote, “We seek a nation strong enough to embrace a full range of racial diversities, human sexualities, and expressions of gender” is a perfect example of what something like a “utopia” is trying to reach; a place where everyone is equal, regardless of race, sexual preference, gender, etc. The utopia is a place that people can have faith in, and a place that they have high hopes of someday being a real place. Many people still have to realize that just because someone’s opinion of another sex or gender is different than their own, does not make them a lesser human being. Everyone is equal, and this article represents the goal that the gay community is trying to reach; a safe place where being yourself is okay.
Judgment is passed for almost every move we make, every word we say, everything is judged. Our sexuality is something that is always being examined by our society who tells us what to do and what to say. Often one can feel confused or dazed by our surroundings when there are so many forces acting on us. Moraga writes about this when she states that she began her politicization when she recognized her lesbianism. Often many people in our society are in denial about who they are because they live in fear. Moraga writes about “coming to terms with that fact meant the radical re-structuring of everything I thought I held sacred,” because she had realized that she was a lesbian (Moraga, 225). She moves on to talk about the Chicano movement and how it ended up creating the typical familia, with the patriarchal father in charge of the household. This is something that continues to be present in our Chicano culture today. As Moraga states “to this day… no serious examination of male supremacy within the Chicano community has taken place among heterosexual men,” (Moraga, 231). Although there may be other aspects of our culture changing this goes to show that there are still multiple aspects in which we still need to strive for change. The male-headed household only makes room for more stereotypical views of gender and sexuality. It freezes our moves for an equal society. With this one can only expect judgment of other’s sexuality, as well as our own, to continue to be a central part of society.
So many individuals in the United States come from different cultures. They practice rituals that have been in their families for generations and it is natural to them. Yet, because of history, they could be named or identified as a completely different race than what their grandparents or parents grew up with. Moraga states in her article that, “As mestizo people living in the United States, our relationship to this country has been ambivalent at best. Our birth certificates since the invasion of Aztlan identify us as white. Out treatment by Anglo-Americans brand us “colored.” She goes on to compare the mixed-raced African Americans identify as black but no mixed-bood. This is different with Meixcans/Chicanos. In history, Chicano Nation is a mestizo nation conceived in a double-rape by the Spanish and gringos. Our country is supposedlt known for identifying with and noticing all races and ethnicties, yet Mexican Ancestry in the United States has become Chicano. Moraga states that no matter how successful you are, if you are of a different ethnicity (not white), then no matter what you do, people will still pick out the flaws. It is virtually impossible to live the “American Dream” if you are someone of a different race.
In this article I felt like there was one quote in which was very successful in relating the heterosexual to the homosexual life style. Moraga states, “as a lesbian, I don’t pretend to understand the intricacies or intimacies of Chicano gay desire, but we do share the fact that our “homosexuality” – our feelings about sex, sexual power and domination, femininity and masculinity, family, loyalty, and morality- has been shaped by heterosexist culture and society. As such, we have plenty to tell heterosexuals about themselves.” I feel as if there is a lot to be learned from others and that as heterosexual persons we should listen to the hardships and struggles faced by others in order to better understand and comprehend to the best of our abilities with the intentions to attempt to walk in their shoes. I believe the author is looking to create a place in which she can collectively assume there are no more biases and that in this place people are free and to act on their desires without ridicule.
This article was very interesting to me because it was one of the first articles I’ve read on the topic homophobia. The article demonstrates examples of how people are against the gay community. It also talks about how lesbians and feminine men that don’t fit in with the society are forced to portray false images of them in order to feel normal. A quote that was interesting to me said, “I want to propose to you that there is a difference between organizing an identity-based movement and a progressive and human rights one…” (237). I never realized the reality and difficulty these obstacles were for these people.
This was a great article to read because of the fact that everyone thinks of a Utopia for themselves, and being gay or lesbian doesnt mean they dont have one either. The fact that people are so scared of people that are different prohibits others from letting go and having the great life they wish to have. As seen in other articles and discussions we have had in class, many people live in fear of judgement and harassment from others for being different and not “normal”. As brought up in the article, ace is something else that can be easily judged and acted upon as said, “As mestizo people living in the United States, our relationship to this country has been ambivalent at best. Our birth certificates since the invasion of Aztlan identify us as white. Out treatment by Anglo-Americans brand us ‘colored.'” This in another instance of categorizing other people and keeping them from living a life equality. From reading this article I have realized how hard it is for many people that we discriminant against every day
When I read this article this made me think of someone who wants a land where anyone can go to escape those around them. It makes one think about how they view others, that there is always someone judging someone else and that everyone wants to be “acceptable” to societies standards. In the paper is talks about how she[the author] wants a place to be free to show who she really is where no one will judge her or discriminate against her. In the writing it says while talking about a “Queer Aztlan” that people who were “openly gay men and lesbians among the ranks”(225) were never accepted in the community and that they wish to create “A Chicano homeland that could embrace all its people, including its joteria”(225). The term joteria that was stated means the gay subculture of Mexico that they should not be ostracized because of who they are. This really ties into a movie I watched the other day about the gay, lesbian, and transgender people who lived in greenwich village in New York City and how they would be arrested for being associated with those terms
After reading the article, ‘Queer Aztian: the Re-formation of Chicano Tribe” I was really amazed and saddened by how people are treated today and the struggles the gay community faces everyday. Not only in this story did Moraga face the difficutlties of being a lesbian in the community, but also in her own family. It is of great importance that people start to open their eyes to the inequality still present to make different groups, and begin to realize how one’s actions are affecting others. At the same time I find it to be very endearing that even after all the struggles this group has gone through they still have hope and are dedicated to creating a world for younger generations to live a better life. A quote that stuck out to me was “Without the dream of a free world, a free world will never be realized. Chicana lesbians and gay men do not merely seek inclusion in the Chicano nation; we seek a nation strong enough to embrace a full range of racial diversities, human sexualities, and expressions of gender” (pg. 235). Now after reading this article, I have seen a glimpse at what different groups go through.
Queer Aztlan and Queer Utopia are in my opinion and the same sort of thing. Queer Aztlan being more specifically placed and a contribution, while Queer utopia in my mind is more pertaining to the entire world. Moraga summarized her attitude towards the matter by stating, “We seek a nation strong enough to embrace a full range of racial diversities, human sexualities, and expressions of gender.” Everyone with a nationality, sexual preference, and gender want to be apart of a bettered and equal society, but we are all held back by our corrupted and incorrect views of right and wrong. Living in the world of bettering the place where she experienced her pain is the Queer Aztlan, but I feel that the utopia would be taking on the whole world, which would have to be done one place at a time. Queer Aztlan is the contributing factor to embracing and bringing to life a Queer utopia, making it an instance or a branch of the idea of a Queer utopia. This is done by imagining a life without discrimination. Living equally and enjoying the same rights that are given because it is the right way, not because there are laws on some piece of paper. To change the ways of society people need to be taken out of their ignorant place and informed of the reality of the circumstances instead of just what is hidden behind closed doors.
Mike Kunz
This article was really good and opened my eyes to some ideas and views that I had never thought of before. The article helped me realize how we look at and how some people treat gays in our society. For instance how families react to having a gay or lesbian child and can be forced out of their own homes. This helped me to see that people within the gay community are treated unfairly and there is injustice just because of the way someone chooses to live their life. Another thing that really jumped out to me was how Moraga talked about gay men and not coming out and helping to defend their beliefs and culture. When she said “on some level, our brothers–gay and straight– have to give up being ‘me'” really helped me to see that men need to give up their feelings that they are more superior then women and cling to the privileges that we think that we have. She talks about if they keep thinking they are “men” in the way that society wants them to be then they will never achieve a full liberation that they have always wanted. after reading the article I can now better understand the struggles that different groups go through and the how hard it must be to deal with society and this struggles at the same time.
After reading this article i couldn’t help but feel disgusted towards our society. This girl had to deal with so much unnecessary hatred from the community as well as her family. Her own flesh and blood couldn’t just accept who she was. It’s so sad how raciest, sexist, and judgmental our world has become. I feel that us priding ourselves on being a country where expressing ourselves is in reality bogus. I think that everyone who has read this can relate to the author in some way when she talks about “Queer Aztlans.” Basically, she is referring to a place where she could just go to get away. A place where she can be accepted and wouldn’t have to worry about being herself (225). It disappoints me how as humans we decide what is technically “acceptable” according to what is “popular” at the time or what might get the most positive attention.Above all else, a quote that really stuck out at me in this article was when she said:“as a lesbian, I don’t pretend to understand the intricacies or intimacies of Chicano gay desire, but we do share the fact that our “homosexuality” – our feelings about sex, sexual power and domination, femininity and masculinity, family, loyalty, and morality- has been shaped by heterosexist culture and society.” This says it all. We all have different perceptions on how things should be. Just because someone may not agree shouldn’t mean it is ever wrong.
In reference to sexuality, among other subjects, the author states that “Chicanos are an occupied nation within a nation and women and women’s sexuality is occupied within Chicano nation.” This statement addresses the fact that gay and lesbian Chicanos find themselves caught in the socially tabooed middle portion of the Queer Nation–Chicano Nationalism venn diagram. In the reading, the author explains that people of color, historically, have not been accepted among the ranks of the “Queer Nation” and gay and lesbians are outcastes among Chicanos. With this being said, homosexual Chicanos are not welcomed by either of the groups within which they so rightly belong. A “Queer Aztlan” represents the overlap between homosexuals and Chicanos and proves that these identities are not mutually exclusive–an interpretation of an ideal setting where all are welcomed. A utopia.
The article “Queer Aztlan: the Re-formation of Chicano Tribe” by Cherrie Moraga illustrates several issues regarding masculinity, homophobia, and sexism and how society should strive towards achieving a “Queer utopia”. One quote that Moraga wrote that really grasped my attention was, “we seek a nation strong enough to embrace a full range of racial diversities, human sexualities, and expressions of gender. We seek a culture that can allow for the natural expression of our femaleness and maleness and our love without prejudice or punishment” (235). She also goes on to describe the framework of our society as, “a racist and misogynist social and economic system that dominates, punishes, and abuses all things colored, female, or perceived as female-like” (234). These a very important issues that need to be addressed within our society’s framework. In order for society to improve on these matters society as a whole must raise awareness of these problems and also increase education on how this divides us as a people and only poisons our society.
In the article “Queer Aztlan: the Re-formation of Chicano Tribe” by Cherrie Moraga, she talks about her journey from a closeted, lesbian, Chicana to being open and traversing the territory that extends around the world for the issue of fighting the Gay rights movement. One of the most influencing parts of her article that grabbed my attention the most was when Moraga compared the fight for Gay and Lesbian rights to that of her own people of culture fighting for truly being accepted as an America. She states “They are the ones who, like their Black, Asian, and Native American counterparts, doubt the “American dream” because even if they got to UC Berkeley, their borther is still on crack, their sister has three kids, and sorry but they can’t finish the last week of the semester cuz Tio Ignacio just got shot in front of a liquor store”. This just goes to show the excruciating and difficult times that all people of a different sexuality, color, and even appearance have had to fight to even survive in the so-called “land of opportunity” and what is supposed to be the “melting pot” of our nation.
The article by Cherrie Moraga, “Queer Aztlan: the Re-formation of Chicano Tribe” talks about the fight that people of a different color, race, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender have to fight in order to have the same rights as everyone else living in their country. The part of her article that intrigued me the most was when Moraga says “Chicanos are an occuped nation within a nation, and women and women’s sexuality are occupied within Chicano nations”. This quote really stood out to me because of how “lock-down” people that are different are. I mean, this woman is a lesbian Chicana and so she has twice the limitations on herself. She must first try and be accepted by America as a woman of a different race, and then try to be accepted by her own community as a Lesbian.
I think the article by Cherrie Moraga does a good job at point out the issues of diversity within society. She states that “Again and again we are reminded that sex and race do not define a person politics,” yet thats exactly what institutions are made of, social constructions of gender, heteronormativity, and oppression of many differing types of people. These are all issues concerning human rights of the Chicano peoples any many differing peoples who have been colonized and oppressed throughout history, an example given by the author is currently the free trade policy, that exploits other countries and is considered one of “Mexico’s greatest betrayals.” These policies show exactly how race effects political decisions and representations of past exploited people through many generations of oppressed people. These institutions not only give privelege to whites but to heterosexuality as well, Cherrie Moraga states that, violence against women, male homosexuality, and lesbianism are all issues within society that are still not being addressed by the privileged as social issues. This article does a good job at explaining how these issues are all intersectional from Moragas perspective as a Chicana women. Race, sexism, and gender roles are all issues that need addressing in society, I think Cherrie Moraga sums it up well when she states, ” we seek a nation strong enough to embrace a full range of social diversities, human sexualities, and expressions of gender.” Although she is speaking for the Chicano movement, I believe this should be what every nation strives for. In order to do so people must educate themselves on these issues so we can have a reach some form of utopia. We must think critically about the world we live in and from differing perspectives as Moraga puts it ” without the dream of a free world, a free world will never be realized.”