October 6, 2001
Subject:
Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2001 20:01:40 US/Pacific
From: alvarezh@rohan.sdsu.edu
To: almalopez@earthlink.net
Hola carnala,
My name is Hector Alvarez and recently came
across your piece titled "Our Lady of Guadalupe". I stumbled upon
it as I researched material for a course that I'm taking in the Masters in
Social Work program at San Diego State. My research is focused on gay and
lesbian families, Chicanas/os in particular, and ways of improving social
services to this community. Your work struck me as a prime example of how
the members of this oppressed community, gay and lesbian chicanas/os, are
reinterpreting the social/historic symbols and images we are raised to admire
and worship. I myself was taught to respect the virgen as well and must admit
that your work challenges the paradigms through which I was raised to view
the virgen. However, I learned long ago that my patriarchial upbringing needs
to be corrected. The image of "Our Lady" forces me to take a second
look at my own indoctrination where an exposed female body is seen as promiscuous
and unholy. In my early years as a Chicano activist, like many other Chicano
males, I developed the notion that women who spend time making their bodies
attractive were also promiscuous and failed to follow the image and example
of the virgen. Your work is important in helping us deconstruct these binarisms
where men still try to dictate the proper behavior of women. I would greatly
appreciate if you could refer me to any other material at your disposal which
can help me in my effort to assist the gay and lesbian Latino community.
Gracias y Adelante,
Hector Alvarez