Book Recs: Gay Spanish Poets — Reads Rabow

Contents:

• BOOK RECS: GAY SPANISH POETS
• THE NEW GENERATN OF GAY LATO POETS
• “LOR AND THE GAY WORLD”
• GAY LATO POETS
• GAY CULTURE: LOR, FERI GARCIA–SPA’S GREAT POET AND PLAYWRIGHT (LGBTQ, GAY)
• RICHARD BLAN’S GAY LATO POET SURVIVAL KCUBAN BORNTHE FIRST IMMIGRANT AND THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN TO BE THE GURAL POET, THE CUBAN-BORN THOR TALKS ABOUT EXILE, HIS NEW MEMOIR, AND THE FORC THAT FORMED HIM.WILLIAM O’CONNORFORMER TRAVEL EDORUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 2:41PM EDT / PUBLISHED OCT. 08, 2014 5:45AM EDT POOL PHOTO BY PABLO MARTEZ MONSIVAISRICHARD BLAN MA WAV 2013 WHEN HE WAS THE FIRST IMMIGRANT, LATO, AND OPENLY GAY MAN TO BE THE GURAL POET.BORN MADRID AS HIS FAY WAS FLEEG CUBA, BLAN GREW UP, AS MANY EXIL DID, MIAMI, A FAY TRYG TO RECREATE THE CULTURE AND MUNY THAT WAS LOST.THIS MONTH, BLAN IS OUT WH A MEMOIR, THE PRCE OF LOS COCUYOS, THAT IS EQUAL PARTS TOUCHG, HEART-ACHE-DUCG, AND LGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY. IT VERS HIS YEARS OM EARLY ADOLCENCE UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL, AS HE TO GRIPS NOT ONLY WH HIS NASCENT SEXUALY, BUT ALSO HIS CUBAN-AMERIN INTY. ONE FIGURE PARTICULAR TOWERS OVER THE BOOK—HIS ABUELA (GRANDMOTHER), WHOSE MERCILS TORMENTG OF HIM FOR BEG EFFEMATE SHAPED HIM LIKE LTLE ELSE.IN A Q&A WH THE DAILY BEAST, BLAN OPENS UP ABOUT G TO TERMS WH HIS GRANDMOTHER, ABOUT TRYG TO PASS AS A STRAIGHT MAN, AND ABOUT THE POEM THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE. WHAT WAS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TIME YOUR LIFE THAT MA YOU WANT TO FOC A MEMOIR ON ?I THK AS I LOOK BACK ON MY LIFE, MY CHILDHOOD AND EARLY ADOLCENCE WERE THIS MAGIL, BEWILRG, CHAOTIC, AND EXPLORATORY TIME OF MY LIFE. I ALWAYS REFER BACK TO MY POETRY AND I JT WANTED TO EXPAND THOSE STORI OUT AND SEE WHAT ELSE WAS THERE THAT WASN’T THE POETRY. I THK EVERYONE HAS THAT POT THEIR LIFE THAT REMAS SOMEWHAT A MYSTERY, AND YOU ALWAYS WANT TO DIG TO AND DISVER . FOR ME PARTICULAR, WAS THE VERY FORMATIVE YEARS BEE OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANC—G TO THE UNED STAT AT 45 DAYS OLD, GROWG UP MIAMI, WHICH IS A LARGE PART OF WHAT THAT BOOK IS ABOUT, AND NEGOTIATG THOSE TWO IMAGARY WORLDS OF CUBA AND AMERI. THAT’S WHAT I THK MEMOIR IS ABOUT, FOCG ON A CERTA ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE THAT STILL HAS RELEVANCE TO WHO YOU ARE AS AN ADULT.WAS THE BOOK THARTIC FOR YOU? I IMAGE THERE WERE SOME SRS THAT WERE REOPENED.I THK WAS THE NTEXT OF MY GRANDMOTHER, WHO IS ONE OF THE MA CHARACTERS. I THK I NEED TO HAVE A NVERSATN WH MY GRANDMOTHER ABOUT HER VERBAL ABE OF ME AND HER HOMOPHOBIA. AS I WROTE THE DITN, ALLOWED ME TO HATE HER, TO LOVE HER, TO FIVE HER. THAT WAS CERTALY THARTIC.THERE’S ALSO SOMETHG THAT WAS TERTG OVERALL THE MEMOIR, AND A NEW GROUND FOR ME—EXPLORG HOW THE DIMENSN OF SEXUALY AND MY BURGEONG ARTISTIC INTY WERE LLIDG, MERGG, AND TERSECTG WH THE QUTNS OF CULTURAL INTY. IT’S WHAT I LIKE TO LL CULTURAL SEXUALY. I N’T SEPARATE WHO I AM AS AN ENGEER, WHO I AM AS A GAY MAN, WHO I AM AS A CUBAN, WHO I AM AS AN AMERIN. IN THAT SENSE THE BOOK REALLY TOOK A LARGE PICTURE OF HOW ALL THE THGS MERGED TOGETHER, AND SOME WAY BEME RICHARD BLAN. IN THAT WAY THAT WAS THARTIC TOO, TO SORT OF STCH UP ALL THOSE PIEC AND SEE HOW THAT IS. IT’S SOMETHG THAT FASCAT ME AND IS SOMETHG THAT TRANSLAT TO ALL OF , EACH HUMAN BEG IS A UNIQUE BATN OF PEOPLE AND CIRCUMSTANC AND CULTUR THAT SHAPE AND MAKE WHO WE ARE. WE DON’T ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO GO BACK TO OUR LIV AND TRY TO NAIL DOWN HOW IS THAT EXACTLY HAPPENED, HOW IS WE BEME WHO WE ARE.THERE IS A PASSAGE THE BOOK WHERE A PORNO MAGAZE IS PASSED AROUND AMONG THE MEN YOUR FAY AND YOU FD YOURSELF HAVG TO PRETEND YOU FD THE NAKED WOMAN TERTG. I FEEL LIKE THAT MOMENT WHERE ONE HAS TO TALK ABOUT A WOMAN A SEXUAL WAY ONT A GROUP OF GUYS IS A RE OF PASSAGE FOR GAY MEN. WHAT WAS LIKE FOR YOU REVISG THOSE MOMENTS WHERE YOU WERE TRYG TO “PASS.”I THK THAT WH EACH “PASSG,” ALL THOSE LTLE MOMENTS THAT GIVE YOU JT A LTLE B MORE RMATN ABOUT YOURSELF, SHOWS THAT G OUT IS A PROCS THAT REALLY BEGS WHEN YOU ARE THREE YEARS OLD. COMG OUT IS SOME WAYS THE RULT. IT’S NOT THE EASY PART, BUT ’S EVERYTHG THAT LEADS UP TO THAT, THAT FASCAT ME. IT’S ALL THOSE LTLE MOMENTS WHICH WE GA A LTLE MORE PERSPECTIVE ON OURSELV AND MAKE CHOIC AND CISNS. EVEN THOSE “PASSGS” YOU GET THAT SENSE OF KNOWG, “OH, GEE GOD, I’M NOT LIKE THAT.” YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE LANGUAGE TO SCRIBE . IT’S NOT LIKE YOU’RE STG THERE GOG, “GEE, I WONR IF I’M GAY OR NOT?” IT’S A FEELG, ’S A KNOWG WHOUT KNOWG, AND THAT’S REALLY WHAT FASCAT ME—HOW ALL THOSE SEEMGLY SIGNIFINT MOMENTS OUR LIFE BUILD UP TO THAT MOMENT WHEN WE HAVE THE URAGE TO SAY, THIS IS WHO I AM. THEN ANOTHER PHASE OF THAT EXPERIENCE, BUT AS I’VE BEEN TOLD AND I REPEAT OFTEN, WE HAVE TO E OUT EVERY SGLE DAY SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM FOR THE RT OF OUR LIV. ALL THOSE LTLE MOMENTS OF “PASSG,” OF NEGOTIATG, OF NOT EVEN HAVG LANGUAGE TO SAY I’M STRAIGHT OR GAY, BUT THKG ABOUT WHAT ARE YOUR PREFERENC AND WHY ARE YOU DIFFERENT OM THE OTHERS BUT NOT BEG ABLE TO SAY WHAT THAT IS OR PUT A FGER ON OR SAY TO YOURSELF—THAT’S REALLY AN AMAZG PROCS OF BEG WHO YOU ALREADY ARE.THE MEMOIR IS NOT JT ABOUT YOU G TO TERMS WH YOU BEG GAY, BUT ALSO YOU G TO TERMS WH YOUR CULTURAL INTY. I’M CUR IF YOU’VE TALKED TO YOUR BROTHER, WHO IS STRAIGHT, IF HE FELT AS MUCH TURMOIL AS YOU DID ABOUT BEG CUBAN?MY BROTHER IS SIX-AND-A-HALF YEARS OLR THAN ME. HE IS JT NOW, AT 50-SOMETHG, QUTNG THGS. IT’S AMAZG HOW EACH STORY IS SO DIVIDUAL AND UNIQUE EVEN THOUGH YOU GROW UP THE SAME FAY. THERE ARE SO MANY PLEXI THAT GO TO BEG. SCE HE WAS OLR, I THK HE WAS A LOT MORE TRMATIZED, AND SORT OF REJECTED FEELG ANYTHG BEE HE JT WANTED TO PUT THAT BEHD HIM. HE SHOWED UP SPA AT SIX-AND-A-HALF YEARS OLD, AND FOUR MONTHS LATER IS PUT PS-I-DON’T-KNOW-WHAT MANHATTAN WH HIS NAME AND PHONE NUMBER PNED TO HIS SHIRT BEE HE DIDN’T KNOW A WORD OF ENGLISH. IT WASN’T UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN HE GOT DIVORCED AND WENT TO CUBA THAT HE IS REGNIZG THGS HE’D PUT BEHD.THERE IS A LOT OF BTERNS AND ANGER YOUR PARENTS’ AND GRANDPARENTS’ GENERATNS ABOUT CUBA THE BOOK. HAS THAT FAD SCE THEN?I THK ’S FAD. IT’S BEEN ALMOST 60 YEARS NOW. THERE’S A LOT MORE REVISG CUBA THAN PEOPLE REALIZE. Y, THERE’S THIS SORT OF PUBLIC ONT THAT IS CERTALY THE FACE OF THE CUBAN MUNY. THE CLARATN THAT WE’RE NOT GOG BACK AND THE EMBARGO AND ALL THE RT. THAT’S MORE OF A LLECTIVE ONT. THERE’S A LOT OF GOG BACK, AND A LOT OF RNIFITN. MY MOTHER LEFT ALL HER SIBLGS CUBA. THERE’S A LOT MORE MUNITN THAN MEETS THE EYE, THAN YOU GET TO HEAR OM THE MEDIA. REALLY, ’S A NONPOLIL GOG BACK, ’S ALL ABOUT FAY. IT’S ALL ABOUT JT BEG ABLE TO NNECT WH THOSE LIV AND PEOPLE THAT YOU LEFT BEHD, AND FEELG LUCKY THAT YOU N DO THAT.YOUR ABUELA IS A CENTRAL FIGURE THE BOOK. ONE OF THE MOST TRIGUG THGS SHE SAYS THE BOOK, WHEN TO YOUR SEXUALY AS A CHILD, IS “’S BETTER TO BE , THAN TO LOOK LIKE EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT .” ONE OF THE THGS I ULDN’T HELP FEELG WHEN READG HER SAY THAT, SEEMS TO BE A GREATER TOLERANCE FOR HOMOSEXUALY LAT AMERI THAN PEOPLE THE U.S. REALIZE. THERE IS BOTH A GREATER APPRECIATN FOR “CHARACTERS” AS WELL AS A LIVE-AND-LET-LIVE ATTU AS LONG AS THERE IS AN ATTEMPT TO BE MASCULE AND NOT BE YOUR FACE.I THK THAT’S RIGHT ON TARGET. ONE OF THE THGS I DISVERED THROUGHOUT WRG THIS TERMS OF MY RELATNSHIP WH MY GRANDMOTHER WAS REALIZG THAT THE CRIME WASN’T BEG GAY, THE CRIME WAS BEG EFFEMATE. IN HER TWISTED SORT OF WAY, WAS A LOVG ACT. IT WAS ALSO GENERATNAL, SHE KNEW THAT IF YOU WERE GOG TO BE OUT THERE, AND ACTG ALL “GAY,” YOU WERE GOG TO N TO A LOT OF ISSU AND HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE, AND SO A WAY SHE WAS TRYG TO PROTECT ME. AND THAT’S WHAT SHE MEANT BY THAT SAYG, THAT WHAT YOU DO IS FE, AS LONG AS YOU’RE A “MAN.” I THK ’S ENTRENCHED CULTURALLY THE CARIBBEAN AND A LOT OF LAT AMERI WHICH OM MACHISMO AND THAT LEGACY, THE IA THAT YOU’RE A MAN, FIRST OF ALL, AND THEN THERE’S BEG GAY.BUT THERE WASN’T NIAL THAT HOMOSEXUALY EXISTS. THERE’S A PRACTILY TO .THAT’S A GREAT OBSERVATN. IN SOME WAYS THEY SAY LAT AMERIN CULTURE IS ONE OF THE MOST HOMOEROTIC, AND I DON’T KNOW IF HOMOEROTIC IS THE RIGHT WORDS, BUT THERE’S THE WEIRD IRONY BEE MEN ARE NOT AAID TO KISS OR HUG BUT THE OTHER SI OF THE , IS THIS PRETENSE OF MACHISMO. ON THE ONE HAND ’S A FEMALE-REVERG CULTURE—THE BIGGT SULT YOU N GIVE A LATO IS LL HIM A SON-OF-A-BCH—AND ON THE OTHER ’S A SOCIETY OF MEN THAT EXCLUS WOMEN. I THK ’S CERTALY DIFFERENT THAN THE ANGLO/AMERIN TRADN WHICH HOMOSEXUALY IS THE PK ELEPHANT THE ROOM NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT.WHEN YOU WERE GOG BACK TO YOUR FIRST LOV THE MEMOIR—I LL THEM FIRST LOV EVEN THOUGHT NOTHG SEXUAL HAPPENED—DO YOU FEEL REGRET ABOUT NOT GOG FOR AND KISSG ARIEL OR VICTOR?NO, I THK ALL HAPPENED THE WAY WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. LIKE WE WERE TALKG ABOUT, ’S ALL THE LTLE MOMENTS THAT TEACH YOU SOMETHG. WHEN YOU’RE NOT READY, YOU’RE NOT READY. SO, NO, I DON’T REGRET , I THK THEY WERE ALL MENTORS SOME WAYS THAT ADD TO THE POT OF WHAT I WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE THE URAGE TO DO. ESPECIALLY, GENERATNALLY BACK THEN, THE IA OF G OUT HIGH SCHOOL WASN’T EVEN A REALY. SO I THK SOME WAYS I’M GLAD BEE I WAS ABLE TO S BACK AND OBSERVE FOR MYSELF BY NOT VOLVG MYSELF THAT WAY, IF THAT MAK SENSE?WHEN YOU SEE STORI NOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOLERS G OUT, WHAT CROSS YOUR MD?IT’S ACTUALLY SOMETHG THAT’S REALLY E ON MY RADAR, AND SOMETHG I’M REALLY TERTED NNECTG WH, AND HAVE NNECTED WH. I HOPE THE MEMOIR SOME WAYS OFFERS THAT TEENAGER SOME PERSPECTIVE ABOUT G OUT. BEE WHAT I’VE SEEN HAPPEN IS THAT SOME ARE GREAT EXPERIENC, SOME ARE NOT. ON THE ONE HAND, THE ONT LE OF THE BATTLE, WHICH IS MARRIAGE EQUALY, IS A VERY ADULT, AND LET’S FACE , UPPER-MIDDLE CLASS STGGLE. AND WHILE ’S IMPORTANT, JT BEE WE HAVE MARRIAGE EQUALY DON’T MEAN THAT THE WORLD IS FE. WE’VE GOT TO TAKE RE OF THE TROOPS BEHD, AND WHAT I’M FDG IS WHEN KIDS DON’T HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE, AND THEIR PARENTS TELL THEM, “WE’RE NOT PAYG FOR YOUR LLEGE,” OR “GET OUT OF THE HOE” AND THEY HAVE TO LEAVE—’S ONE THG WHEN THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE 25, ’S ANOTHER WHEN ’S AT 16. WE’VE GOT TO TAKE RE OF OUR YOUTH. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE’RE GIVG THEM THIS MSAGE OF “COME OUT, E OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE!” BUT THEN ALSO BE THERE TO PICK UP THE PIEC.YOU CLU A STORY ABOUT A POEM, THE LOVE SONG OF J. ALED POCK, REALLY AFFECTG YOU YOUR FORMATIVE YEARS. I WAS CUR IF THERE ARE POETS YOU READ NOW THAT ARE STILL HAVG A BIG IMPACT ON YOU?I STILL READ THE LOVE SONG OF J. ALED POCK EVERY MONTH OR SO OUT LOUD. SOME OF MY FLUENCE HAS OF URSE BEEN ELIZABETH BISHOP, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS OBVLY PASSED. ANOTHER IS MY MENTOR CAMPBELL MCGRATH. SOMEONE I LOVE A LOT RIGHT NOW IS RACHEL MCKIBBENS, WHO IS DOG WONRFUL WORK. AS I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, I HAVE MORE FAVORE POEMS THAN POETS, THE SENSE THAT A POEM OM ANYONE N NTUE TO SPIRE AND TEACH NEW THGS. EVERY TIME I READ THE LOVE SONG, TOUCH ME EP SI SOMEWHERE. AS WE GROW WE SEE DIFFERENT DIMENSNS OF THE POEM WE DIDN’T SEE BEFORE. SO I DON’T LIKE TO IDOLIZE ANY ONE PARTICULAR POET BEE EVERY POET IS DOG GREAT POETRY THAT SPIR AND WH WHICH WE N NNECT.HOW MUCH OF YOUR FAY WAS ABLE TO SEE YOU READ YOUR POEM AT THE GURATN?JT MY MOTHER AND BROTHER. IT’S REALLY TERTG BEE THERE’S A CULTURAL AND LGUISTIC DIVI BETWEEN MY WORK AND MY HOME. THEY WERE ECSTATIC, BUT THERE IS STILL THIS SENSE OF, “WHAT DO HE DO AGA?” ONE IS A LANGUAGE BARRIER. MY MOTHER N READ BASIC ENGLISH, BUT SHE DON’T GET THE SUBTLETY OR NUANC OF THE POETRY. SO SOME WAYS ’S BTERSWEET BEE SO MUCH OF WHAT I WRE ABOUT IS THEM, AND THE CREDIBLE FLUENC AND NFLICT, AND YET THEY’RE A STEP REMOVED OM THAT. IT’S SOMETHG THAT WAS TERTG FOR ME GRADUATE SCHOOL, BEE I NEVER HAD THE FEAR OF “I N’T WRE ABOUT THAT” BEE MY FAY WAS NEVER GOG TO READ . WH THE MEMOIR I AM A LTLE MORE HANT BEE PROBABLY WILL BE TRANSLATED TO SPANISH. WILLIAM O’CONNOR
• +15 POEMAS GAY ¡ESCROS POR TOR FAMOSOS!

BOOK RECS: GAY SPANISH POETS

One which efficiently nstcts the unrpngs of masculy as we know —particularly Mexin masculy—and forc you to nont sire not only as a straight or gay or even a sexual thg, but as a human thg. Even the facts that many of the patrons at the Stonewall Inn who participated the cint that sparked the gay liberatn movement were Puerto Rin and that the bar patron populatn was predomantly people of lor are ls often ced LGBT historil wrgs. LGBT muny is somewhat problematic, due part to the fact that many of the publitns produced by and for this populatn the first after the begngs of the gay liberatn movement at the Stonewall monstratns 1969 took the form of newsletters created by lol anizatns which had limed circulatn and often existed for only a few years.

They clu Afuera (1972) New York Cy, the Bullet om the Comé Homosexual Latoamerino ( whose first issue appeared New York June 1978) and Hoton’s quarterly Paz y Liberacn, which began publishg May 1979.

THE NEW GENERATN OF GAY LATO POETS

The 1980s saw a group of new publitns ci as diverse as Los Angel (Unidad, 1982), Denver (S Fronteras, 1985), Hoton (Noticias l Gay Hispanic Cc, 1985-1990) and San Francis (S masras). C., el Primer Encuentro Gais y Lbianas Latas was held, out of which me the Natnal Lato/a Lbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgenr Organizatn (LLEGÓ), although the new anizatn did not beg publishg a regular perdil until 1994, Aqui llego.

The 1990s saw an expansn of this genre of perdils- jog Aqui llego were De ambiente: revista lata bisexual, lbi y gay Los Angel, La Gente Unida Newsletter om Denver, La entrevista: newsletter of Latos en Acción om Atlanta, A la brava om San Francis, a send Los Angel tle, Revista alante, and Chigo’s En la vida, which lasted until the end of 2003 and merged wh another publitn, Black L, to create a new tle, Inty, which ntued to provi verage of the cy’s LGBT Lato muny.

The anizatns created the 1970s by gay and lbian Hispanics such as San Francis’s Gay Lato Alliance brought addnal issu of opprsn related to race and class (such as equal accs to tnal opportuni and votg rights) to the more general civil rights agenda of the gay liberatn movement. John Rechy also ntued to addrs homosexualy his wrg, as evinced by his 1977 work The Sexual Outlaw: a documentary: a non-fictn acunt, wh mentari, of three days and nights the sexual unrground. Other wrers active the 1970s were the poet Miguel Algar ( who wh other artists cludg playwright Miguel Pero found the Nuyorin Poets Cafe 1980) and Manuel Ramos Otero, the most important openly gay wrer of Puerto Ri wrg Spanish whose novels and stori were often set the Hispanic muny of New York Cy.

“LOR AND THE GAY WORLD”

In 1986, the Internatnal Lbian and Gay People of Color Conference was held Los Angel, and as part of the event the Lato uc met to discs creatg a natnal anizatn foced on the LGBT Lato muny. Discsn ntued to 1987 at the Lbian and Gay March on Washgton at el Primer Encuentro Gais y Lbianas Latas, rultg the formatn of the Natnal Lato/a Lbian and Gay Organizatn (more faiarly known by s acronym LLEGO.

GAY LATO POETS

) Takg as s nstuenci the gay and lbian Lato muni both the Uned Stat maland and on Puerto Ri, emphasized anizg the muni om lol to natnal levels to addrs health, polil and social issu wh homophobia and sexism noted as specific ncerns. The papers of the LLEGO are held at the Universy of Texas librari wh an onle fdg aid available at Parallelg the growth of LGBT polil and social anizg, the 1980s also saw the publitn of signifint works Lata femist lerature which addrsed qutns of homophobia and lbian inty. The first edn of the groundbreakg anthology This Bridge Called My Back: Wrgs By Radil Women of Color eded by wrers Gloria Anzaldua and Cherrie Moraga appeared om Persephone Prs 1981, and ntaed a sectn on “ Between the L: On Culture, Class and Homophobia.

GAY CULTURE: LOR, FERI GARCIA–SPA’S GREAT POET AND PLAYWRIGHT (LGBTQ, GAY)

The thor noted his troductn that “the ntemporary Lat Amerin novel fds self alg wh broad social and personal ncerns, and would be surprisg if there were no appearance of lbian and gay characters and their experienc…What is surprisg is the virtual lack of biblgraphy on the topic…” (Foster 1991: 1) Foster’s volume exam a selectn of works by a wi range of faiar and lser-known thors cludg Adolfo Camha, Luis Zapata, Agualdo Silva and Cassandra Rs. 1993 was notable for the publitn of a memoir by the proment Cuban novelist and poet Realdo Arenas, Before The Fall, ntug the tobgraphil tradn among Hispanic gay men begun three s earlier by John Rechy. In 1998, a thoughtful study of the role(s) played by lbian and gay people the evolutn of New York’s Puerto Rin muny appeared as part of the anthology The Puerto Rin Movement: Voic om the Diaspora eded by Andrés Torr and José E.

RICHARD BLAN’S GAY LATO POET SURVIVAL KCUBAN BORNTHE FIRST IMMIGRANT AND THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN TO BE THE GURAL POET, THE CUBAN-BORN THOR TALKS ABOUT EXILE, HIS NEW MEMOIR, AND THE FORC THAT FORMED HIM.WILLIAM O’CONNORFORMER TRAVEL EDORUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 2:41PM EDT / PUBLISHED OCT. 08, 2014 5:45AM EDT POOL PHOTO BY PABLO MARTEZ MONSIVAISRICHARD BLAN MA WAV 2013 WHEN HE WAS THE FIRST IMMIGRANT, LATO, AND OPENLY GAY MAN TO BE THE GURAL POET.BORN MADRID AS HIS FAY WAS FLEEG CUBA, BLAN GREW UP, AS MANY EXIL DID, MIAMI, A FAY TRYG TO RECREATE THE CULTURE AND MUNY THAT WAS LOST.THIS MONTH, BLAN IS OUT WH A MEMOIR, THE PRCE OF LOS COCUYOS, THAT IS EQUAL PARTS TOUCHG, HEART-ACHE-DUCG, AND LGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY. IT VERS HIS YEARS OM EARLY ADOLCENCE UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL, AS HE TO GRIPS NOT ONLY WH HIS NASCENT SEXUALY, BUT ALSO HIS CUBAN-AMERIN INTY. ONE FIGURE PARTICULAR TOWERS OVER THE BOOK—HIS ABUELA (GRANDMOTHER), WHOSE MERCILS TORMENTG OF HIM FOR BEG EFFEMATE SHAPED HIM LIKE LTLE ELSE.IN A Q&A WH THE DAILY BEAST, BLAN OPENS UP ABOUT G TO TERMS WH HIS GRANDMOTHER, ABOUT TRYG TO PASS AS A STRAIGHT MAN, AND ABOUT THE POEM THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE. WHAT WAS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TIME YOUR LIFE THAT MA YOU WANT TO FOC A MEMOIR ON ?I THK AS I LOOK BACK ON MY LIFE, MY CHILDHOOD AND EARLY ADOLCENCE WERE THIS MAGIL, BEWILRG, CHAOTIC, AND EXPLORATORY TIME OF MY LIFE. I ALWAYS REFER BACK TO MY POETRY AND I JT WANTED TO EXPAND THOSE STORI OUT AND SEE WHAT ELSE WAS THERE THAT WASN’T THE POETRY. I THK EVERYONE HAS THAT POT THEIR LIFE THAT REMAS SOMEWHAT A MYSTERY, AND YOU ALWAYS WANT TO DIG TO AND DISVER . FOR ME PARTICULAR, WAS THE VERY FORMATIVE YEARS BEE OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANC—G TO THE UNED STAT AT 45 DAYS OLD, GROWG UP MIAMI, WHICH IS A LARGE PART OF WHAT THAT BOOK IS ABOUT, AND NEGOTIATG THOSE TWO IMAGARY WORLDS OF CUBA AND AMERI. THAT’S WHAT I THK MEMOIR IS ABOUT, FOCG ON A CERTA ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE THAT STILL HAS RELEVANCE TO WHO YOU ARE AS AN ADULT.WAS THE BOOK THARTIC FOR YOU? I IMAGE THERE WERE SOME SRS THAT WERE REOPENED.I THK WAS THE NTEXT OF MY GRANDMOTHER, WHO IS ONE OF THE MA CHARACTERS. I THK I NEED TO HAVE A NVERSATN WH MY GRANDMOTHER ABOUT HER VERBAL ABE OF ME AND HER HOMOPHOBIA. AS I WROTE THE DITN, ALLOWED ME TO HATE HER, TO LOVE HER, TO FIVE HER. THAT WAS CERTALY THARTIC.THERE’S ALSO SOMETHG THAT WAS TERTG OVERALL THE MEMOIR, AND A NEW GROUND FOR ME—EXPLORG HOW THE DIMENSN OF SEXUALY AND MY BURGEONG ARTISTIC INTY WERE LLIDG, MERGG, AND TERSECTG WH THE QUTNS OF CULTURAL INTY. IT’S WHAT I LIKE TO LL CULTURAL SEXUALY. I N’T SEPARATE WHO I AM AS AN ENGEER, WHO I AM AS A GAY MAN, WHO I AM AS A CUBAN, WHO I AM AS AN AMERIN. IN THAT SENSE THE BOOK REALLY TOOK A LARGE PICTURE OF HOW ALL THE THGS MERGED TOGETHER, AND SOME WAY BEME RICHARD BLAN. IN THAT WAY THAT WAS THARTIC TOO, TO SORT OF STCH UP ALL THOSE PIEC AND SEE HOW THAT IS. IT’S SOMETHG THAT FASCAT ME AND IS SOMETHG THAT TRANSLAT TO ALL OF , EACH HUMAN BEG IS A UNIQUE BATN OF PEOPLE AND CIRCUMSTANC AND CULTUR THAT SHAPE AND MAKE WHO WE ARE. WE DON’T ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO GO BACK TO OUR LIV AND TRY TO NAIL DOWN HOW IS THAT EXACTLY HAPPENED, HOW IS WE BEME WHO WE ARE.THERE IS A PASSAGE THE BOOK WHERE A PORNO MAGAZE IS PASSED AROUND AMONG THE MEN YOUR FAY AND YOU FD YOURSELF HAVG TO PRETEND YOU FD THE NAKED WOMAN TERTG. I FEEL LIKE THAT MOMENT WHERE ONE HAS TO TALK ABOUT A WOMAN A SEXUAL WAY ONT A GROUP OF GUYS IS A RE OF PASSAGE FOR GAY MEN. WHAT WAS LIKE FOR YOU REVISG THOSE MOMENTS WHERE YOU WERE TRYG TO “PASS.”I THK THAT WH EACH “PASSG,” ALL THOSE LTLE MOMENTS THAT GIVE YOU JT A LTLE B MORE RMATN ABOUT YOURSELF, SHOWS THAT G OUT IS A PROCS THAT REALLY BEGS WHEN YOU ARE THREE YEARS OLD. COMG OUT IS SOME WAYS THE RULT. IT’S NOT THE EASY PART, BUT ’S EVERYTHG THAT LEADS UP TO THAT, THAT FASCAT ME. IT’S ALL THOSE LTLE MOMENTS WHICH WE GA A LTLE MORE PERSPECTIVE ON OURSELV AND MAKE CHOIC AND CISNS. EVEN THOSE “PASSGS” YOU GET THAT SENSE OF KNOWG, “OH, GEE GOD, I’M NOT LIKE THAT.” YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE LANGUAGE TO SCRIBE . IT’S NOT LIKE YOU’RE STG THERE GOG, “GEE, I WONR IF I’M GAY OR NOT?” IT’S A FEELG, ’S A KNOWG WHOUT KNOWG, AND THAT’S REALLY WHAT FASCAT ME—HOW ALL THOSE SEEMGLY SIGNIFINT MOMENTS OUR LIFE BUILD UP TO THAT MOMENT WHEN WE HAVE THE URAGE TO SAY, THIS IS WHO I AM. THEN ANOTHER PHASE OF THAT EXPERIENCE, BUT AS I’VE BEEN TOLD AND I REPEAT OFTEN, WE HAVE TO E OUT EVERY SGLE DAY SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM FOR THE RT OF OUR LIV. ALL THOSE LTLE MOMENTS OF “PASSG,” OF NEGOTIATG, OF NOT EVEN HAVG LANGUAGE TO SAY I’M STRAIGHT OR GAY, BUT THKG ABOUT WHAT ARE YOUR PREFERENC AND WHY ARE YOU DIFFERENT OM THE OTHERS BUT NOT BEG ABLE TO SAY WHAT THAT IS OR PUT A FGER ON OR SAY TO YOURSELF—THAT’S REALLY AN AMAZG PROCS OF BEG WHO YOU ALREADY ARE.THE MEMOIR IS NOT JT ABOUT YOU G TO TERMS WH YOU BEG GAY, BUT ALSO YOU G TO TERMS WH YOUR CULTURAL INTY. I’M CUR IF YOU’VE TALKED TO YOUR BROTHER, WHO IS STRAIGHT, IF HE FELT AS MUCH TURMOIL AS YOU DID ABOUT BEG CUBAN?MY BROTHER IS SIX-AND-A-HALF YEARS OLR THAN ME. HE IS JT NOW, AT 50-SOMETHG, QUTNG THGS. IT’S AMAZG HOW EACH STORY IS SO DIVIDUAL AND UNIQUE EVEN THOUGH YOU GROW UP THE SAME FAY. THERE ARE SO MANY PLEXI THAT GO TO BEG. SCE HE WAS OLR, I THK HE WAS A LOT MORE TRMATIZED, AND SORT OF REJECTED FEELG ANYTHG BEE HE JT WANTED TO PUT THAT BEHD HIM. HE SHOWED UP SPA AT SIX-AND-A-HALF YEARS OLD, AND FOUR MONTHS LATER IS PUT PS-I-DON’T-KNOW-WHAT MANHATTAN WH HIS NAME AND PHONE NUMBER PNED TO HIS SHIRT BEE HE DIDN’T KNOW A WORD OF ENGLISH. IT WASN’T UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN HE GOT DIVORCED AND WENT TO CUBA THAT HE IS REGNIZG THGS HE’D PUT BEHD.THERE IS A LOT OF BTERNS AND ANGER YOUR PARENTS’ AND GRANDPARENTS’ GENERATNS ABOUT CUBA THE BOOK. HAS THAT FAD SCE THEN?I THK ’S FAD. IT’S BEEN ALMOST 60 YEARS NOW. THERE’S A LOT MORE REVISG CUBA THAN PEOPLE REALIZE. Y, THERE’S THIS SORT OF PUBLIC ONT THAT IS CERTALY THE FACE OF THE CUBAN MUNY. THE CLARATN THAT WE’RE NOT GOG BACK AND THE EMBARGO AND ALL THE RT. THAT’S MORE OF A LLECTIVE ONT. THERE’S A LOT OF GOG BACK, AND A LOT OF RNIFITN. MY MOTHER LEFT ALL HER SIBLGS CUBA. THERE’S A LOT MORE MUNITN THAN MEETS THE EYE, THAN YOU GET TO HEAR OM THE MEDIA. REALLY, ’S A NONPOLIL GOG BACK, ’S ALL ABOUT FAY. IT’S ALL ABOUT JT BEG ABLE TO NNECT WH THOSE LIV AND PEOPLE THAT YOU LEFT BEHD, AND FEELG LUCKY THAT YOU N DO THAT.YOUR ABUELA IS A CENTRAL FIGURE THE BOOK. ONE OF THE MOST TRIGUG THGS SHE SAYS THE BOOK, WHEN TO YOUR SEXUALY AS A CHILD, IS “’S BETTER TO BE , THAN TO LOOK LIKE EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT .” ONE OF THE THGS I ULDN’T HELP FEELG WHEN READG HER SAY THAT, SEEMS TO BE A GREATER TOLERANCE FOR HOMOSEXUALY LAT AMERI THAN PEOPLE THE U.S. REALIZE. THERE IS BOTH A GREATER APPRECIATN FOR “CHARACTERS” AS WELL AS A LIVE-AND-LET-LIVE ATTU AS LONG AS THERE IS AN ATTEMPT TO BE MASCULE AND NOT BE YOUR FACE.I THK THAT’S RIGHT ON TARGET. ONE OF THE THGS I DISVERED THROUGHOUT WRG THIS TERMS OF MY RELATNSHIP WH MY GRANDMOTHER WAS REALIZG THAT THE CRIME WASN’T BEG GAY, THE CRIME WAS BEG EFFEMATE. IN HER TWISTED SORT OF WAY, WAS A LOVG ACT. IT WAS ALSO GENERATNAL, SHE KNEW THAT IF YOU WERE GOG TO BE OUT THERE, AND ACTG ALL “GAY,” YOU WERE GOG TO N TO A LOT OF ISSU AND HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE, AND SO A WAY SHE WAS TRYG TO PROTECT ME. AND THAT’S WHAT SHE MEANT BY THAT SAYG, THAT WHAT YOU DO IS FE, AS LONG AS YOU’RE A “MAN.” I THK ’S ENTRENCHED CULTURALLY THE CARIBBEAN AND A LOT OF LAT AMERI WHICH OM MACHISMO AND THAT LEGACY, THE IA THAT YOU’RE A MAN, FIRST OF ALL, AND THEN THERE’S BEG GAY.BUT THERE WASN’T NIAL THAT HOMOSEXUALY EXISTS. THERE’S A PRACTILY TO .THAT’S A GREAT OBSERVATN. IN SOME WAYS THEY SAY LAT AMERIN CULTURE IS ONE OF THE MOST HOMOEROTIC, AND I DON’T KNOW IF HOMOEROTIC IS THE RIGHT WORDS, BUT THERE’S THE WEIRD IRONY BEE MEN ARE NOT AAID TO KISS OR HUG BUT THE OTHER SI OF THE , IS THIS PRETENSE OF MACHISMO. ON THE ONE HAND ’S A FEMALE-REVERG CULTURE—THE BIGGT SULT YOU N GIVE A LATO IS LL HIM A SON-OF-A-BCH—AND ON THE OTHER ’S A SOCIETY OF MEN THAT EXCLUS WOMEN. I THK ’S CERTALY DIFFERENT THAN THE ANGLO/AMERIN TRADN WHICH HOMOSEXUALY IS THE PK ELEPHANT THE ROOM NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT.WHEN YOU WERE GOG BACK TO YOUR FIRST LOV THE MEMOIR—I LL THEM FIRST LOV EVEN THOUGHT NOTHG SEXUAL HAPPENED—DO YOU FEEL REGRET ABOUT NOT GOG FOR AND KISSG ARIEL OR VICTOR?NO, I THK ALL HAPPENED THE WAY WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. LIKE WE WERE TALKG ABOUT, ’S ALL THE LTLE MOMENTS THAT TEACH YOU SOMETHG. WHEN YOU’RE NOT READY, YOU’RE NOT READY. SO, NO, I DON’T REGRET , I THK THEY WERE ALL MENTORS SOME WAYS THAT ADD TO THE POT OF WHAT I WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE THE URAGE TO DO. ESPECIALLY, GENERATNALLY BACK THEN, THE IA OF G OUT HIGH SCHOOL WASN’T EVEN A REALY. SO I THK SOME WAYS I’M GLAD BEE I WAS ABLE TO S BACK AND OBSERVE FOR MYSELF BY NOT VOLVG MYSELF THAT WAY, IF THAT MAK SENSE?WHEN YOU SEE STORI NOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOLERS G OUT, WHAT CROSS YOUR MD?IT’S ACTUALLY SOMETHG THAT’S REALLY E ON MY RADAR, AND SOMETHG I’M REALLY TERTED NNECTG WH, AND HAVE NNECTED WH. I HOPE THE MEMOIR SOME WAYS OFFERS THAT TEENAGER SOME PERSPECTIVE ABOUT G OUT. BEE WHAT I’VE SEEN HAPPEN IS THAT SOME ARE GREAT EXPERIENC, SOME ARE NOT. ON THE ONE HAND, THE ONT LE OF THE BATTLE, WHICH IS MARRIAGE EQUALY, IS A VERY ADULT, AND LET’S FACE , UPPER-MIDDLE CLASS STGGLE. AND WHILE ’S IMPORTANT, JT BEE WE HAVE MARRIAGE EQUALY DON’T MEAN THAT THE WORLD IS FE. WE’VE GOT TO TAKE RE OF THE TROOPS BEHD, AND WHAT I’M FDG IS WHEN KIDS DON’T HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE, AND THEIR PARENTS TELL THEM, “WE’RE NOT PAYG FOR YOUR LLEGE,” OR “GET OUT OF THE HOE” AND THEY HAVE TO LEAVE—’S ONE THG WHEN THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE 25, ’S ANOTHER WHEN ’S AT 16. WE’VE GOT TO TAKE RE OF OUR YOUTH. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE’RE GIVG THEM THIS MSAGE OF “COME OUT, E OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE!” BUT THEN ALSO BE THERE TO PICK UP THE PIEC.YOU CLU A STORY ABOUT A POEM, THE LOVE SONG OF J. ALED POCK, REALLY AFFECTG YOU YOUR FORMATIVE YEARS. I WAS CUR IF THERE ARE POETS YOU READ NOW THAT ARE STILL HAVG A BIG IMPACT ON YOU?I STILL READ THE LOVE SONG OF J. ALED POCK EVERY MONTH OR SO OUT LOUD. SOME OF MY FLUENCE HAS OF URSE BEEN ELIZABETH BISHOP, EVEN THOUGH SHE HAS OBVLY PASSED. ANOTHER IS MY MENTOR CAMPBELL MCGRATH. SOMEONE I LOVE A LOT RIGHT NOW IS RACHEL MCKIBBENS, WHO IS DOG WONRFUL WORK. AS I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, I HAVE MORE FAVORE POEMS THAN POETS, THE SENSE THAT A POEM OM ANYONE N NTUE TO SPIRE AND TEACH NEW THGS. EVERY TIME I READ THE LOVE SONG, TOUCH ME EP SI SOMEWHERE. AS WE GROW WE SEE DIFFERENT DIMENSNS OF THE POEM WE DIDN’T SEE BEFORE. SO I DON’T LIKE TO IDOLIZE ANY ONE PARTICULAR POET BEE EVERY POET IS DOG GREAT POETRY THAT SPIR AND WH WHICH WE N NNECT.HOW MUCH OF YOUR FAY WAS ABLE TO SEE YOU READ YOUR POEM AT THE GURATN?JT MY MOTHER AND BROTHER. IT’S REALLY TERTG BEE THERE’S A CULTURAL AND LGUISTIC DIVI BETWEEN MY WORK AND MY HOME. THEY WERE ECSTATIC, BUT THERE IS STILL THIS SENSE OF, “WHAT DO HE DO AGA?” ONE IS A LANGUAGE BARRIER. MY MOTHER N READ BASIC ENGLISH, BUT SHE DON’T GET THE SUBTLETY OR NUANC OF THE POETRY. SO SOME WAYS ’S BTERSWEET BEE SO MUCH OF WHAT I WRE ABOUT IS THEM, AND THE CREDIBLE FLUENC AND NFLICT, AND YET THEY’RE A STEP REMOVED OM THAT. IT’S SOMETHG THAT WAS TERTG FOR ME GRADUATE SCHOOL, BEE I NEVER HAD THE FEAR OF “I N’T WRE ABOUT THAT” BEE MY FAY WAS NEVER GOG TO READ . WH THE MEMOIR I AM A LTLE MORE HANT BEE PROBABLY WILL BE TRANSLATED TO SPANISH. WILLIAM O’CONNOR

Merced, “Pagas Omidas: The Gay and Lbian Prence“ foc on the experienc of the Puerto Rin LGBT muny of New York Cy, outlg the ways polil, social and cultural chang occurrg for Puerto Rins general the metropolis and their enomic needs and mands were not regnized or embraced by the early lears of gay liberatn.

+15 POEMAS GAY ¡ESCROS POR TOR FAMOSOS!

The ntributors to Bame Mucho: New Gay Lato Fictn reprented Spa, the Uned Stat and Cuba, Mexi, Chile, and Colombia, wh some appearg prt for the first time.

A send anthology of fictn om Cleis Prs, Virgs, Guerrillas, and Los: Gay Latos Wrg About Love, prented twenty-one stori and poems, neteen of them appearg prt for the first time, om a pool of wrers nearly totally pennt of the ntributors to Bame Mucho. The books were balanced by a send volume om New York’s Pated Leaf Prs foced on the wrgs of gay Latos on how they lived beg love, but wh the difference that all the entri were more memoir than tale and me om the thors’ own liv. The visual rerd of the LGBT Hispanic muny was signifintly expand 2001 wh the short award-wng bilgual documentary De Color: Lbian & Gay Latos: Stori of Strength, Fay and Love.

While focg on immigratn om four natns (wh Lat Ameri reprented by Cuba, Mexi and El Salvador), s papers exame the tertwed issu of asylum and sexual orientatn, gay men the Mariel boatlift exod om Cuba, the 1952 U. Immigratn and Natnaly Act (which troduced the tegory of homosexualy as grounds for excludg an immigrant om beg eligible for entry and naturalizatn), the 2002 se of transsexual migrant Christe Madrazo and their abe lawsu agast the U. 2005 also saw the acceptance at California State Universy, Long Beach of Anastas Cena’s master’s this social work on Homophobia as Experienced by Lato Mal Livg the Uned Stat.