"I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood." - Audre Lorde
Lorde's quote resonates with me and gives me the courage to share how I feel about the blossoming concept of jotería. My research focuses on how queer Central Americans-- specifically Salvadorans-- negotiate with displacement and identity in the U.S. Aside from these factors caused by U.S. imperialism, subaltern hegemonies are a prevalent topic in many of our lives, and I use this concept to describe how power can shift in different groups.
The term jotería, for example, is proliferating in both identity and meaning-making. There are scholars making use of this word, as well as activists and artists. However; what people fail to acknowledge is how Chicano-centric this word has become. It takes on the role as the all encompassing word to represent LGBT Latinos, when in truth it fails to illustrate stories form other Latino narratives and the struggles they have faced. These are some of the reasons why I choose to understand what LGBT issues mean for me as a 2nd generation Salvadoran. Salvi folks don't really use the word jota/o. We have words, such as "maricón," "mariposa," etc. to describe our sexuality. By assuming jotería describes each of us, we fall under the trap other systems of power operate under-- which is not checking one's own privilege.
It's a beautiful thing that jotería has blossomed into what it is today, but being mindful of where it's going and who is left out of the conversation is the other half of the labor of love we have committed ourselves to to follow as advocates for social justice. Again, I write this as a cathartic release and to address my frustrations with the effacement of marginalized groups. This rant serves as a reminder that that we each have to constantly self-assess our situated experiences in order to understand ourselves in the broader picture. This requires humility but only then can we hold solidarity for others in a constructive and meaningful way.
I end this with Lorde's words of encouragement that I would rather be misunderstood or have my words bruised than to not have said anything at all. I hope people can empathize with this and I say empathize because we each have our own struggles and battles we deal with regularly. I will keep trying to make sense of my identities and search for histories that were lost to me by a civil war that occurred decades ago. I only hope to have the support from others who may not share the same experiences, but can move past their comfort zone in order to try and understand mine. I can promise the same on my behalf.
