Gay Latino Life: Ken

Name: Ken
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Mexican
Sexual Orientation: Gay
Birthplace: Denver, CO

As a Latino/Hispanic, do you have a "coming out" story specific to your culture? Or do you have any stories describing why you feel you cannot "come out" as an LGBT Latino?
I came out to my mom at age 16; I knew since before elementary school that I was somehow "different." My mother's response, at the time, was rather advanced. She simply said, "you're young, and very impressionable...don't limit yourself." If she has ever had any negative feeling about my being gay, I've never known about it. At the time, I was estranged from my father because of his addiction and mental health issues. I'm still somewhat estranged from my father; I have never come out to him.

Who is your favorite Latino/Hispanic icon? Why?
My favorite icon is, in fact, Linda Ronstadt; Celia Cruz was also one of my favorites. She has brought together her roots, a life of fame/celebrity and being gay, from a very conscious mindset, both for herself and the very large community in which she operates.

Hot Commodity: Outsider_Eyes

Welcome to Hot Commodity, where members get vocal on everything from politics to entertainment. Check out Outsider_Eyes as he answers our Dating questions.

Tell us about your first relationship? How long did it last? Whose heart got broken, if anyone's?
It was actually with a girl. We met in my senior year of high school and got along great. I liked her spunky attitude and wasn't turned off that she had a kid. I already knew I was gay, but had never been in a relationship before and "had to be sure" (God that sounds stupid in retrospect, but what can I say I was a teenager). Needless to say I broke her heart when I came out to her. Never saw her again after that.

Julio on Gay Hispanic Life

Name: Julio
Gay.com Member Name: mexicanguy07
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Sexual Orientation: Gay
Birthplace: Mexico

Daniel On Gay Latino/Hispanic Life

Name: Daniel
Age: 21
Gender: Male Ethnicity: Hispanic (Colombian)
Sexual Orientation: Gay
Birthplace: Texas

As a Latino/Hispanic, do you have a "coming out" story specific to your culture? Or do you have any stories describing why you feel you cannot "come out" as an LGBT Latino?
I don't think my coming out story was in any way different than anyone else because of my background. However I do feel that the reaction I got from my family was something I wasn't expecting. My father is 73 years old and my mother is 58 and they're both old school Colombians. Thankfully, I've only received love and support from my parents and immediate family since I came out to them.

Sonia On Gay Latina Life

Name: Sonia
Gay.com Member Name: Supernova51485
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Mexican
Sexual Orientation: Lesbian
Birthplace: Palm Springs, CA

As a Latino/Hispanic, do you have a "coming out" story specific to your culture? Or do you have any stories describing why you feel you cannot "come out" as an LGBT Latino?
Growing up in a Mexican devoted Catholic family I was taught that if your gay your going to hell, that was hard to face when I was 13 realizing that I'm gay. When I came out to my parents they didn't talk to me for a couple months and it was hard to live at home knowing how they felt. Slowly they're accepting it but its something we don't talk about.

Hot Commodity: cooper12345

Welcome to Hot Commodity, where members get vocal on everything from politics to entertainment. Check out cooper12345 as he answers our Entertainment questions.

What is your favorite love song ever?
All By Myself - Eric Carmen. I am a little bitter at the moment... Actually it would be Creep by Radiohead and or Wicked Game by Chris Issac.

Do you have any "guilty pleasure" songs?
Not so much a guilty pleasure song... But what gets me going when I don't want to get out of bed, More Than a Feelin by Boston.

What song(s) make you instantly think of sex?
Salt n Pepa - Shoop.. lol "Twelve inches to yard, have ya soundin like a retard" HA!

The last movie I cried at was ______.
The only movie I have EVER cried at is Life is Beautiful. Fantastic movie!!!

The last movie I laughed out loud at was ______.
Funny People. A good thirty minutes of it needed to be cut, including the uncalled for uses of the f-bomb every other word. But the parts that were funny were really funny, and it had a very good ending. Actually the girl I would switch teams for is the chick from that movie. She is just great! Beautiful and funny.

Growing Up Gay In Uruguay

Name: Guillermo
Gay.com Member Name: Boy1891
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Latino
Sexual Orientation: Gay
Birthplace: Uruguay

As a Latino/Hispanic, do you have a "coming out" story specific to your culture? Or do you have any stories describing why you feel you cannot "come out" as an LGBT Latino?
Well I grow up in a small city (population around 100,000) so that describes almost everything. Why it does? Well first gay discrimination is everywhere, you grow up with this idea of being LGBT is bad. Another problem would be that, due to the discrimination, LGBT are hidden from the community, plus there is a small amount of people so that means less LGBT people. In the end, what are your chances of finding someone else? None, so you keep your head down and try to move, try to be straight or fight it, and it's not an easy fight but not impossible.

ZenHero Can't Live Without a Purpose

Welcome to Hot Commodity, where members get vocal on everything from politics to entertainment. Check out ZenHero as he answers our Grab Bag questions.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
If I had a special power, I would have the power to persuade people. Of course, I would try to use that power so that I can benefit so many people.

If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be and why? Which would your friends say you were? 
Strangely, I can't be just one ... maybe Doc. Doc seems to be the "every dwarf." I was called Happy by coworkers and friends, but I know they can agree if I was Doc.

Name one thing you simply couldn't live without.
I can't live without a purpose in the day. I wanted to think outside the box on this question. I think I can't live without a purpose. I think my purpose is to help myself and the world reach a better place of existence. I express it with my drawing and hopefully with my actions. It is what feeds meaning of who I am, and without it. I am lifeless.

Michael On Gay Latino/Hispanic Life

Name: Michael
Gay.com Member Name: Caliboy90505
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Latino/Hispanic
Sexual Orientation: Gay
Birthplace: Lakeview Terrace, CA

As a Latino/Hispanic, do you have a "coming out" story specific to your culture? Or do you have any stories describing why you feel you cannot "come out" as an LGBT Latino?
I came out to my parents and family back in 2003 when I met a guy on gay.com and moved to Torrance, California. As I was there I felt like this was me and decided to call my parents back in Midland, Texas and tell them that I was gay and was happy. My mom was the first for me to tell and she said that she had already knew. I told her to tell my dad and of course being the "macho-mexican" that he is; he was not happy and didn't want to speak of the subject ever. Now that I'm back in Midland, he seems to not have a problem with it anymore, we just don't speak of the subject. So I'm proud to say that I'm completely OUT and have no shame or regrets.

Ernesto On Gay Latino/Hispanic Life

Name: Ernesto
Gay.com Member Name: dorkwiththemost
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Sexual Orientation: Gay
Birthplace: McAllen, Texas

As a Latino/Hispanic, do you have a "coming out" story specific to your culture? Or do you have any stories describing why you feel you cannot "come out" as an LGBT Latino?
First and foremost, I was an only child for about twenty years. I wasn't able to come out to my parents as much as get outed by them when they went through my stuff. My mother was speechless as was my father. My mother told me the next day that my father had cried all night. Never, even to this day, have I see him cry. I believe it's the machismo factor that many Hispanic gays need to deal with when coming out to their fathers. All this happened when I was in 8th grade and it was never really talked about until I brought it up. My parents know I have gay friends, which are one of the greatest people I know, and they're so welcoming towards them. My other immediate family is just as welcoming. Most of the family knows, but we just don't talk about it. Much like Carmen from the L Word and her family.