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News :: Gender & Sexuality

HF brings gay youth scene to Mexican Chicago

Chicago, IL. (April 10, 07) – Homofrecuencia (HF), the first Spanish-language radio show for and by gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer youth and allies (GLBTQA) celebrates the third “Noche de Arco Iris” (Night of Rainbows), a Latino themed prom to be held at the National Museum of Mexican Art on May 25th, 2007 from 7:00 pm to midnight.
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The organizers say that they are looking to create a space where in particular Latino youth feel like they can express themselves in a comfortable environment.

“In schools with large immigrant and Latino populations there are no safe spaces for GLBTQ youth to be out,” explains Tania Unzueta, managing producer of HF and organizer of the event.

Unzueta has been meeting with high school youth around Pilsen and Little Village, two of the largest Mexican neighborhoods in Chicago, and says that some schools have never had a club for GLBTQ youth “only because the students can't find a teacher to sponsor them.”

In addition many are behind non-discrimination policies regarding gender expression. “Just last year there was a youth turned away from her prom because she was wearing a dress, and her biological sex was male”, explains Unzueta.

“Noche de Arco Iris” is an event designed with Latino GLBTQ high-school and college age youth, but is open to everyone. It will feature performances by entertainers from the Latino community, music, a Prom King and Queen contest, and food for a $15 ticket for youth and $25-50 for adults.

It will also be a space for youth to find out about available resources, including a health educator from the Howard Brown Health Center; and “chaperones” from Latino GLBTQ organizations such as Amigas Latinas, Orgullo en Acción, and the Association of Latino Men for Action.

“We hope that events like this will help GLBTQ youth find and create spaces within their communities, and that it helps our communities accept who we are,” concluded Unzueta.
 
 

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