Loca Motion

Michelle Habell- Pallan’s objective in Loca Motion was to explain one aspect of Latino and Chicana popular culture. She picks a diverse group of relatively unknown (at least unknown in mainstream pop culture) performance artists to prove that the artists’ contributions are significant in cultural studies. Habell-Pallan views pop culture as one of the most powerful realms where images of Latinos are generated, yet she acknowledges that the artists she chose are not as popular as Ricky Martin, Shakira, or Selena. She argues that both types of artists deserve further analysis.

One of the performance artists she devotes a chapter to is Marga Gomez, a self described lesbian comic. Gomez admits she describes herself as a lesbian comic so that people do not get upset when they come to see her show. Gomez admits in an interview with the author that for fear of missing her big break or risking unpopularity at earlier shows, she has avoided discussing her sexual preference (mainly at the Culture Clash.) In addressing homophobia that continues to exist in almost all of Chicano and U.S culture, Gomez describes being gay as its own ethnicity and says that a lot of people do not think of Latinos as "queer at all."

Her statements and Habell-Pallan's inclusion of Ricky Martin made me think of the headlines in the news this week. Ricky Martin told the world via Twitter that he was a "fortunate homosexual man" after many years of dodging the question. Did he perhaps dodge this question for so long because people cannot accept a Latino as gay? I would argue that the amount of publicity that Ricky Martin has received can prove that being a famous Latino man who happens to be gay, is big news for a reason. Although Hollywood gossip columnists always seem to report stories about celebrities having babies, I have not heard much about Ricky Martin in years. I did not even know he had toddler twins (born via surrogate). For Ricky Martin, being gay is the ultimate headline.

Martin said he "is blessed to be who I am" and that he was unable to “come out” before. The inference is that he was instructed to keep silent so as not to jeopardize the success he was having in his career. In seeing how long it took Ricky Martin to open up about being a gay Latino man Habell-Pallan proves her point that Gomez's work is also significant and important. Although this is not necessarily what she sets out to do, Gomez, through the vehicle of humor educates audiences about the damaging effects of homophobia.

Maybe Gomez was on to something when she said that she informs people of who she is before they come to see her show. With show titles such as "Maria Gomez is Pretty, Witty, and Gay" and "Half Cuban, Half Lesbian" she reveals her feelings, saying that the fact that she is gay separates her from her Latin identity. She considers herself part of a societal underground. Gomez further says that she feels as if she belongs to two separate communities and that in her Latin community lesbians often go unseen. If in these communities gays do go unseen, it is easy to understand why Martin would want to avoid slipping into the “underground” where doing so could result in a slow moving loss of identity driving him to the point of anonymity, ultimately destroying his otherwise illustrious career.

I am more concerned that Ricky Martin and other celebrities are, when interviewed often asked about their sexual orientation. Sexual preference continues to be major news. After years of media speculation, Martin felt compelled to reveal his sexuality. Now, he says, he feels free. But at what cost? Will Ricky Martin become a hybrid as Habell-Pallan describes? Will he feel like he is part of two separate communities?