A letter to the Hispanic Media 100 organizer regarding the honoring of a anti-queer activist:

I recently had the chance to read about the conflict between your organization, Hispanic Media 100, and GLAAD.  It immediately struck me as one of the classic situations that I've always been told why political movements based on group identities fail.  A feminist is not necessarily not racist, a gay rights activist is not necessarily not sexist, or in this case, a strong member of the Hispanic community is not necessarily not homophobic.

I think it is important to realize that no one has just one identity.  Just because I am a feminist does not mean that I am not Hispanic, or queer.  From my perspective, it is very important to recognize how different oppressions work together to keep minorities down.  The elite of our nation do not care what your race is, your sexual orientation, your class, your gender, as long as you are a minority, you face discrimination.  When organizations try to "liberate" me from one source of oppression, but perpetuate another injustice against me, I am not free.  When I am told to join a rally for women's rights, yet the other participants are racist, I understand that I am not welcome there.  This particular instance is one that has been played out in front of me many times.  My Hispanic heritage is on my father's side, but none of my aunts, uncles, cousins or grandparents even know I exist.  All because my father, understandingly, is afraid of what there reaction to me would be.  I understand the problem of Hispanics who are homophobic and gays that are racist better than most people.  Your organization is honoring members of the Hispanic community as role models that I might emulate.  Proof that success is possible.  But when one of those role models, Eladio José Armesto, is homophobic, the message I receive is that the Hispanic community is not my community.  That it is your community, and that I am not welcome there. 

I have found myself only joining and working with groups that have a statement concerning fighting all forms of oppression.  Not because I suffer from all forms of oppression, or even because of my friends.  But because from looking at my past experience I realize that I am not safe in many of the organizations that don't have such a statement.  Please do not allow Hispanic Media 100 to become another place that I am not welcome in.  A simple statement distancing Hispanic Media 100 from the viewpoints of any of the nominees would have a profound effect.