CNN.com Report on "Gay Latino Americans 'Coming of Age'

A recent article on CNN's website highlights the experiences and struggles of gay Latino communities in the U.S., noting that LGBT Latinos are "coming of age" in terms of their exposure and acceptance amongst both Latinos and the wider population.

Amongst the people interviewed for the article are Perez Hilton, a well-known celebrity blogger and an openly gay Latino man, and Elizabeth Diaz, who is a Research Associate at GLSEN. "While harassment in schools for Latino gay students remained high, we also know that these students have more support than in past generations," Diaz notes. The article also cites data from GLSEN's 2007 National School Climate Survey, noting that 59 percent of LGBT Latino students participated in Gay-Straight Alliance clubs at middle and high schools that had GSAs (unfortunately, the author of the article misnames GSAs as "Gay Student Alliances").

Others interviewed in the article detail their personal struggles with coming out, and transforming their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression from a mark of shame into a source of pride. A Latina professor also cautions that while homophobia and heterosexism can be serious issues within Latino communities, they are not unique to Latinos and that accusations of such bigotry amongst Latinos are often "tinged with racism."

For more information, check out GLSEN's recent report on the experiences of LGBT students of color and the particular hurdles that they often face: Shared Differences: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students of Color in Our Nation's Schools.