DanielaQuiza

English2010
Instructor:JimBeatty
Jun272016
LGBTRights(Memoir)
Itsbeenabout10yearssincetherelationshipbetweenmyolderbrotherandmymother
changeasresultthatmybrotherisGay.Thecommunicationbetweenthemshowedtherejection
ofmymothertowardsmybrothermaybeforthefactthatheistheoldestchildinourfamilyand
sheneverthoughthewillbeattractedtootherman.ComingfromaveryCatholicrootsthis
eventshockedtherestofthefamilybutgratefullyotherfamilymembersacteddifferentlikemy
unclesandcousinsbybringingsupportandwordsofacceptance.
MyBrotherwhosenameisLeonardoandIhavebeenreallycloseaslongasIcan
rememberandIhadalwayslookuptohimasafatherfigure.Afterourparentssplitupinwhich
IconsiderahorribledivorcemybrotherandIwewouldgoouttogetherandmostofthetime
onlyforthereasonIwasthesmallestinourfamilyandmyMommadehimtakeme
everywherehewent.WhenIwasabout12yearsoldIstartedtonoticeachangeinourfamily,my
momandmybrotherhadcontinueargumentsandfights.
Icouldnotunderstandwhyonenightmymomkickedmybrotheroutofthehouseand
seeinghimpackingmostofhisclothesandevenhisoldlightbrownteddybearwhichwas
missinghislefteyemademecrylikeitwasnoendingwhileinmymindtherewasstillthe
questionmarkofwhatcouldhavehappened.Thingsstartedtogethardformymominmoney
wise,shewasntabletoaffordallthebillsaroundthehouseandaftervigorousimmigration

paperworkmeandherimmigratedtoSaltLakecity.IvisitedmybrothereverychanceIgot,but
inoneofmyvisitswhilewewerehavingdinnerheconfessedtomehewasgayandthathehad
beendatinganolderguyforsometimeiswhenmyeyesitchedfromthetearsrollingdownmy
cheek.IhadalwaysbeenscaredforhimsincethenbecauseIknowMexicoisacountrywithno
tolerancetowardsGaypeople.KillingandpersecutionsofGaysisalmostaneverydaythingin
theT.VnewsinMexico,kidnapingofGaysandevenarrestingthemduringPrideParadesbutI
supportedhimandstillIlovehimjustthewayheis.
AfterIcamebackfromMexicotoUtah,Ifoundoutthereasonwhymymomkickedmy
brotheroutfromthehouse,shehadfoundoutabouthimbeingGayandrejectedhim,ittook
timeforhertoacceptedhimandtalktohimagain.Onedaymymomreceivedacallfrommy
brotherspartnerlettingherknowmybrotherhadbeenattackedandthathewasinaverycritical
conditiontothepointhecalledliferiskingbecausehehadlosttomuchbloodsowedecidedto
bookaflighttoMexicoasquicklyaswecould.WhenwearrivedinMexicowetookataxitothe
Hospitalandthetimeofthedrivefeltlikehourswhenthenormaltimefromtheairporttothe
Hospitalwasonly15minutesinacar.
Icanstillrememberthepoundinginmychestandthesmellofbloodinthehospitalhalls
whenwewalkedlookingformybrothersroom,whenIsawhimlyinginhisbedwithhis
clothesrippedandcoverinblood,hisfacealmostunrecognizablebythepunchinghereceived,
hisjawwasbrokenandbothifhiseyeswerepurplemyheartshrank,Ilookedatthedoctorwho
couldseemyangerandatthesametimetheneedtoknowwhathadhappened,finallywords
cameoutofhismouthsayingthatmybrotherhadjustbeenthevictimofrape,assaultand
robberyasaresultofahomophobicact,mykneescrumbleandIfellinthefloor.Iscreamedand

criedlikeIhaventdoneitsinceIwasalittlebabywhenIusetocriedformymom,thefactwas
thatbeingGay,Lesbian,TransexualorBisexualisariskinMexico,.
TheMexicangovernmenthasnotevenmakeanykindoflawtoprotectLGBT
community.UntilthesedaycasesofpeoplegettingrapedandkilledforbeingGayisvery
commoneverytimeIwatchtheMexicanNewsinmyTVithasbecomeabigconcernforthe
peoplethatcaresaboutHumanRightsandwhoareinfavortoprotectthemandwhoagreewe
shouldrespectotherspeopleschoicesanddecisionsonhowtheylivetheirlife.Thisproblemis
notonlyhappeninginMexicotheabuseagainstLGBTrightshashappeninothercountries,even
intheUnitedStatesbutluckilyinJune26of2015thesupremecourtmadeSameSexlegalasthe
resultthispeopleaskingforequalityachievementtowardstheLGBTcommunity.
Bythistimemybrothermadeafullrecoveryanddecidedtoembracewhatheis,some
peoplemaycallitdifferentbutstilluntilthisdayhemakesmefeelproudofhim.Nowheis
onemoreGaymenswingingthosecolorfulRainbowflagswhilesigninginmarchingtosupport
LGBTrights,tryingtomakemorechangesfortheGaycommunityandworkinginhisown
biographyabouthislifeandhisexperiencesofhowhisrightsasHumanbeenhadbeendenied
sincehecameopenofhissexualorientation.