As mentioned in the previous post, AIDS has become an ever growing problem in Latin America. This is especially true in the homosexual community. In fact, sexually active homosexual men are actually 33 times more likely to contract the disease then straight men and women. Social stigmas surrounding this lifestyle have led to a decrease in access to AIDS treatment. Much of the Latin culture prides itself on gender roles, with the ”machismo” ideology being at the forefront of various stigmas. A “macho man” is supposed to demonstrate extreme masculinity in order to seem powerful and to attract the opposite sex. Pure ignorance leads many to persecute gay men for not assimilating to this representation. Coming out seems like a battle many homosexuals do not want to fight. Therefore, those who do contract the disease through sex are reluctant to seek help. Without proper education about the virus, many don’t understand how it is obtained. This lack of knowledge has people actually fearing infected individuals and has caused some hospitals to randomly test patients and workers for AIDS without their consent. If they test positive, patients could be denied treatment and workers could lose their jobs.
Another major roadblock gay Latin’s face is the Catholic Church’s stance on marriage. Catholicism is one of the predominate religions in this region. With a significant portion of the population practicing a religion that condemns homosexuality, it seems like a never ending struggle for homosexuals with AIDS to seek help.
However, in the past two years there has been progress in accepting the gay population in some Latin countries. Laws are becoming more liberal towards homosexuals. For instance, in Mexico gay pride parades are now being celebrated with the government issuing police protection at such events. The government is becoming more lenient and allowing such grand scale demonstrations of gay pride to occur. Even in health care some progression has been made since access to AIDS treatment is becoming more accessible.
Yet these small strides towards social equality come with their share of downfalls. Even though homosexuality is becoming more widely received, there are still many that are not attaining proper medical treatment for their illness. Before the gay movement began, many sought asylum in America for treatment. In 1994, asylum began to be offered to those that were persecuted for their lifestyles. It gave them a place of refuge from the judgmental eye of their community, and the opportunity to acquire medications in the U.S. With Latin governments allowing more gay friendly laws to pass, it is becoming harder and harder for gays to receive asylum. The American lawmakers are no longer granting asylum to Latin citizens as easily.
Only recently have various Latin American governments begun to recognize gay and lesbians as an integral part of the community. Just because there has been a push for gay rights, does not mean that deeply ingrained beliefs and homophobia are going to disappear anytime soon. The men who have sex with men group in Latin American countries are still being singled out for their lifestyles. Access to vital medical treatment is as hard to come by as ever before. America needs to recognize this fact and continue to disperse proper treatment to those in underprivileged countries.
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