Sexual Health History
The HIV/AIDS epidemic’s significant impact on queer Latine communities underscored the lack of sexual education for the community. To address the issue, LLEGO, Gay Lesbian Hispanics Unidos (GLHU), and similar organizations created resources in both English and Spanish. The most common were newsletters that promoted safe sex and provided updates on the state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. An example is Info Sida, a LLEGO bilingual newsletter that was published during the 80s and 90s and distributed nationally. Besides providing important information, newsletters also served as an outlet for those affected by the virus: it gave them a space for them to share their personal experiences and share their words of caution to the broader community.
The disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on the Latine LGBTQIA+ communities made it necessary to create visual informational materials that relayed important information quickly. Image-based pamphlets and zines became popular. Comics, like “Un Chico Diferente,” visualized safe sex to prevent HIV/AIDS.
Organizations also did in-person outreach to engage in discussions about safe sex. Proyecto ContraSIDA por Vida (1993-2005) was a San Francisco-based HIV/AIDS-focused organization that reached out to young queer latines at high risk. They organized various activities, such as photography and drawing sessions, tabling, and created pamphlets, to disseminate information and create connections within the LGBTQIA+ community.
Another example was Las Salamandras de Ambiente, a South Florida organization for Latina lesbians formed in 1991 and is still active. The group's goal is to have a space for Latinas to come together to discuss their experiences and learn from one another. The group provides hands-on workshops for women to discuss HIV/AIDS and safe sex through guest speakers in healthcare and skits. Through these initiatives, the group empowers Latinas to take charge of their sexual health and promotes a culture of open communication and education.
Friedman, Samuel R., Judith L. Sotheran, Adawia Abdul-Quader, Barbara J. Primm, Don C. Des Jarlais, Phyllis Kleinman, C. Maugé, David S. Goldsmith, Wafaa el-Sadr, and Richard Maslansky. "The AIDS Epidemic among Blacks and Hispanics." Milbank Quarterly 65, no. 2, Supplement (1987): 455-499. PMID: 3451064.
Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, June 25). Proyecto Contrasida Por Vida. Wikipedia. Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProyectoContraSIDApor_Vida