Gay Pornography as Latin American Queer Historiography

Abstract

As male homosexuality becomes more mainstream, and its taboos and stereotypes commence to change and even disappear in the popular imaginary, there is more visibility in both audiovisual media and cinema of issues of male same-sex desire. Latin America has not excluded itself from this increase of male-to-male, same-sex representation in media and cinema. In the last ten years a significant number of films and television programmes, especially soap operas, which are still regarded as the quintessential exponent of popular reality (La Pastina 2002; Porto 2000, 1998; Vink 1988), have addressed issues of male homosexuality, to a greater or lesser extent. However, gay men have been denied, to date, the visibility of their own desires through the depiction of same-sex carnality and/or physical contact. The cinema and media of the region lack images of men showing physical affection to other men (whether depicted as partners, possible love interest, or furtive encounters), and even less images of men engaging in actual gay sex. This could be regarded as an attempt to avoid alienating the audience with a passive male protagonist who would challenge the rigid sexual system operating in Latin America.