Complicating Traditional Understandings of Familismo: Precariousness in the Lives of Queer Latino Men in College

Abstract

The cultural value of familismo is regarded as one of the main sources of support and reliance among Latina/o families. However, such familial dynamics can be challenged when involving sexual identities that do not align with familial values or traditional cultural expectations in Latina/o families, such as queerness. Thus, the author proposes the concept of precarious familismo to capture adverse, supportive, and disparate familial dynamics that can occur among Latinas/os when queer identities are involved. In doing so, he accounts for the influence of systems of oppression. To illustrate the functioning of precarious familismo, the author developed a two-part model. Data for this qualitative study stems from the Latino Male Leadership Project, a multisite investigation including men from four colleges and universities across the United States. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Keywords:

• familismo
• Latino men
• queer identity
• qualitative
• higher education
• systems of oppression

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1 The terms Latina/o and Hispanic are used interchangeably when referring to people with ancestry from Central America, South America, and México. Pan-ethnic (e.g., Hispanic and Latina/o) and ethnic specific terminology (e.g., Puerto Rican, Mexican, Dominican) is determined by how it is used in the literature. Additionally, Latina/o is used as an inclusive term when referring to Latinas and Latinos as a group. Latino is used when referring to men while Latina is used when referring to women.

2 Queer is used as an umbrella term for the LGBTQ community and to signify a deviation from normative sexuality (e.g., heterosexuality) (Kumashiro, 1999). “Gay and queer” is used when referring to participants in this specific study, as one identified solely as gay and another solely as queer (see Table 1). Sexual specific terminology is determined by how it is used in the literature.