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NARRATIVES

Latin American and Carribean Feminist Encuentros

The Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Encuentros have played a catalytic role in making the needs and requirements of Latina visible and in strengthening Latin America's feminist movement. They are also part of the few organized efforts that enable Latinas from both Latin America and the USA to come together to share experiences. However, it is my observation that conflict based on lesbophobia and , and ethnic, race, and class differences, has created a rift between alliances of women of Latin- America and Latinas from the USA. In my judgement this rift serves to disempower both the feminist and movements in Latin America. This article addresses the socio-political conditions under which Latina women from the USA and from Latin America live. Understanding the differences may offeropportunities for greater understanding so that conflict may be transformed into .

by Introduction Historical Background of the Migdelia Reyes Encuentros 1 he Latin American and Migdelia Reyes, MSW, Ed.D., Caribbean Feminist Encuentros Latin American nations Associate Professor, San Jose are of historical importance to have historically been political- State University, San Jose, CA. the empowerment of the femi- ly and economically vulnerable. nist movement of Latin Ameri- Thus, Latin American women ca. They represent one of the share with women from other few organized efforts that en- Third World nations common able Latinas from both Latin legacies of social, economic, and America and the USA to come political conditions, and cultur- together to share experiences al ideologies, status, and role linked to social group member- (Boserup, 1985; Miller, 1991; ship (ethnicity, race, class, etc.). Sein & Grown, 1987). The femi- The Latin American and Carib- nist movement of Latin Ameri- bean Lesbian Encuentros have ca has proposed that economic subsequently played a catalytic dependency, poverty, and colo- role in making the needs and re- nial relationships with ad- quirements of Latina lesbians vanced Western nations are key visible and in strengthening Lat- to understanding the conditions in America's feminist move- in which Latin American wom- ment. However, it is my obser- en live. Furthermore, patriar- vation that conflict based on les- chal ideologies characterize bophobia and heterosexism, and women's lives. Among these ethnic, race, and class differenc- ideologies are traditional norms es, has created a rift between al- and values about women's so- liances of women of Latin- cial status and economic role; America and the Latinas from little access to formal political the USA. In my judgement this structures and educational re- rift serves to disempower both sources; the unequal division of the feminist and the lesbian Lat- labor and the exploitative nature in American movements. of women's work (Carner, 1987;

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Bose & Acosta, 1995; Deere, ism was absent from the the introductory workshop was 1976; Nash, 1995; Safa, 1995; Encuentro's program and that interesting. The workshop Stoltz-Chinchillas, 1991; Vasqu- the level and manifestation of served as a ground-breaking ex- ez, 1994); directed prima- lesbophobia was rampant and perience and a historical mo- rily at women of color (i.e., of overwhelming. Prior to attend- ment for the Latina lesbian native and African descent and ing the Encuentro, I was intellec- movement. It also informed the Mestizas); and the historical her- tually aware of the oppressive feminist movement, prompting itage of machismo and Marianis- and repressive conditions that a beginning effort at inclusion mo. sexual minorities live under in and solidarity. In the early 198O's Lafin- Latin America. In Puerto Rico, American feminist women be- as well as in many Latin-Ameri- The Brazil Encuentro gan to empower themselves by can countries that I am familiar 1 he subsequent femi- organizing biannual, region- with, lesbianism is a shameful nist Encuentro was held in 1985 wide Latin American and Car- illness or something to be kept in Brazil. The organizers offi- ibbean Feminist Encuentros secret and invisible. More im- cially included a series of all-day (Navarro, 1982). These portant, I knew workshops on lesbian- have offered women a ve- that ism. These were not con- hicle for becoming politi- is not a choice be- flict free. However, they cized and for developing cause of existing were well attended and strategies to fight against forms of re- offered a space for dia- prevailing , racism, pression, perse- logue between the hetero- economic disparity, neocolonial- cution, torture, and, in some sexual and the lesbian women. ism, and political repression in countries, violence. In spite of One major accomplishment of Latin America. the potential risks involved, the Encuentro was the formation many lesbians, most of whom of a discussion group, led by The Encuentros: were from the USA, chose to women of various lesbian orga- A Personal Testimony come out at this Encuentro be- nizations from Mexico, to orga- cause we felt a need to be vis- nize the First Latin American The Peru Encuentro ible, to fight against lesbophobic and Caribbean Lesbian Feminist In 1983, I attended the values and attitudes, and to sup- Encuentro in Cuernavaca, second Latin American and Car- port the women who were un- Mexico. It took place in 1987, a ibbean Feminist Encuentro, held able to do the same. week before the Fourth Latin in Peru. It marked my first ex- The news spread quickly American and Caribbean Femi- perience participating in a about who the lesbians were and nist Encuentro held in Taxco, Latina women's event. As I it did not take long before a Mexico. grew up in rural Puerto Rico, my wave of oppressive behavior awareness of based on fear, rejection, and mis- The First Lesbian Feminist was a slow and often frustrating trust was displayed. For ex- Encuentro: Mexico personal process. I remember ample, many heterosexual Unce again, I felt great my first experience at this women broke into tears as feel- enthusiasm about being part of Encuentro as one filled with ex- ings of fear overcame them. a social movement that unified citement and pain. My excite- Some threatened to leave the us as Latina lesbians. Further- ment grew from the opportunity Encuentro, while others refused more, the idea of forming and to unite with Third World Latina housing with the lesbian partici- being a member of a Latin feminists and to search for a pants. In response to the result- American Latina lesbian net- space to secure support and de- ing chaos, some of us proposed work {La Red)—^which the orga- velop ties of solidarity with and facilitated a workshop on nizers proposed—meant an im- other Latina lesbians. The pain lesbianism. That approximately portant process of political and grew from noticing that lesbian- two hundred women attended social empowerment for me.

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However, conflict between the Rica, with its history of democ- anyone considered "undesir- women of Latin America and racy, liberalism, and no army, able." This meant not only con- the Latinas of the USA surfaced, was a perfect choice. The city trolling who entered the country, taking over most of the confer- of San José had a large and ac- but deporting those suspected of ence schedule. Given that this tive lesbian organization called being lesbians. In spite of the time the women were all lesbi- Las Entendidas and a lively danger that the conference ans, for many women this rift community. However, a week posed, the organizers decided to felt more painful than the orig- before the Encuentro, local news- hold it in a secret location. The inal lesbophobic rift. It ap- papers published a series of sen- repression forced us to go under- peared that Chicana women sationalist stories and editorials ground, pledge secrecy, and were affected the most. The new with leads such as: "An inva- agree to remain on the premises sentiment was a result of a sion of 150 foreign lesbians, until the Encuentro ended. closed meeting, which focused along with a group of Costa The Encuentro offered a on keeping the USA Latinas Rican lesbians is expected. They range of workshops and social from participating in La activities held in a climate of har- Red,held by the Mexican mony. Support and nurturance women. The result was four were displayed between the days of conflict, a series of dis- women from Latin America and cussion meetings, and the need Latina women from the USA. to employ a participant who However, this harmony was sev- was an expert in conflict resolu- ered when on the last night of the tion to guide the discussions. By conference, a group of men in the end of the Encuentro, and in trucks surrounded the location spite of the conflict, different and began to shout obscenities workshops took place, some and threaten to attack. The fear women formed new alliances, continued until the next day and many embraced the conflict when everyone could leave, due, as a learning process. This pro- will corrupt and pervert the in large part, to the help of the cess grew and at the Fourth minds of innocent young rural town police. Feminist Encuentro that fol- women," and "Lesbians coming In spite of the lesbian bait- lowed in Taxco, many lesbian to Costa Rica to have a satanic ing, the Encuentro ended with a women worked together to cre- orgy." Initially, some of the strong sense of solidarity be- ate and facilitate a workshop on women who arrived in Costa tween the won\en. Because of the lesbianism. Rica denied the possibility that vulnerability that coming out in such a level of public posed for the Latin Amer- The Second Lesbian Feminist could exist. After all, Costa Rica ican women, a group of foreign Encuentro: Costa Rica was celebrating 100 years of de- women called a press conference. 1 he next lesbian En- mocracy. They denounced those individu- cuentro was planned for 1990 in Nevertheless, the uproar als and policies that created the Peru. However, the early mo- and anti-lesbian hysteria that situation of fear and violence. mentum did not last. Many of the press and the church had The press conference was a great the Peruvian organizers began created pressured the govern- opportunity to organize for the to receive death threats from ment to try to stop the confer- civil rights of gay, lesbian, and both ultra-right and ultra-left ence. Since the government of- men and women. political groups and they moved ficials did not know who the or- Moreover, the print media and the conference to Costa Rica be- ganizers were or where we TV news responded well, pre- cause of potential violence would hold the conference, they senting a less distorted portray- against the participants. The or- went on to enact a law prohibit- al of lesbianism after some wom- ganizers assumed that Costa ing entrance into the country to en filed a formal complaint with

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the United Nations Human and Mexico. The women felt Discussion and Meaning Rights Commission. rejected and hurt by some of the accusations made by the Latin In order for me to un- The Third Lesbian Feminist American women about their derstand and deal with the rift Encuentro: Puerto Rico privilege as lesbians from the that has surfaced numerous In 1992, Puerto Rico USA. While many of the feel- times during the Encuentros, it is sponsored the Third Latin ings of pain and anger surfaced important to recognize the exist- American and Caribbean Lesbi- in an excitable manner, fortu- ence of significant differences an Feminist Encuentro. One nately a subsequent workshop between the experiences of Lat- hundred sixty-one lesbians at- brought both groups together to ina women. Varied cultural and tended. Sixty-one of the partic- discuss sources of conflict and racial heritages, mixed social, ipants were Latinas from the differences. Versions differ as to economic, and political realities USA, sixty-eight from Puerto the outcome of this interchange. and ideologies, as well as re- Rico, and thirty-two from differ- However, I observed that by the gional differences, contribute to ent Latin American countries. end of the Encuentro, many the widely diverse formations of The Encuentro was very well or- women appeared to bridge contemporary Latin American ganized with a series of struc- some of their ethnic, class, po- countries and of Latino commu- tured workshops and events. litical, and ideological differenc- nities in the USA. Latina wom- However, the conflict between es and appeared more interac- en, both from Latin America and USA and Latin American lesbi- tive. the USA, reflect this heteroge- ans once again surfaced and neous reality. In addition, Lati- found its way into various The Fourth Lesbian Feminist na women who have immigrat- workshops. The "they" and Encuentro: Argentina ed or are USA-born present "we" rift (called la grieta) creat- 1 he most recent lesbian differences due to social group ed an emotional whirlpool for Encuentro was held in 1995 in membership and to levels of all of the participants. La grieta Argentina. The representation ideological awareness and po- was particularly painful for the of Latinas from the USA was litical exposure to issues of eth- women from Puerto Rico, many poor. Providing a precise expla- nocentrism, racism, sexism, and of whom felt torn between both nation for this is difficult, but heterosexism. The Encuentros sides of this division because of assumptions may be drawn. reflect such differences. More- the USA colony status of the Is- Traveling to Argentina from the over, I have observed that the land. USA is very expensive, and the interactive and peer-led open- Beacause of La grieta, the registration cost for Latinas debate format of the Encuentros conference schedule was from the USA was much higher seems to draw two types of reac- changed to fit the creation of than that for Latin American tions. One is the potential for two separate workshops, one for participants. While the organiz- conflicts based on ignorance, the Latin American women and ers of the Puerto Rico Encuentro intolerance, and the belief of hi- another for the Latinas from the promptly provided the Argenti- erarchies of oppression. The USA. Two women from Los na organizers a mailing list, second is—in the spirit of soli- Angeles, one woman from those of us from the USA did not darity—to deny that differenc- Washington, one woman from receive the information until es exist and that conflict should Miami, and I facilitated a work- late. Also, it would be safe to be avoided. shop to discuss and process feel- assume that the rift that contin- In my opinion, while ings and to negotiate the politi- ues to exist between Latin Amer- conflict around differences is cal and emotional controversies ican and USA women had had a often accompanied by painful that had surfaced. The reactions disempowering impact. feelings, it is often necessary. of most of the women were sim- Conflict, when managed within ilar to those that I experienced a framework of empowerment, during the Encuentros of Peru may be of great importance to

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any process of group develop- who may be different from to publish, many Latinas from ment and conscientization. themselves or whom they may the USA have more access to lit- Conflict offers opportunities for perceive as more privileged. I erature on lesbianism. I want to addressing and celebrating dif- have noticed that many lesbians, also note that supportive servic- ferences, as well as becoming particularly those who do not es such as self-help groups and politicized. have a supportive Latina com- culturally competent psycho- While developing aware- munity, attend the Encuentros in therapy exist. Moreover, iden- ness, one must recognize that hope of finding longed-for con- tifiable sexually diverse commu- , lesbian women, and nections and solidarity. Expec- nities that promote a gay-friend- transgender people, particular- tations can be unrealistically ly environment are often a real- ly those who live or come from high and when they are unmet, ity in some regions of this coun- societies with a history of viola- frustration and anger can try. Unfortunately, during the tion of and of hate emerge. The baggage carried Encuentros I often observed crimes, face manifestations of from patriarchal, homophobic, some of the USA Latinas using oppression that are more severe heterosexist, and colonial home- these privileges to measure and than those encountered by peo- lands is too enormous and deep judge the experiences of Latin ple who have access to more seated for such a magical reso- American women. I have also validating types of environ- lution. observed competitiveness, arro- ments. It has been my experi- I believe that it is impor- gance, and attitudes of superi- ence that in Latin America, be- tant to recognize that conflict ority when describing resourc- ing able to come out is extreme- over differences often grows out es or information about social ly dangerous, if not impossible. of ignorance and assumptions. movements, organizations, and Many gays and lesbians today In my observation there is often communities in the USA. continue to witness the horrors a lack of knowledge, and stereo- In my judgement, it is of repression. For example, in typical assumptions are made critical that issues and behavior, some regions, gay and lesbian about the history and the life which denote respect and sen- bars continue to be raided de- conditions of different social sitivity, are addressed in under- spite financial compensation to group members, both from Lat- standing the conflicts that may police officers to stay away. in America and from the USA. exist between these two groups. Gays, lesbians, and transgender Ignorance about social move- I thus suggest the use of the people have reported violence ments may also present a prob- method of conocimientos, or dia- and gang rape by police and the lem in cases where, for example, logue groups, where different military. There have also been a person from Latin America participants share their person- reports of death. assumes that gay and lesbian al life experiences in order to I have come to view the Latinos hold positions of power enhance open communication rift of the Encuentros as indica- in the gay and lesbian move- and decrease intolerance and tive of the complexity of the var- ment in the USA when, in fact, stereotyped assumptions about ied nature of oppression faced the contrary serves to be true. who we are. For example, this by Latina lesbian women in the Drawing from my own method may enable Latinas USA and in Latin America. I experience, I have noticed that from the USA to learn about believe that women who come many Latina lesbians from the what Latin American women from extremely oppressive envi- USA have more access and ex- may perceive to be their power ronments often experience the posure to information about and or privilege. Moreover, Latin Encuentros as a safe place to resources on institutionalized American women, both hetero- share and develop con- heterosexism, racism, and clas- sexual and lesbians, may listen sciousness about their realities sism than their Latin America to USA women regarding their as oppressed populations. counterparts. While written marginalized status in the USA Thus, while healing, some wom- material on Latina lesbians is without comparing . en may lash out against others frequently unavailable and hard

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Conflict resolution skills population groups. In many Miller, F. (1991). Latin American and clear ground rules may also Latino nations, violence has be- women and the search for social be helpful tools during the cono- come an every day affair. Many justice. Hanover, New cimientos. These may help bring gays and lesbians live without Hampshire: University Press issues of differences out in the hope or the possibility of hav- of New England. ing their pain seen or shared. Nash, J. (1995). Latin American open and manage disagree- women in the world ments and confrontations if they Professional organizations and capitalist crisis. In C. E. Bose arise. The use of a framework human service institutions, es- & E. Acosta Belen (Eds.), grounded in the concepts of pecially in the field of social Women in the Latin American empowerment and conscienti- work, must join forces with oth- development process (pp. 151- zation is also a useful mecha- er groups by building skills and 166). Philadelphia: Temple nism for creating awareness and coalitions to work with sexual University. respect. and by using their per- Navarro, M. (1982). The first While the Encuentros sonal, institutional, and interna- Latin American women's have often made me feel frus- tional expertise and resources to conference. Signs, 8^ 154-157. fight these and other injustices. Safa, H. 1. (1995). Women's Social trated, I also recognize the op- Movements in Latin America. portunity that they have offered It is only in this spirit In C. E. Bose & E. Acosta me to understand our struggles that pro-feminists, transgen- Belen, (Eds.), Women in the and how^ w^e have often been pit- dered people, and feminist les- Latin American development ted against each other due to our bians of the Americas will some process (pp. 227-241). own realities with internalized day discover a safe space for Philadelphia: Temple oppression. In my judgement, sharing with each other in em- University. the lesbian and gay movement powerment and will welcome Sen, G. & Grown, C. (1987). of the USA must gain an inter- conflict simply as an opportuni- Development crisis and visions: est in learning more about the ty for growth.Q Third World women perspectives. Monthly Review social realities and conditions of Press: New York. sexual minorities from Latin Stoltz-Chinchillas, N.(1991). America, especially those that REFERENCES Women in Latin American represent populations at risk. social movements: an Furthermore, Latin American Bose, C. E. & Acosta Belen E. overview of issues and women, both heterosexual and (Eds.) (1995). Women in the themes. In E. Acosta- Belen lesbian, must understand that Latin American development & C. Bose (Eds.), Integrating they are not the only victims of process. Philadelphia: Temple Latin American and Caribbean oppression and that hierarchies University. women into the curriculum and of oppression serve to create Boserup, E. (1986). Women's role in research (pp. 34-47). Albany, New York: CELAC/IROW, antagonism and prevent our economic development. London: Gower Publishing State University of New joining in a united front. Company. York. In coming together as a Deere, C. D. (1976). Rural Vasquez, J. T. M. (1994). Latinas. unified front, I suggest that peo- women's subsistence In L. Comas, Diaz & B. ple of both dominant and mar- production in the capitalist Greene (Eds.), Women of ginalized social groups form al- periphery. Review of radical color: Integrating ethnic and liances and learn ways to share political economics, 8, (8), 6-17. in power and privilege. For exam- Carner, F. (1987). Estereotipos psychotherapy (pp. 114-138). ple, it is critical that those who femeninos en el siglo de New York: Guildford Press. have access to mainstream insti- México. In C. E. Ramos, et al. tutions and resources work to- (Eds.), Presencia y gether to organize international transparencia: La mujer en la historia de México (pp. 95-110). forces and support the struggles México: El Colegio de of Latin American oppressed México.

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