President Barack Obama’s recent announcement supporting gay marriage has unveiled a growing alliance between young Latinos and gay activists.
Since President Obama’s announcement supporting gay marriage last week, Latinos across the country have come forward attempting to dispel the idea that Latinos are less tolerant of homosexuality than the general public, while hoping to take the efforts and determination of the gay rights movement as an example to follow.
“We need to take a lesson from the (lesbian and gay) community with regard to being that loud, squeaky wheel that gets fixed,” says Dee Dee Garcia Blasé, Somos Republicanos Founder. “We need to be more aggressive, and we realize it.”
According to a poll released by the National Council of La Raza, the country’s biggest Latino civil rights advocacy organization, 49% of the 66% self-identifying Roman Catholics favored allowing same-sex marriage.
Despite the belief that Latinos tend to be more conservative on family and social issues, individuals like Gary Segura, Director of Chicano Studies at Stanford University, does not believe that those views will impact their political decisions.
“[I]t’s not how Latinos vote. It’s about jobs, the economy, education,” says Segura.
For many Latinos, the President’s announcement seems to have reenergized their support.
“While it may not be the most politically advantageous decision to make, he made the right decision,” says Rick Palacio, Chairman of Colorado’s Democratic Party. “I think that’s more important than anything else. He’s putting the right thing to do ahead of politics.”
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