Beyond Visibility: LGBT Latine Narratives that Matter

LGBTQ Fictional Characters Victor Salazar, "Rickie" Vasquez, Blanca Evangelista, and Jake Rodriguez

This article is part of a series sponsored by and developed in partnership with The Narrative Initiative to maximize opportunities to grow narrative power, equip narrative changemakers, and empower communities to use their voices in pursuit of social justice.

Could LGBT Latinos be among the least represented in television and film, if we look only at speaking roles?


If we consider two recent studies on representation, we might infer that. The Comprehensive Annenberg Report on Diversity found that, in film and television, Latinos made up less than 6% of the 11,000 speaking characters included in the study. Recently, a GLAAD report made a similar finding – that only 8% of LGBT characters on scripted series are Latinos. Consider those statistics against the 2020 census which estimates Latinos are 19% of the U.S. population and it’s fair to conclude that LGBT Latine characters would be the least represented, and, therefore, the least visible.

But what if representation were only one measure of “visibility”?

Hear me out: I am not arguing that representation in popular media isn’t crucial. We know lack of representation can nurture a context for dehumanization, violence, and policies that hurt communities for generations. Representation is the first step towards becoming part of a story, and our stories tell us who we are. When collections of stories accumulate over a long period of time, certain themes and ideas start to be thought of as “natural” or “common sense.”

Narrative requires representation because we need many voices and perspectives to interrupt harmful narratives and push for deep social change. That is how we, at Narrative Initiative, think with “narrative.”

When I think about the visibility of LGBT communities of color, I often think in terms of “recognition,” rather than representation. LGBT Latine characters, however sparse their number in television and film, have made a tremendous impact on how U.S.-based queer and – straight – people think about belonging, community, family, and LGBT Latine identities.

Rickie Vasquez, on My So-Called Life, was the first openly gay teen to be depicted by an openly gay actor. We had been exposed to “representations” of gay teenagers, depicted by straight actors in homophobic plotlines, but they were not defiant and creative like Rickie. Recently, a few friends rewatched My So-Called Life and were stunned to see how few lines Rickie was given, particularly in the episode about his family’s homophobia. (One used to work at an LGBT homeless shelter and half-jokingly attributed his early interest in LGBT youth work to seeing Rickie on My So-Called Life.) In other words, the representation of Rickie held a kind of narrative power for my generation.

Trans and non-binary Latine fictional characters, like Jake Rodriguez, from the new Tales of the City and Blanca Evangelista from Pose, have challenged dominant narratives about relationships, transition, and family.

Blanca is a caretaker, person living with HIV, political activist – and mother. She has high expectations for her family and fights for their survival in a transphobic and racist world. Jake Rodriguez transitions and, unlike the standard dominant narrative of transition, his world expands and his relationships deepen. By the end of Tales of the City, he has also played a heroic role in his community.

In Love, Victor, the protagonist has complex relationships with each member of his family, who are depicted as loving and accepting, even if they sometimes struggle with Victor’s identity. Most importantly, all of these characters challenge a pernicious dominant narrative: that communities of color are somehow ‘naturally’ more homophobic or transphobic - and violently so. At a time when Latinos and LGBT communities are experiencing increasing levels of discrimination and extraordinary states of violence, we must ask: who does this narrative serve? What made this narrative possible?

Representation absolutely matters and the need to advance more diverse voices within the film and television industry is urgent. But, narrative power isn’t always measured in numbers, sometimes it’s also measured in real life.

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

In 2024, voting campaigns have evolved greatly, to say the least. Creativity is now the name of the game and tongue-in-cheek humor is expertly leveraged to drive action. One example of that is Bop the Bigot, a revival of a viral game created in 2016 by Bazta Arpaio, an Arizona activist group, as part of a campaign to unseat Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio lost his re-election to Paul Penzone that year.

The game has now been updated for the current election cycle and relaunched by On Point Studios, with new features added to enable players to find out what’s on their ballot, confirm voter status, and register to vote.

Much like its former 2016 version, the game allows users to take out their political frustrations by virtually “bopping” GOP candidates in the head. It’s very similar to whack-a-mole, except the mole is replaced by former President Donald Trump, Ohio’s Senator J. D. Vance, and Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

B. Loewe, Director of On Point Studios, came up with the concept for this game when working as the Communications Director at Bazta Arpaio in 2016, and is the executive producer of this revamped version. In the first version of the game, Bop the Bigot players used a chancla (flip flop) to “bop” the characters, tapping into Latino culture by leaning on the childhood experience of being set right by a flying chancla from a fed-up mother or grandmother.

This year, the chancla is replaced by a more current element, a green coconut, referencing Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme. There are also side characters like “the couch,” cat ladies, and more coconuts. All references to jokes about Vice-Presidential candidate Vance, or insults Vance has made about women on the campaign trail.

Another new addition is that Harris’ laugh is immortalized as the game-over sound effect, an unexpected detail that adds even more humor and levity to the game.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump, Kevin Roberts, and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

Bop the Bigot, which is playable on desktop and mobile, is intended not just as a way to vent political frustrations, but also as a tool for activism and securing voter engagement.

For example, the game supports the work of Mexican Neidi Dominguez Zamorano, Founding Executive Director of the non-profit organization Organized Power in Numbers by using the “game over” screen to prompt players to donate to it and support their efforts.

Organized Power in Numbers is focused on empowering workers in the South and Southwest of the U.S. through collective action and comprehensive campaigns. Their mission is to create a large-scale movement that challenges the status quo and advocates for workers' rights, and racial and economic justice.

Currently, Dominguez Zamorano is leading worker outreach to 2 million working-class voters in the South and Southwest through doorknocking, texting, and calls with the help of local groups in North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, and more.

“We have been blown away by the enthusiastic reception for the video game. We knew we wanted to be part of its creative approach because our movement needs more fun and laughter. We need more ways to connect with nuestra gente so we can feel joy among all the absurdity we witness every day,” Dominguez Zamorano shared with Luz Media via email.

“Our people are gente trabajadora and we deserve to feel uplifted even in our toughest moments. We are deeply involved in the South and Southwest so we know what’s at stake in this election and we’re happy this can be a resource to mobilize, raise spirits, and get out the vote," she concluded.

Dominguez Zamorano is a committed activist for immigrants and workers' rights, known for her strategist skills and expertise. She played a key role in the campaign to win DACA and has also held roles in major campaigns, including as Deputy National States Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. In addition to her work with Organized Power in Numbers, Dominguez Zamorano is serving as a Senior Advisor to Mijente’s Fuera Trump Initiative.

Grassroots efforts like these have taken on new life in 2024, with Bop the Bigot adding to the larger, ongoing fight against political apathy and disinformation. Just as it did during the 2016 race, the video game uses humor to soften the serious task at hand—getting people to the polls.

"We want the game to be a fun and comical outlet for anyone who’s been insulted, frustrated, or harmed by Trump in the past and everyone who is ready to move forward as a country after election day," explained Loewe in a press release. "The proposals in Project 2025 and the beliefs of Trump and Vance aren’t just weird, they’re truly harmful. We wanted to give people a humorous and peaceful way to smack down their racism and sexism. We hope it makes people laugh and also feel empowered and motivated to get to the polls on or before election day."

With a mix of satire, sharp political critique, and nostalgia, the game is a call to action. The upcoming election, which is getting closer by the minute, has sparked fierce activism and creative yet grounded initiatives like these aim to ensure voters are engaged, especially young Latinos and disenfranchised groups.

hands holding up yellow protest signs that say Hands Off Our Bodies
Photo Credit: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Originally published in Common Dreams. Reprinted with permission.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

In November, abortion rights measures will appear on ballots across ten states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New York, where Latinos make up a significant portion of the electorate. For decades, pundits and politicians have recycled long-held misconceptions about Latino voters and abortion access, citing our conservative and religious beliefs.

Anti-abortion extremists have long fueled these misconceptions through misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Latino communities with egregious lies and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion. Yet, polling, focus groups, and direct interactions with Latino communities have debunked these outdated tropes.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

For Latinos, the freedom to decide, a pillar of our American democracy, is critical. Meanwhile, Latinos are being hit directly with anti-abortion efforts that take away that freedom such as the six-week abortion ban put into effect by the Florida Supreme Court and the 1864 abortion ban upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, people of color and Latinas have felt the impact of a lack of abortion access, an element of basic healthcare.

A 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families estimated that nearly 6.5 million Latinas, or 42% of all Latinas of reproductive age in the country, live in a state that either had or was likely to ban abortion. Ironically, it will be abortion access and anti-choice efforts to restrict freedom of choice that will mobilize Latino voters this election.

In a poll conducted by three national reproductive justice organizations, 87% of Latinas named abortion and women’s rights as one of their top priorities as they head to the polls. Another battleground poll conducted by Somos PAC and BSP Research found that 61% of Latino registered voters expressed a more positive/favorable view of Kamala Harris after hearing that she will protect abortion rights, versus only 19% of Latinos who said they had a more negative view of Harris after hearing that.

In key states to secure the White House and both chambers, Latinos make up large chunks of the electorate: Arizona (25%), Colorado (15%), Florida (20%), Nevada (20%), and New York (12%). In the face of unprecedented attacks on basic healthcare access and targeted attempts by extremists to mislead and divide our community on this issue, this November Latinos will be key deciders on abortion access across the country.

Mari Urbina, Managing Director of Indivisible, Battleground Arizona Lead and former Harry Reid advisor.

Héctor Sánchez Barba is president and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV).