GLAAD President Speaks Out About Gay Characters In Telenovelas

By Michael Lopez

If you’re ever wondering which Hispanic leaders to keep an eye on, look no further than Jarrett Barrios. A Harvard grad, a former Massachusetts Senator and now president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), he is hugely influential in shaping the Latino presence in America. This week, he spoke out about a very interesting issue, the presence of gays in telenovelas.

“I would say they’re getting better,” Jarrett explained to Latina. “They’ve been slow to adapt, but this past year we’ve seen a couple of really good advances on a couple of telenovelas.”

Interestingly, Barrios may have been talking about the lesbian kiss Kate del Castillo recently shared with Christina Urgel in the hugely popular soap, La Reina del Sur. A pivotal moment seen by millions of Telemundo viewers, it was a small step towards the inclusion of more gay characters on Spanish TV.

Jarrett believes that Latinos as a whole are becoming much more supportive of gay rights and, though there are still some prejudices within la cultura, things are moving in a positive direction.

"What we’re finding in our research at GLAAD, is that Latinos are as, or more, supportive of marriage equality. And it’s because Latinos understand the value of family and how important it is to have that family at the center of our culture. That doesn’t mean that social taboos are erased overnight — what it means is that Latinos are open to supporting the equality of their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender friends, family, and neighbors."

And it’s clear that GLAAD has put a lot of support back into the Latino community. At its most recent Media Awards, the organization honored Ricky Martin with the coveted Vito Russo Award and dedicated nine categories to Spanish-language nominees.

Barrios made sure to heap some praise on Ricky as well for all of the work that he has done to support gay causes throughout Latin America.

"The power of [Martin’s] coming out narrative, in coming out with pride — it’s been extraordinary. And we’ve seen the conversation change in many respects, where you’ve now got an awareness, a face on the gay community in Latin America —and in Spanish language media— that you didn’t have before. A young gay person just coming out can cite him as an example, can look to his life and his success as something to hope for. There’s a hopefulness to his story that is very powerful, in particular to Latino GLBT’s."

Add to that prominent gay roles in novelas like Niños Ricos, Pobres Padres, and Victorinos and you’ve got a lot of progress to be proud of.

Do you feel like the Latino culture has become more accepting of the gay lifestyle? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Cultura, Gay Rights, GLAAD, Jarrett Barrios, Novelas, Ricky Martin, Television