Exploring Queer Mexican American through Art

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2020-07-15
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en
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Queer Mexican American immigrants face various hardships. Many are raised in a conservative culture and have to hide their queerness. Those that are undocumented have to hide their illegal status. This study looks at artworks from the 1960s through today to explore the intersectionality of queer Mexican American identity. It focuses sharply on the Axis Mundo exhibition and the UndocuQueer Movement. Most of the artistic expressions deal with societal issues, ranging from the AIDS crisis in the 1980s to the immigrations politics banning people from Mexico, inflamed by the Trump Administration. The artists often incorporate traditional and contemporary symbols to convey their struggles and ideals. Their messages question binary gender norms. Their art renders their lives visible. This, in turn, helps them achieve freedom. The fight for acceptance of queerness takes place within Mexican American communities as well as in the larger nation. The battle raises questions about immigration policy in general and notions of the border specifically.
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