by Mirka Negroni
I find it interesting that people on this list (glbpoc) actually wonder why the women and the latinos on the list don't post more often.
How often does the list engage in discussion that concern my expierence as a cachapera boricua of african descent, in case your wondering not very often. That does not mean I don't enjoy or learn from being on the list but it does encourage lurking behavior.
Also no offense to those who post often but I don't always have the time to write, I only have email at work so I can't post or read as often as it seems others on the list can.
I learn from some of the posts and ignore others which I think is perfectly okay. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, have been here fourteen years and have a love-hate relationship with my extended stay in the mainland.
In terms of what I like to name myself, it depends on the context and country I am in. Here I am a femme or a dyke, often preceded by boricua, puertorriquea, latina o afro-caribea.
Sometimes I want to express my solidarity with other sexual and gender minorities who may not be necesarily be same gender loving like transexuals and bisexuals and then I am queer.
The one thing I won't be is a gay woman blah!!!
Often I am a lesbian-feminist of color and that seems to fuck with people in some really special ways. When I am home in Puerto Rico I am pata or a cachapera or a lesbiana and when I am in Mexico with my lover I am a lesbiana feminista boricua.
For me the problem is trying to come up with one term that is always appropriate and all definining. None of these words can really sum up who I am or who anyone is for that matter. That is the beauty of our incredibly complex nature as human beings in this oftentime incredibly fucked up world.
What saddens me is the way we engage in the oppressor's game and give up or real powers by fighting and insulting each other instead of joining in some real common ground from which we can fight certain battles knowing that we will not always agree but that on the truly agregious violations of who are we need to present a united front.
Signed me just another community orgazing dreamer dreaming of a better future for our however you want to name it communities of color.
En solidaridad
Mirka
Last updated: 28 June 1977 by Chuck
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