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homeboy description "Homeboy" centers around portraits of various gay Latino men as they describe their experiences with being in a gang, the realization and acceptance of their sexual orientation, and how they faced a multitude of struggles, including social, personal and cultural challenges. This is a story of their individual journeys.Through a series of interviews, "Homeboy" aims to provide a voice for a unique intersection of cultures until now previously unheard: contemporary Latino culture, gay culture and the world of gangs. These personal accounts weave together, illuminating both parallels and differences amongst the subjects' experiences. We explore the transformation that these men have undergone, from membership within a gang -- a world that is hyper-masculine and outwardly heterosexual -- to the acceptance of being gay and how their lives have evolved. The film addresses internal and external stereotypes associated with the Latino, gay and gang cultures. "Homeboy" has universal appeal as a statement to anyone who has overcome personal struggles. It also serves as a message to youth who might consider joining a gang, a temptation often glamorized in popular contemporary media.How did these young men, sometimes as young as 11 years old, find their way into gangs? What was gang life like for them, socially and emotionally? Did being in a gang represent an idea of "family" that maybe they were missing in their own lives? Joshue, one subject we interviewed who doesn't appear in the film, responded:
Each of our subjects discovered same-sex relationships in different ways and at different times in their lives. When did they first recognize their attraction to other men and how did they deal with this attraction, if at all? What were their first same-sex experiences like? Were they turning points in their lives? Marco describes his first experience:
Many of these men have weathered the often-difficult process of accepting their sexual orientation and "coming out" to their families and friends, a few of whom were members of the same gang. How did they react and how did their relationships change, if at all? Did being gay within the Latino culture influence how their families and friends reacted? Pete recalls when he first came out to his family:
Rival territorial warfare and the underground trade of drugs and guns often characterize gang life today. Most of the men interviewed experienced the violent deaths of fellow gang members -- close friends and relatives alike -- and explained that this was a contributing factor for wanting to end their ties with gangs. Was being gay a reason for any of them to leave their gangs? Were there other issues involved? Joe recalls his reasons for leaving gang life behind:
Several of these men experienced life in prison.To balance these very personal portraits, we have also interviewed Luis J. Rodriquez, respected Chicano poet, author, gang expert and activist, who authored the internationally best-selling memoir, Always Running: Mi Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. , a work that several of our men have read that influenced them deeply. More information on Luis here: http://www.luisjrodriguez.com/
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