The Chilean armed forces doesn’t bother with anything like America’s former “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which is the political version of sticking your fingers in your ears, closing your eyes and screaming “lalalalala.” There it’s traditionally been more like “don’t be gay, period.”
Which is why it is especially surprising that Chilean sailor Mauricio Ruiz staged a press conference this week to come out of the closet in the most public way imaginable.
On Wednesday he sat with gay rights activists and his (very cute) boyfriend as he told the press that he is gay and proud, hoping the declaration would help to dispel myths that gay servicemen and women can’t succeed in the military.
“Personally, I hope that this is a contribution to non-discrimination in my society,” he said.
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While Chile is slowly progressing on gay rights — gay sex was decriminalized in 1999 and a hate crimes bill was passed in 2012 after the killing of a gay man — homophobia is still very much a part of the social structure.
Interestingly, Mauricio received permission from his superior officers to make the public declaration after three months of back-and-forth between Chile’s Armed Forces and the Integration Movement and Homosexual Liberation groups, suggesting a desire from top brass to advocate tolerance.
h/t: HuffPost
Xzamilio
Hell, yeah!!! Stop trying to pretend we don’t exist, homophobes!!! We’re here [we are LGBT , learn to acclimate to changing norms and societal mores]
NG22
I wish him, his boyfriend, and the entire Chilean LGBT community the best.
I don’t know which is which in the picture, but they’re both fucking hot.
Saint Law
Aw.
Billy Budd
Here in Brazil the opposite happened when a couple of gay soldiers came out. they were persecuted, put in prison and expelled from the army. A few politicians protested, including a senator, but it was hopeless. Military forces and gays don’t mix here in Brazil.
Billy Budd
They think military guys have to be MACHO, and argue that gays can’t be MACHO by definition.
NoCagada
@Billy Budd: “Military forces and gays don’t mix here in Brazil.”
Sure they do…in the closet
Leonard Woodrow
Any country’s armed force that thinks it has no gays is deluding itself.
hephaestion
Brazil’s military needs to know that many of the world’s baddest military leaders have always been gay. And have they never heard of Alexander the Great?
Billy Budd
@hephaestion: Even hardcore military nazis like Ernst Rohm were gay. There are butch gays who are capable of being very efficient soldiers. Alexander The Great conquered the entire world, for chrissakes.
MountainBoy
The hispanic culture is not known for being all the tolerant with gay members of their community. If someone in that culture intends to come out, I think I’d find a place somewhat more understanding; we all understand closets are heath hazards, but from the frying pan into the fire is an even greater health hazard. I lived in Albuquerque for 6 years (very, very white boy here), and it was clear that coming out would be problematic. That’s part of the reason I moved to San Francisco where I haven’t had any problem with being very out or the closet. Talk about a breath of Fresh Air!
Jim Guinnessey
Publicly, Latino macho culture and attitudes exists among its male population but privately they are all on the down low. Hypocrisy and the homophobic Catholic Church have contributed much to this somewhat schizophrenic attitude amongst Latino men. Yet we all know that Latino men make the best lovers(Germans also!) Go figure!