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Writing a memoir that countless readers say is impossible to put down is a pretty strong indicator that a writer has succeeded in what they set out to accomplish. For it to be described as a “breath of fresh air” by the New York Times is an even bigger indication.
Edgar Gomez’s powerful new memoir “High-Risk Homosexual”, released in January of this year, not only achieved those things, but it also resonated with the experiences of many queer or trans Latinx/a/o folks… including the journalist writing this profile.
My book is out today. All week I’ve thought about what I could possibly say to show how grateful I am that I got to write about Nicaragua, and Pulse, and drag, and growing up as a quiet queer kid in Orlando who thought if I told anyone who I was I would die. Anyway: thank you. ?? pic.twitter.com/ZZGewrv4oq
— Edgar Gomez (@otroedgargomez) January 11, 2022
Born in Florida with both Nicaraguan and Puerto Rican roots, Gomez struggled to find his voice in a machismo-enforced environment that so often erases the validity of queer and trans identities.
“I’ve always found the definition of machismo to be ironic, considering that pride is a word almost unanimously associated with queer people, the enemy of machistas,” Gomez writes his website.
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At age 13, Gomez was sent to his uncle’s cockfighting ring in Nicaragua. There he became immersed in all the toxicity that contributes to the false ideologies of manhood. However, he returned home more self-aware and reassured of his queer identity.
“In a world desperate to erase us, queer Latinx men must find ways to hold onto pride for survival, but excessive male pride is often what we are battling, both in ourselves and in others,” he continues.
In “High-Risk Homosexual”, Gomez recounts his youth leading up to his early twenties and is unapologetic as much as he is transformative. His journey toward the ripe fruits of self-acceptance further reflect his strength leaving readers rooting for him till the very last page.
Gomez’s words are so tightly woven together with honesty, humor, and the purest nuances of joy that they ultimately set a tone that is both optimistic and cathartic.
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In a recent interview with Shondaland, Gomez elaborated about his creative process and how he wanted to approach his story.
“Part of it for me was, if I write this with sort of a sense of humor, even in the traumatic moments, the reader is subliminally going to know that I made it out of the situation and can now look back at it and laugh,” he said. “That is a way to write about trauma while still offering hope.”
Gomez’s voice radiates a specific individuality and uniqueness that many writers spend their whole lives trying to achieve, but this could also be because he’s a double Pisces. And we have to give him extra brownie points for opening their book with a quote from the queer cult classic film, Too Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.
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Welcome to Queerty’s Pride50. We’re celebrating the members from our community who are responsible for some of the most inspiring and extraordinary moments for LGBTQ people over the last year. See all the honorees
