The Latin American region of the
International Resource Network (IRN),
seeks to link up academic and
community-based researchers, artists,
and activists in Latin America and in
the Diaspora in areas related to diverse
sexualities and genders. The IRN is
based at the Center for Lesbian and Gay
Studies (CLAGS) at the City University
of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center
and funded by the Ford Foundation and
present on the web at www.irnweb.org.
Our online initiatives, resources,
workshops and meetings help LGBTI
communities challenge oppression and
claim their human rights. The IRN
supports projects that eliminate
oppression based on race, age, sex,
religion, sexual orientation, gender
identity and expression.
Latin America has seen stunning
developments in terms of changes in
current LGBT legislation and the topic
has received a lot of international
attention. For example Argentina’s
recent turbulent past and brutal
oppression and persecution of gays and
lesbians was replaced by a historic vote
allowing gay couples to marry and
adopt children. However, in spite of
dramatic developments, little has been
published about individual expressions
and the historical and contemporary
experience of lesbians, gay men,
bisexuals and transgendered people in
Latin America. How have Latin
Americans experienced societal changes
and how has this affected the coming
out process?
IRN Latin America is seeking
submissions for “Does your mother
know? IRN Latin American Collection
of LGBT Stories. “The project will
document the stories of Latin
Americans that identify as lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and queer from
the Latin American continent and in
Diaspora communities. The project will
add to the current Latin American
LGBTI literature.
We invite you to submit original,
unpublished essays, poems, short
stories, plays, creative non-fiction,
related to your experience of being
LGBTI and growing up in Latin
America or Diaspora. We accept both
text and audio format material.
We welcome submissions including:
The social construction and lived
experience of Latin American
sexualities and transgender identities,
queer readings of literary or other Latin
American artistic texts, lesbian
motherhood, LGBTI adoption, being
LGBTI and growing old in Latin
America, coming out short stories,
interviews, creative non-fiction related
to your experience of being LGBTI, the
significance of gender, class, racial and
ethnic differences, the prior and
continuing importance of cross-gender
behaviors and identities.
The accepted stories are featured
prominently on the site, accessible to
scholars and activists around the world
and downloadable free of charge.
Text will be accepted in Word or
Digital Audio, (MP3) double spaced..
Submissions can be in Spanish,
Portuguese and English.
The submissions will be evaluated and
edited by the IRN Latin American
editorial board, a committee of well
known lgbt activists and academics.
To submit email Jasmin Blessing
irnlatinamerica@googlemail.com
Maximum word limit: 10 000 Words
Deadline: May 31st, 2011
Link: