Emos and Pokemones Under Attack in Latin America

Thu03Apr2008

Emos and Pokemones Under Attack in Latin America

12:11 H | Topics: Chile - Mexico - Youth

For those that still think that the criticizing of Latin American youth culture isn't political, haven't been paying attention. In Mexico recently, there has been an increase in attacks against Emos.

A series of attacks on dyed-hair, eye-makeup-wearing emo kids began in early March when several hundred people went on an emo-beating rampage in Querétaro, a town of 1.5 million about 160 miles north of Mexico City.

Like with the Pokemones in Chile, these attacks have a homophobic undercurrent, with many emos being perceived as gay, whether they are or not.

Daniel Hernandez has some excellent coverage on the unfolding of Emo hate in Mexico.

After the jump see how attacks have gotten out of hand in Chile.

Is anti-Emo/Anti-Pokemones the new wave of Latino machismo, where young people who refuse to fit into neat little gendered passages are attacked ?

Via / Wired

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1. Julia ~ Wednesday, Apr 09 2008 | 00:53H:

Don't know if it's just latino machismo.....I think it's just machismo/"hyper-masculinity" period. Years ago when I had very short hair (brutal bleach on my hair made it all fall out except for the first 1/2 ") I was confronted by a group of "aryan"-looking skinhead guys (6 or 7) who made homophobic taunts & surrounded me...luckily I'm fast on my feet & ran away, but this was in broad daylight, in downtown Toronto.
Not to use this as a personal poor-me time; dickheads are dickheads. But the hypermasculinity of skinheads with their loathing of anything "other" (black, brown, female, jewish, muslim, differently-gendered) is nothing new, though it's probably exacerbated in times of war.
And, I've always thought that the biggest component of homophobia isn't "disgust" with sexual practices, but rage at those who are perceived to "color outside of the lines" in terms of gender (hence the obsessive preoccupation with who's "the man", who "takes it/is the bitch", who's too flamey/butchy).
Anyways, just my observations.
AND, I must say, if I was a 16 year old girl today:those emo boys are HOT!!!

VivirLatino