The Gran Varones is a legacy project that uses video and photography to tell the stories of Latino & Afro-Latino Gay, Queer and Trans men. Our stories shine light on what being “out” and “proud” means to us, our families, and our communities.
on saturday, june 11th, we screened this short compilation of gran
varones stories at the philadelphia latino film festival. our goal was
to highlight the specific stories of varones living in philadelphia.
we then had planned on posting this edit the following day but all of
our lives changed on june 12th. since then, we have worked hard to
ensure that our stories are told and heard. our goal is to continue to
create and post gran varones stories from all over the country. until
then, check out our humble mini-doc.
Arching my back To snap the perfect shot I’m bare Maybe this will make him react Make him so erect That he won’t notice how empty I
am I’m blank All that remains is shame
Arching my back He does not even know my name All he knows is that I’m thick Uncut, curvy, and unafraid to
show it all He may think I’m easy Another fast track
Arching my back Inviting a stranger’s touch Lusting for his lips as I sway My hips side to side Waiting for a momentary rush Between the sheets All that remains is a body filled
with shame
Arching my back Snap after snap Pretending it was just a photo It did not mean anything He could look but not touch Until I found myself in the back
seat of his car I felt cheap My lower back pressed against the
door Trying to ignore every thought
telling me “You deserve more”
Arching my back So another stranger could hit my
spot He said, “You could build walls with the
bodies You’ve given your all Did any of them ever make love to
you?”
Written By: Mark Travis Rivera
Mark Travis Rivera is an award-winning activist, choreographer, dancer, speaker, and writer. Raised in Paterson, New Jersey, Rivera learned to overcome the struggles that stem from being Latino, gay, gender non-conforming (femme), and disabled. He learned to embrace every aspect of his identity, which allows him to live a purpose-driven life.
Rivera had been featured at various speaking engagements throughout the US, speaking to audiences at Harvard University, New York University, and San Francisco State University. His talk “Embracing Yourself, Embracing Your Potential” was a hit at the TEDx Talk event at Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey in March of 2014.
A poet and journalist, Rivera has long used writing as a form of expression. His poem, “Love Letters to Myself (Excerpts)” was published in a new anthology, Between: New Gay Poetry More recently, his essay, “Marking My Own Path: An Inner City Dreamer” was published in the anthology, I Am Here: The Untold Stories of Everyday People. Rivera’s writing has also been published in The Bergen Record, Herald News, The Star Ledger, Fox News Latino, and The Huffington Post.
You can also check out Mark’s Gran Varones profile here.
