Nicaragua’s Fuera del Closet: opening the door for sexual diversity
LGBT community. The situation for the LGBT community in neighbouring Central America is one of constant human rights violations.
Q&A with Hazel Fonseca, editor and executive director of the Xochiquetzal Foundation
Do mainstream media in Nicaragua cover issues related to the LGBT community? In Nicaragua, there is not broad media coverage of the LGBT or sexual diversity rights movements. One of the big newspapers in Managua has published a few articles, putting forward a perspective of the situation for gays and lesbians, and the Foundation and other civil society groups have partnered with the media to provide guidance on language and to address information requests about sexuality. But, generally speaking, the media organizations in Nicaragua are not very respectful of people with different sexual identities.
Published since 1993 as the magazine of the nongovernmental organization Xochiquetzal Foundation, Fuera del Closet (Out of the Closet) is the only publication of its kind in Nicaragua focused on LGBT, gender, HIV and sexual and reproductive health issues. The magazine has developed a strong following throughout the country and region for its special features and vocal position on sexuality and sexual freedom. The magazine was the first in Nicaragua to openly portray a person living with HIV, in 2003. Ever since, it has continued to bring a human face to the country’s HIV epidemic. What is meant by the title Fuera del Closet and what do you feature in the magazine? The title goes beyond the common concept of coming out with regard to sexual orientation. It represents the necessity to have broader discussions and acceptance of sexuality in all aspects of life, private and public. Editorially, we address sexuality and other related themes from a scientific and neutral perspective, free of the prejudices and preconceptions attached to the traditional view of sexuality in Nicaragua. Fuera del Closet also works to change the ideas around sexual pleasure and sexual identities. We do all of this through scientific articles, the presentation of research, surveys, interviews and featuring poetry, painting and photography as expressions of the LGBT community.
How has Fuera del Closet supported the country’s AIDS response? The Foundation, through Fuera del Closet, was the first organization in Nicaragua to promote a rights-based approach to HIV testing. We have also published studies about HIV prevalence among populations at higher risk as well as articles on treatment advances. Overall, the magazine has contributed to humanizing the epidemic by demonstrating that no one is immune to HIV and that people living with HIV can lead very productive lives. In everything we do through Fuera del Closet, we attempt to bring forward personal experiences related to sexual diversity and HIV.
Fuera del Closet Price per issue: free Number of issues: 60 (four times per year) fundacionxochiquetzal.org
What are some of the challenges facing the LGBT community? The challenges are countless, starting with the fact that we are in Latin America. Despite Nicaragua being a pioneer in the region by having an ombudsperson for sexual diversity tasked with defending the rights of the LGBT community, there is a need for respectful treatment across all other government institutions as well as the creation of health services specifically for the
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