Latina Voices Community Blog

-By Leticia Villagomez

Not A Mistake I got pregnant at the age of 17. I’m only a teenager and I already have a baby. I can’t believe it. Sometimes I just sit down and think that I’m not supposed to be a mother at this age. I’m supposed to be having fun not being at home taking care of a baby. I know things happen in life for a reason.

Being a teenage mommy is not a hard thing to do. It’s only hard when you are tired and all you want to do is sleep. Waking up at one, five, six, o clock in the morning to make milk for a baby does get tiring. Changing diapers, taking baths, and dressing him can get on my nerves at times. But knowing that, my son motivates me to do it no matter how tired I really am. Looking at my son motivates me not to give up my dreams and not to give up on him. Many girls who get pregnant at a young age give up on everything, not me! I changed a lot.

I am a brand new person. Knowing that I must be responsible for myself and my kid, makes me feel proud that I can do it. I have someone to take care of, educate, teach wrong from right, and hope will make the world a better place. I don’t regret getting pregnant! I’m proud I’m a mother! God sent me a beautiful blessing for a reason so I’m taking advantage of it.

Now all I think about is that I’m finally going to know how it feels to take care and protect my son, just like parents did to me. I’m going to learn what it is to be lied to. I remember those days. I guess it’s payback time now!

-By Nory

Liz, I cried a rainbow!! I have to give it to you this was a great article. So many people suffer for the fear of coming out the closet would hinder their growth, lose their friends, lose their family, however, the people they lose don’t realize they’re missing out on such an amazing person!! They look at the sexual part of it not the emotional part!!

A special person in my life has told me, “I didn’t ask to be this way, I tried to be what society wanted me to be. I don’t want to disappoint anyone!! I want to scream out loud I am gay and I am proud knowing that everyone around me might fall to the floor in shame,but i wouldn’t care because I was finally free!! I want to be loved how everyone is loved!! I want to be free to love who i want to love! I can’t change who I am I’m going to be who I am! “This person had sacrificed so much happiness and with many attempts on trying to take their life they finally realized it was time!!!

This person lost all friends afraid and alone! When this person told me I didn’t expect it! you hate me now cause I’m A queer?!! I went into silence 24 hrs, later I went to this person and said,”Who am I to judge you? I had gay and lesbian friends in high school and I didn’t care about that they were my friends, (except for one girl who took me aside who found it important to really tell me her story. I did the same thing then I respected her for having the courage to come and tell me.) I love you no matter what!!

What made me answer so fast is that this person is he is my son and I had to stand by him as his mother not only that but I wanted him to be happy!! All the suffering he has gone through alone my heart ached , most of all he said,”Mom I can’t help it I want to be loved too!! My grandparents don’t know they are older and in the last 2 years they had their health problems he wanted to not make them suffer!

-By Erica

That was really beautiful, Elizabeth. I know EXACTLY how you feel. I hate stereotypes and generally the idea that you have to “identify” yourself just to be accepted. Even though I never came out to my parents, I was out and proud in college and it was the most liberating experience I’ve ever had. Yet within the LGBT community you still have to fit a stereotype and place yourself within a sub-category, which I always detested. I don’t consider myself bisexual because of the stigma that comes with it, but I love the fact that you have found your place and are true to yourself. Kudos to you. If only the rest of the Latino/a community could be just as excepting and open as you are.

-By Tonia Felix

I can relate to you completely. I never saw color growing up in my small white town but was name called all through my school years in Burlington, WA. I’m now in Portland, OR and just graduated in Funeral Services. I don’t speak spanish because people made fun of me so bad in school I wouldn’t pursue it. I’m have I’m “Blatina w/a touch of Native American”. I wasn’t raised around the Hispanic side of my family. I would love to know Spanish now that I’m older. People assume I speak it and just start talking to me. They look at me and wonder what I am. I agree people really need to get past the color of peoples skin. We’re becoming more multi-cultured and that is just how things are going to be.