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Unraveling the Threads of Homophobia: A Personal Journey of a Mexican Born Physician
by: Lauro Amezcua-Patino, MD, FAPA.
When I first started practicing psychiatry, I was quite young. Having graduated medical school at 21 and then coming to the United States, it was both a personal challenge and a significant culture shock. Many of the patients I interacted with were homosexual. Something that, in my country of origin — Mexico — was about as taboo as you could get. For a young macho, Mexican raised man, it was admittedly quite a struggle for me. However, it was also fascinating. And, in the spirit of Hippocrates, I did my best to empathize, accept and, to understand.
The Roots of Homophobia in Mexico:
Growing up in Mexico, a land steeped in vibrant culture and tradition, I was cradled in the arms of a society where machismo often stood as the unspoken law of the land. Homophobia was not an isolated specter; rather, it was entrenched in the casual conversations at family gatherings, in the passionate sermons of Sunday masses, and in the boisterous schoolyard banter. It was less an articulated doctrine and more an ambient backdrop against which life played out — a silent consensus that no one dared to question.
The paradox of Mexico, with its dazzling celebrations and profound devotion to…