Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Marginalization of GSM Women
Marginalization of GSM Women
Kiona Jones
Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM) who identify as women are marginalized in
GSM-exclusive spaces in Buenos Aires. They do so through a lack of support from the GSM
community when facing issues such as a lack of access to health care, a lack of protection from
discrimination for being openly GSM at work, and being excluded in GSM-exclusive bars and
GSM refers to this community of Buenos Aires in a shorter and more inclusive manner. It also
does so in a more combining manner. LGBTQIA, on the one hand, assumes that all identities of
gender and sexuality are separately. For example, the label of lesbian is separate from that of
transgender. GSM, on the other hand, allows for combined identities. For example, the label of
lesbian can describe a person’s sexuality identity and the label of transgender can describe that
same person’s gender identity. Throughout this paper, GSM is the sole manner of referring to the
Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM) women are both cisgender and transgender
individuals that identify as women. Cisgender women—or ciswomen—do so because they agree
with the gender to which they were assigned at birth (Killermann, 2013). For example, Keisha
was called a girl at birth and currently identifies as a woman. Therefore, she is a ciswoman.
Transgender women—or transwomen—do so because they do not agree with the gender to
which they were assigned at birth (Killermann, 2013). For example, Latrice was called a boy at
birth and currently identifies as a woman. Therefore, she is a transwoman. GSM-exclusive refers
to businesses and organizations whose target demographic is the GSM community of Buenos
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Aires. While they serve anyone regardless of identity of gender or sexuality, they cater directly to
GSM individuals.
exclusive space—which is called Pride Café. The flag on the right is a rainbow flag which is
symbolic of the GSM community. The flag on the left is a blue flag with a yellow equal sign. It
represents support of same-sex marriage. These flags together are a message to the GSM
community of Buenos Aires that not only are they welcome, but they are catered to in this
establishment.
GSM-exclusive spaces, much like most businesses, also provide information on other
GSM-exclusive spaces. This picture shows a table of pamphlets, business cards, and flyers for
focus on specifically fulfilling the needs of the GSM community. GSM-inclusive spaces do not
focus specifically on the needs of the GSM community. But they do make a conscious effort to
let the GSM community know that they do not discriminate, as seen in the following picture. It
shows a building with a rainbow on the front as a sign that they practice GSM-inclusive housing:
Prejudice refers to a way of thinking about people based on an identity they share—such
as gender or sexuality. Discrimination is the result of prejudice influencing behavior. María José
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Lubertino created the “Right to be Different” clause, which was supposed to counteract
discrimination faced specifically by Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM) individuals. It led
to the creation of GSM-exclusive spaces. Whether this space is a club or a resource center, they
exist to benefit GSM individuals who have been historically treated unfairly in heterosexual- and
cisgender-exclusive spaces.
others” (Betts & Hinsz, 2013). In this case, it refers to discriminatory treatment of Gender and
Sexuality Minorities (GSM) women within GSM-exclusive spaces. Marginalization can manifest
in lack of physical or mental health resources, lack of protection from discrimination at work,
being excluded from communal social life, and erasure from the public image of the GSM
community of Buenos Aires. Bars and clubs in the GSM community primarily act as places for
GSM individuals to connect with one another. They are part of – and sometimes the only source
of – social support for many GSM individuals. So being excluded from that doesn’t mean just
being excluded from a party. It means being excluded from what could possibly be someone’s
only source of making any kind of emotional connection with another GSM person who
The following picture shows an excerpt image from a pamphlet that advertises various
types of business that are GSM-exclusive. While the pamphlet shows five advertisements geared
exclusively toward GSM men, it shows none geared exclusively toward GSM women. This
Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM) who identify as women are marginalized in
GSM-exclusive spaces of Buenos Aires. Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM) who identify as
marginalization through a lack of support from the GSM community when facing issues such as
a lack of access to health care, a lack of protection from discrimination for being openly GSM at
work, and being excluded in GSM-exclusive bars and clubs. This theory was researched through
conducting data collection and analysis. Three different GSM-exclusive spaces were explored
through photography, their locations will be shared through mapping, and three women shared
whether or not marginalization took place in the GSM community of Buenos Aires. Literary
research not only affirmed that it does take place, but also revealed that GSM women experience
it and so significantly despite the existence of spaces that supposedly protect all GSM individuals
from discrimination.
María José Lubertino is a feminist politician and member of the Statutory Assembly of
Buenos Aires (Lubertino, 2016). She used both positions to establish the “Right to be Different”
clause. The Statutory Assembly is a body of representatives that exists in each country to express
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“the views of the [IPU] on political issues” (Statutory Assemblies, n.d.). The assembly follows a
set of rules in accordance with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the United Nations. Both
of those organizations encourage the protection of human rights by various governments. Most
importantly, she was part of the Statutory Assembly when she helped to establish the “Right to
be Different” clause for protection and inclusivity of the Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM)
community of Buenos Aires. This clause explicitly protects GSM individuals from
Ideally, the clause protects members of the Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM)
community of Buenos Aires from all forms of discrimination. However, a member of the
Gay/Lesbian Youth Group named Luciana Kerner pointed out the ineffectiveness of the clause
for GSM women (Sarda, 1998). She pointed out that since discrimination is not punished, it is
ultimately unhelpful. Laura Eiven, feminist and member of Lesbians in Sight, also pointed out
that while the clause was important, it did not address systemic issues faced by the entire GSM
community of Buenos Aires (Sarda, 1998). Legally, every member of the GSM community of
Buenos Aires is protected from discrimination based on their identities of gender and sexuality.
According to Kerner and Eiven, however, not all members are protected from discrimination
outside of the community of Buenos Aires. In this sense, discrimination faced by GSM women
becomes marginalization.
GSM-exclusive spaces matters because it defeats the purpose of those spaces. Just like
Lubertino’s clause needed support in order to be passed, GSM women need support in order to
be protected by that clause. The needs of GSM women are just as valid as their male
counterparts. So understanding how these needs have been treated as invalid is necessary for
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them to be able to move forward. It can also shine a light on difficulties faced by GSM women in
similar spaces in the United States. If spaces created to combat discrimination breed their own
addressed.
was conducted using a select sample size. The sample size of this research includes three GSM-
exclusive spaces and three women. In order to get a balanced perspective of the issue, a business
owner, an advocate, and a GSM client were interviewed. The first part of selecting locations for
photography, mapping, and interviews was identifying all of the Gender and Sexuality Minorities
(GSM)-exclusive spaces. Three were to be selected, so they each had to provide different
services to the GSM community of Buenos Aires. Pride Café was selected because it was
DiversaMente was selected because it was advocacy-oriented. Photographs were taken of the
spaces, mapping is used to show where they are, and interviews reflect the types of perspectives
Pride Café is a restaurant and bar in Buenos Aires that caters to the GSM community. It
serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in addition to alcohol. It opens in the day time throughout the
week, but are busiest on weekend nights. It is located in San Telmo. The business owner was
interviewed because she has the professional perspective of someone who has observed social
habits of GSM individuals. The interview was face-to-face because day time hours are not busy
and the owner was able to make time. The language barrier between the English-speaking
interviewer and Spanish-speaking business owner/interviewee was breached through the use of
the Google Translate app on the interviewer’s phone. This picture shows the location and exterior
La Fulana is a community center in Buenos Aires that caters to GSM women. It helps
GSM women build community, share experiences, and provides them with resources specific to
their needs. It is located in Plaza de Mayo. A GSM client was interviewed because she has the
personal perspective of someone who moves through various GSM-exclusive spaces. This
Aires that caters to the GSM community. It provides therapy resources in the day time
throughout the week. It is located in Palermo. A psychologist and co-founder of the agency was
interviewed because she has the professional perspective of someone who advocates within the
GSM community for marginalized individuals. The interview took place via Skype because it
was originally supposed to take place with both founders. Unfortunately, the other co-founder
was unable to uphold the commitment at the last minute. However, the language barrier was
easier to handle because the interview took place via chat and was easier to translate between
Spanish and English. This picture shows the location and logo of DiversaMente:
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Forty photographs were taken of GSM-exclusive spaces. Both the internal and external
signs and designs of Pride Café were photographed. The external design of a building in San
Telmo was photographed. La Fulana and DiversaMente could not be photographed. They had not
external signs or designs and photographs were not allowed inside of the spaces. No pictures of
people were taken. People who identify as women do not always physically present in a manner
associated with femininity. Even if it was visually obvious which individuals identify as women,
seeing more or less of them in a GSM-exclusive space at a given time does say anything
significant about how GSM women experience marginalization. While photographs revealed
information that supported research, they were not a sole source of information. Mapping is used
throughout research to provide a physical sense of the locations at which photographs were taken
Aires?
The business owner of Pride Café felt that marginalization is not an issue saying that,
“There is something for everyone (personal communication, August 6, 2016). She was unsure
about a lack of access to health care or protection from discrimination for being openly GSM at
work. But she was adamant that GSM-exclusive bars and clubs are not exclusive toward GSM
women. Due to the leading nature of the questions, however, her answers may have been
influenced by a desire to secure the interviewer as a customer, fear of bad press due to the
The Gender and Sexuality Minority (GSM) client at La Fulana was unsure about a lack of
access to health care and is currently unemployed. However, she has personally experienced the
exclusive nature of GSM-exclusive bars and clubs. She said, “When I go into a bar, I go in
knowing that it’s not really a place for me. I might meet some other gay women. But that’s if I
get lucky” (personal communication, August 12, 2016). The GSM client talks about feeling
excluded from bars and clubs. She also talks about the importance of these GSM-exclusive
spaces for her as a GSM woman. For her, she is not just being excluded from a good time. She is
also being excluded from a sense of community, emotional support, and networking with other
GSM individuals.
The psychologist and co-founder of DiversaMente uses the phrase “Violencia Simbólica
(Symbolic Violence)” to refer the specific marginalization GSM women face in GSM-exclusive
spaces (Romina, personal communication, August 8, 2016). She explained that while GSM
women do not face abnormally high threats of physical violence, the marginalization they face is
significantly harmful. She suggested that GSM face marginalization through a lack of support
from the GSM community when facing issues such as a lack of access to health care, a lack of
protection from discrimination for being openly GSM at work, and being excluded in GSM-
exclusive bars and clubs. Instead, the GSM community, according to her, focuses on issues that
have been shown to predominantly effect men, such as high risk sexual behavior.
Analysis of photographs was based on how they conveyed what GSM-exclusive spaces
look like. Analysis of mapping based on how it conveyed the physical locations of these sites to
someone who is unfamiliar with them. Analysis of interviews with professional subjects such as
the ones at Pride Café and DiversaMente based on their work within GSM-exclusive spaces.
Analysis of the interview with the La Fulana client was based on her personal experience within
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the GSM community as a GSM woman. Overall analysis led to the conclusion that GSM women
experience marginalization in GSM-exclusive spaces through a lack of support from the GSM
community when facing issues such as a lack of access to health care, a lack of protection from
discrimination for being openly GSM at work, and being excluded in GSM-exclusive bars and
clubs.
Some Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM) women in Buenos Aires are
simultaneously active in the GSM and women’s movement. Marginalization of GSM women in
GSM-exclusive spaces is so prevalent that they refer to it with the term lesbophobia. This term
refers to the fear of lesbians as well as the overall lack of support from the GSM community of
issues that predominantly effect GSM women (Van Dyke & McCammon, 2010). However, they
are not the only people using this term. Herek (2004) uses it in reference “hostility toward,
telling that a word has been created to refer to this specific type of marginalization. This suggests
that the problem is significant enough in conversation to need a point of reference for easy
sharing.
As a GSM woman, I have personally experienced lesbophobia in the United States GSM
community. On the one hand, I have not experienced a lack of access to health care or protection
from discrimination for being openly GSM at work. My medical access has been through work
and what I have received in GSM-exclusive spaces has been inclusive for all GSM individuals.
My experience of being openly GSM at work has been very positive. So I cannot speak to that
personal experience. However, I have experienced being excluded in GSM-exclusive bars and
clubs. The advertisements are geared more toward men. Most of the people inside identify as
men. While it is common to visit bars and clubs exclusive to men, it is rare to find those that are
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exclusive to women. In addition to feeling excluded, I have also experienced feeling harassed.
This leads to GSM women like myself decreasing our own presence in these establishments,
This research attempts to understand what makes this particular type of marginalization
so prevalent. A theory was created. Research was conducted using a specific sample size. A
conclusion has been drawn. It can now act as a platform for further research into what this issue
means, how Gender and Sexuality Minorities (GSM) women are affected by it, and how the issue
can be solved or alleviated. Moreover, this research reveals that marginalization is occurring in
spaces that were created to help the GSM. There is currently a significant lack of research that
Aires. This lack of research could be influenced by the lack of realization that it is happening. It
could also be influenced by a significant—and well-deserved—focus on the laws that have been
passed in favor of the GSM community, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Different” clause in Buenos Aires—are passed specifically to stop discrimination. They help
those are most vulnerable to discrimination—such as the GSM community. Those laws lead to
the creation of spaces in which vulnerable individuals can receive needs fulfilled that have been
discrimination exists even in those spaces. This undermines why this specific clause was created.
It also undermines the work that is done to fight discrimination. GSM women being marginalized
in GSM-exclusive spaces in Buenos Aires is a very specific issue with a specific population. But
it reflects similar issues faced by GSM women in other places. This research can be used to shed
light on what those similar issues are and where they are being faced.
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References
Betts, K., & Hinsz, V. (2013). Group marginalization. Personality and Social Psychology
Herek, G. (2004). Beyond "Homophobia": Thinking about sexual prejudice and stigma in the
http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2013/01/a-comprehensive-list-of-lgbtq-term-
definitions/
Sarda, A. (1998). Lesbians and the gay movement in Argentina. NACLA Report on the Americas,
31(4), 40-41.
Van Dyke, N., & McCammon, H. J. (2010). Strategic alliances coalition building and social
of Minnesota Press.