Queer Studies in Education3 Voicing Vulnerable Bodies Living on the Edges

Using his transnational mariposa epistemology, this autoethnographic book explores the author’s testimonials about being queer in Panama, a Central American country, where he connects with other LGBT individuals to document their narratives. Panama has been considered one of the most developed countries in Latin America. With high skylines and a modern metro system, this Central American country hides a true reality when we explore it in a deeper level. Like many other marginalized groups, LGBT communities in Panama have been invisible and ignored by the State. Incidents related to homophobia, transphobia, and hate crime have been taken for granted for many years. Instead, LGBT individuals have been blamed for behaving against social and sometimes religious norms. This book answers the researcher’s questions: (1) How can I use my transnational mariposa consciousness to document my lived experiences as a maricón in Panama? (2) What does it mean to be a gay man in Panama nowadays? (3) How do trans women’s experiences with a hostile society shape their everyday existence?