 |
|
|
Shatters Stereotypes |
|
Compiled by GayToday
As advertised in previews for this particular episode, an ongoing gay character will attempt to hide his homosexuality from his visiting father. In the preview it is strongly implied that, unbeknownst to his son, the father will also turn out to be gay. Although the script of this particular episode was not available for review, the ongoing positive representation of two lead characters that portray a gay couple in Los Beltran, indicate that the issue will be handled with intelligence and humor. "I believe that this is the first time that a Spanish language television show has highlighted an ongoing gay storyline in such an open and positive way," said Andres Duque, Coordinator of Mano a Mano, "There have been several recent Spanish language television soaps with positive representations of gay characters but there has been nothing like this on Spanish language television."
The National Hispanic Media Coalition has estimated this community to be at 31 million and rising. The Miami-based Telemundo Network broadcasts in 63 United States television markets and is currently available to an estimated 85 percent of Latino viewers. The Telemundo Network release on Los Beltran gives the following description of the sitcom: "Along with his wife Letti, proud and opinionated Cuban-American Manny Beltran (Emiliano Diez) has bought himself a piece of the American dream -- a duplex in a Los Angeles suburb of Burbank, California. In addition to owning a successful bodega, Manny is about to become a landlord. But his dream suffers a setback when his daughter, Anita (Yeni Alvarez), announces that she's married Miguel (Demetrius Navarro), a militant Chicano art student who is opposed to everything the politically conservative Manny stands for. " Mano a Mano has applauded the Telemundo Network and its Programming Director, Nely Galan, for shattering homophobic stereotypes that are often espoused by Latino media. |
Cast of Los Beltran 
© 1997-2000 BEI