Latino Presidential Candidate Apologizes For Saying ‘Maricón’, Gayspanic Community Yawns

Democratic presidential candidate and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has released an apology for using the slur ‘maricón’ (i.e., ‘faggot’) on live TV over a year ago, saying it must be taken in the context of his career-long service to the gay community. Richardson dropped the m-bomb only after MSNBC shock jock Don Imus–the guy who got booted after saying ‘nappy-headed hos’ on air–prodded him into saying it:

“Bernard on the staff here has been claiming you’re not really Hispanic so– that you’re just claiming that for some sort of advantage or something,” Imus said to Richardson, tongue clearly in cheek. “You can just answer this yes or no and this will answer that question. Would you agree that Bernard is a maricón?”

Without missing a beat, Richardson replied in Spanish “Yo creo que Bernardo, sí — es un maricón si él piensa que yo no soy hispano.” ["I believe that Bernard, yes – he’s a faggot if he thinks that I am not Hispanic."]

Richardson says the fact that transcripts of the dialogue are only coming to light now shows the news is a political ploy to slow his momentum just as it’s picking up. (Or it could be a sign that gay Hispanics chalk it up as the millionth time they’ve heard the word, and just don’t care.) We say he’s probably right, but that he shouldn’t hate the game he signed up to play. And now for some research Gay News Watch did to clarify the word’s meaning!

A loose translation of the three definitions for “maricón” in www.diccionarios.com are: (1) a man who has gestures and attitudes that are considered those of women; (2) a man who feels sexual attraction towards other men; (3) a person who has bad intentions and fights with others to annoy, bother and damage them — akin to what English-speaking gays might refer to as a “bitchy queen.”

Bitchy queen, huh? It’s amazing how there are enough of them in this world for the term to translate. As for definition (2), you might fit the bill after peeping our last post. ¡Viva Venezuela!

Richardson sorry for ‘maricon’ moment [Gay News Wire]
Image [Jake Schoelkopf / AP Photos]
Earlier, You Might Want To Turn Gay For Julio Monte Negro