<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2Bt5Oj_0nCxvxQF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2Bt5Oj_0nCxvxQF00" width="1280" height="912" ></figure>For many, love and marriage go hand in hand, but for the queer community in the US, it wasn’t always a possibility – not until 2015. That year, Anabel Martinez and Perla Landeros –two Angelenas with a passion for positivity, progression and pride– met online and began their love story. In a day and age when controversies surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community have become hyper visible, the pair have held each other close through it all and are fighting for equality in their own ways. Martinez, who grew up in Southeast LA, currently works as an attorney engaged in policy work focused on human trafficking. Landeros is a university student and researcher who was born and raised in Boyle Heights and hopes to give back to the community upon graduation.Married for a year now and living in Boyle Heights with their dogs Pablo and Pepe, the pair are enjoying life by each other’s side and taking things day by day. For them, that is everything. Our reporter Carmen González had the chance to interview the couple to conclude the Beat’s Pride Q&amp;A series and learn more about what it means to live and love in Boyle Heights.This interview has been edited for clarity and length.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=15JIsk_0nCxvxQF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=15JIsk_0nCxvxQF00" width="1024" height="768" ></figure>BOYLE HEIGHTS BEAT: How would y’all describe Boyle Heights?PERLA LANDEROS: Vibrant and interesting all the time. There’s always something going on whether it’s good or bad. There’s always noise, I grew up here so when it’s too quiet I’m like “it’s too quiet, por qué?” I like how Latino it is. So welcoming.ANABEL MARTINEZ: I’m newer to the neighborhood. I grew up in Cudahy and before we moved here to Boyle Heights, we were living in MacArthur Park for like five years. I think it has been the first community that we came to and it still feels like Cudahy in some ways, but you could definitely tell it is Boyle Heights, it just has that feeling to it. There’s pride from the community that I haven’t really seen in other spaces. I think it’s a place that is complex and because there’s so much pride, there’s a lot of differences of opinions as to what the community should look like, should be like, who should be here. I appreciate that. BHB: What was your experience navigating sexuality and gender when it came to family? How did your family react to your identities? PL: I feel like my family always knew. I came out because my sister’s like “are you gay?” I’m like “yeah”. When my mom was always asking me and I tried to deny it when I was younger, but I think they’ve always just known and once I did come out, I’m very lucky to have them be so open to it. I was 15 and they were asking me because I just always acted a certain way and looked a certain way. But I didn’t know it myself yet.AM: Well, I identify as queer/pan, I think sometimes a little bit harder, because I remember trying to come out in high school. It wasn’t until I went to college all the way to Pennsylvania. I was finally on my own, that I realized, “No, I’m pretty sure I’m gay.” Once I came out to myself, I had my first girlfriend in college, I came out to everybody. I’m not the type to hide. For the most part, everyone was pretty open to it. I didn’t come out to my parents right away, because I wasn’t sure. I come from a very traditional Mexican background. I’m like, ‘let me just wait to make sure I have a job and somewhere to go’. And then I’ll tell them. I actually was surprised. By their reception, they were kind of surprised themselves. They thought my other sister was the gay one. They were like, ‘Are you sure? It’s not your sister?’ I’m like, ‘No, it’s me. It’s not her.’ I think sometimes out of love, they were still like, ‘I’m worried about how people are going to perceive you and I’m just worried about how the people are gonna treat you. I’m like, ‘as long as y’all are on my side, that’s okay. You don’t have to worry about it.’ They did take some time to like, get used to it. I had a partner at that time and that’s why I came out because my partner was coming down. I’m like ‘I want you to know, this is not just a friend, this is my partner. They didn’t make me gay, we might break up, I’m gonna still be gay.’ I just wanted them to know that. I was lucky that they were okay with it. It took them some time to stop being like a “su amiga.” I told them I was a lesbian because I felt like explaining queer was too much. For now, we’ll just keep it simple for them.BHB: Reflecting on your pasts, how would you say your identities within the LGBTQ+ community have affected your journeys in life? Specifically, as people born and raised in a predominantly Latino community?PL: When I was younger I tried to be more gendered, I didn’t have the terms of what it was. All I knew is that I like to play a bunch of sports and kick it with guys. There was no language for it back then. A big turning point for me was just to see somebody, like Shane [McCutcheon] on the “L-Word” just be kind of whatever about gender. That was like such an androgynous character. I was just like, ‘Oh my God, that’s how I want to be.’ I always kind of skated in the middle. I’ve always been lanky, just really tomboyish. I’m not just a tomboy. I’m a non-binary person. I still haven’t explained that to my parents, because that’s gonna be like, a two hour conversation. With such a gendered language, it’s really hard. It’s so taxing. I know that they accept me. My mom was like “you can be gay pero te pones un vestido?” I’m like, nah. You always kind of have to balance your culture with your identity. I’m very fortunate for my family to let me be a little masc presenting and still embrace me.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0BB0MW_0nCxvxQF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0BB0MW_0nCxvxQF00" width="1024" height="768" ></figure><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=07Ih26_0nCxvxQF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=07Ih26_0nCxvxQF00" width="768" height="1024" ></figure><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=37JQte_0nCxvxQF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=37JQte_0nCxvxQF00" width="1024" height="683" ></figure></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Perla Landeros and Anabel Martinez: living with love and pride in Boyle Heights

For many, love and marriage go hand in hand, but for the queer community in the US, it wasn’t always a possibility – not until 2015. That year, Anabel Martinez and Perla Landeros –two Angelenas with a passion for positivity, progression and pride– met online and began their love story.