Meet Rodrigo Munoz Opazo: OUT Chilean Writer

Something is happening in Latin America and it’s something good because we are finding more open gay artists just like Rodrigo Opazo Muñoz, an OUT gay Chilean writer that with his 2 novels Montevusto and La trilogía de las fiestas is considered one of the best young writers in Chile. Not only have the critics and the public surrendered to his talent. Rodrigo is very outspoken with his ideas and defends his beliefs and convictions like when he says we need to open minds and understand diversity. Rodrigo was born in Concepción (Chile) in 1973. He studied to be journalist and even though he loved his career he found a new passion in literature. The Chilean Gay community is trying to fight for equal rights and non discrimination and Rodrigo in many ways helped putting the gay issue on the table, a matter that bothers the traditional society in his country in many ways, but for sure Rodrigo broke the old roles to make new ones. You need to know more about him and get ready to read his gays novels, La trilogía de las fiestas is a look into the lives of 3 gay guys trying to understand themselves in the middle of the city and Montevusto is a fantastics story written with a huge imagination where you will see a hero ready to save a gay town. We hope his novels can be translated soon to English or maybe necesitamos hablar español now.

capurroantonio@gmail.com

When did you discover your love for literature and writing?

It was when I finished the university between 97 and 98.

What kind of books did you read when a child?

My three favorite books that I read when I was child and a teenager were Diary of Ana Frank, El Principito from Saint Exupery and Demian from Herman Hesse. I still read them.

Did you dream about being in a relationship with men back when you read children stories?

No at all. When I was a child my world was about fantasy, colors and played a lot with marionettes. The homoerotic relationships came after my adolescence.

When did you find out you were attracted to men? Tell us about your coming out process.

When I was 13 or 14, but I lived so repressive. I assumed my sexual orientation at 20 and I showed up to my college’s friends.

You studied Journalism and Social Communication? What do you like the most?

I like to write. Being a journalist helped me to open my way in the literature field using my wording, linguistic and communication skills that I got when I was in the university.

What kind of Journalism did you make?

Social journalism. I was always interested about those groups considered minority as in the sexual, religious, ethnic or disable. I worked in media: TV and radio, police and politics journalism.

What do you think about Journalism in your country? Do you think the media is not open to touch, not only a gay pride event, but other issues that affect the gay community as well?

One of the reasons that I don’t like journalism in Chile is because the press tries the subject about Sexual Diversity with indifference. The press distorts the information and only shows homicides related to prostitution and drugs. Barely have they informed about Gay Pride and they show only drag queens and muscular strippers, but never about gay culture or gay politics or gay rights. It happens because Chilean press is under the left right politics and as we know is very conservative and besides catholic, and they try to domain over us.

Was your coming out easy for you living in a very conservative society?

Being honest I didn’t care what person was thinking about my sexual orientation.

Lately, we can see very well known people coming out of the closet, gay friendly people and straight allies. Do you think it allows you to have a good environment to introduce your novels?

I think that depends on each one. Everybody reads my novels and I didn’t have any kind of allies’ help that seemed to be gay friendly, but inside they don’t accept under law and politics.

Is gay fiction in mode?

In Chile Gay themed not only in literature if not in other kinds of arts was in mode three or fours years ago and it was close to be biz. Right now the subject is seen more seriously. We can watch gay or lesbian characters featured in soap operas or sitcoms and they are not developed as outsiders, they are leading roles inside the plot. I like that a lot because it means that people won’t see the gay subject as a circus but as part of society.

You worked with minor groups in your college years. What kind of reality did you find out?

I think if every minority groups (sexual, politics, ethnic and disable) join together, we could accomplish very important things and then we could stop being minorities.

Did working inside LGBT community and doing a thesis about it help you create your novels?

It helped with my first novel La Trilogía de las Fiestas that shows contemporary gay Chileans’ life from the nineties and this century. There I write about how homosexuality is marginalized, but at the same time I present the high and progressive gay life.

Your first novel is an urban journey towards the gay lives of 3 young males each trying to face their sexual and affective lives. Did you base them in your personal experiences or people close to you?

50% is autobiographical and the other 50% is pure fiction. Cristobal, Gabriel and Sebastian, the three main characters, they have something of me. There were many people close to me as relatives and folks that had a leading role in my story’s creation, but most people that sealed the decade of my youth “the incredible nineties”.

Your second novel is a fantastic gay story with a character that seems to be a hero. Did you create it having the idea of a gay super hero that can save gay community in Monvetusto from skinheads?

Exactly, that is the proposal of the main character whose name is Ramiro Hidalgo: to save Monvetusto of neo-Nazi homophobia. I got the inspiration from TV show Queer as Folk when Mike and Justin created a gay hero comic to save Gaypolis from homophobic strikes. In Monvetusto, Ramiro Hidalgo leads as the first South American gay hero (if somebody knows another gay hero, they can refute me). Ramiro creates a heroes legion with gays, lesbians, a trans, and a bi and some friendly straights. And is important the relationship that each one has with Fine Arts because that is where their power comes from.

Do you think the Chilean gay community needs a hero?

The life of a hero is a metaphor, Chile needs anti discrimination laws and more gay rights.

What do you feel when you see in the news people being discriminated because their sexual orientation or when we can’t raise our complete rights as citizens and to have the chance to get married and everything?

According to current studies, Santiago de Chile has been considered one of the biggest homophobic cities in South America. We have 4 left governments and not one of them has been capable of opening the scenario to talk and discuss about legal and political gay issues. And we need to keep an open eye because maybe there will come a very tight government and that would be a disaster for the gay community.

I see you like politics. Since the moment you stood up as gay writer you are helping many people with your books and ideas. I bet many gay people consider you their voice even for gay people in the closet. Do you like that role?

It’s sad to say that but most of gay people in Chile are not concerned about legal and political rights. They see gay work like mine only a way to get entertainment, satisfaction and a relief to their repressive feelings and emotions. Not many get this but I know a lot about mass communications. I know how to offer fun to my readers trough my stories, but at the same time I know how to give metaphors, implicit stories that go beyond the anecdote. I try to give culture to my community and try to make them realize that we need to ask for our rights, not in a hidden way but speaking out. With my second novel many readers realized my modest role in the gay Chilean literature. And I confirmed it trough virtual forum and seminars. I like that and I think I am headed in the right direction.

What kind of authors influenced your work?

Herman Hesse, Federico García Lorca, Isabel Allende, Stephen King.

What books do you always go back and read?

Diary of Anna Frank.

I read you don’t consider yourself a gay writer. Are you afraid of the labels that people and the critics can put you under? I know you can write about many subjects as many gay writers do but still you can be a gay writer.

I am gay and I don’t close doors to new experiences. Also, I don’t close myself and not write about other subjects. To me life is not black and white. There is infinity of colors in the chromatic circle and sexual diversity and that’s precisely what the rainbow means.

Which of your characters is more like you?

Cristóbal Sanhueza, I got the little shyness and extreme sensibility that reminds me of my youth. From Gabriel Badilla I got the sexy, hot and sweet stuff. From Sebastián Orellana I got the strength and wisdom to move forward. From Ramiro Hidalgo I got the professionalism to work as reporter and his caring attitude for the rest of the people. From Javier Morales I got his gay pride.

Are you involved in gay rights in your country? Would you like to be a gay major one day?

During my college years in Concepción I was involved in political causes and I got important achievements. Right now I write and participate very discreetly, although I consider working in politics in a few years because I love it. I would not like to be a major, maybe deputy but never in the current Chilean polling station. It is very excluding and could transform a clean common ambition as I have in something utopian and catty.

Are Chilean young people more open to diversity and tolerance?

Yes and that is a sociological phenomenon. The young gay men have more interaction with straight people. In fact, young gay men are seen as strange even inside gay community. Many young Chilean gay men are experimenting with their sexuality from the adolescent years without restraint, they even practice bisexuality. I don’t have the answers and I don’t know what is going to happen in the future and how they are going to fix it in this very conservative and straight society. They practice sex in parks and public places, something that my generation didn’t and the media and the authorities are attacking them. Sometimes that question surrounds my mind, but at the same time I believe that societies move and evolutes and I hope this new generation breaks up this Chilean system, still related to the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet genocide.

Chilean police insulted you when you and a friend were walking by Santiago downtown. They called you faggots, what did you think in that moment? Were you afraid? Then you sued the Police Station and wrote a letter to the Ministry of Interior, but they tried to persuade you to not do it to avoid the publicity on the press. How did it work out? And I know this is not an isolated case because there are a lot of cases about discrimination that sometimes we don’t know about and it should not happen again.

I rather not talk about the matter, but I will say I got an apology letter from Bachelet’s Government and Police institution and it was enough for me.

What is your major ambition?

I want to develop my 2 novels into films.

What do you do when not writing?

I do consulting in virtual corporative communication of small and average companies.

What is needed to be a good writer?

A lot of creativity but also the support of people and institutions that believe in your projects. Something like a 21 century patron.

Your novels are an achievement for gay community. How do you feel about it?

I feel good, that is my current and future purpose.

What would you like to say to our readers?

I invite you to know my work.

SHOOTING Short ONES:

What are your hobbies and interests?

Movies, they are my passion: movie art, drama, sci fi and classic horror. The cinema was the fountain of inspiration to my two novels and according to critics my 2 novels were labeled as documentary chronicles ready to be developing screenplays.

What three things would you want to have with you if you were stranded on an island?

I would like to have my solar energy notebook to write, my coffee machine and a cute man.

Would you go to dinner in a blind date or would you like to know the person?

I rather would like to know the person.

With what artist have you had a sexual fantasy?

Thomas Janes. His last movie is The Mist.

What are you afraid of?

That someone I know can die.

What are the best and the worst compliments you have ever heard?

The best compliments were that I am very creative and I look very good physically.

What makes you laugh and what upsets you?

I don’t like to see other’s stupidity and what makes me smile? Whoopi Goldberg.

What are you able to do and not able to do in a relationship?

I can give my life for someone that I love truly and deeply. If a man asks me I never could stop writing and create my stories.

Have you ever found the love of your life?

I do believe he will come to me, a real love and I hope to get married under the law.

Is there something that makes you scream?

No. I am very quiet.

If someone asks you to pose naked would accept it?

I don’t have any boundaries to pose naked if it is about artistic nude.

When and with whom was the happiest moment in your life?

The happiest moment in my life was to pass Christmas with my two ex partners when I was living with them.

What is the best lesson that you’ve learned about life?

I’ve learned that we need to work in something that we like.

Do you live thinking about the future or do you like to live the present?

Today I live thinking in the present time.

What advices could tell the young writers pursuing the success and a great career?

I don’t like to give advices because still I have a long way to walk.

What would you like to hear from GOD when you get to heaven?

I am very incredulous about believing in an absolute God. I think more in Jesus as a man and a prophet with a legacy of peace and love for humanity.

If you die and come back to reincarnate would be the same person or who or what would you like to be?

If I were not gay I would like to be a lesbian. I like to see life from a different point of view. I hate convention that can’t distinguish human diversity.

Who is your favorite superhero?

Spiderman.

Who would you have liked to be?

Alejandro Amenábar, the Spanish director, a master.

What is your favorite virtue?

Creativity.

What is it your biggest dislike?

My bad mood.

What quality do you like most in a man?

I like in man that has personality, self confidence and capable of making his own choice in his life.

What don’t you like to see in the world?

Misery and discrimination.

Check out more of Rodrigo at:

Facebook.com

monvetusto

or trilogia