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How do our Latino parents shape our romantic relationships? Here’s one artist’s exploration

A cartoon Julio Salgado
(Julio Salgado / For De Los )
By Julio Salgado

When it comes to building healthy relationships with romantic partners, there is only so much we can blame our family traumas for when things don’t work out.

Theres been a stereotype in Hollywood about the portrayals of our Latinx communities when it comes to love.
I turned to my parents to try and understand what it meant to be in a relationship.
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When I got my first and last girlfriend in high school, I assigned myself the role of a protector.
When I started dating men in college, I somehow equated that to having to be softer and understanding.
It was confusing because during arguments, I would wonder if I should cry like my mom or use a higher tone like my dad.
Then I started therapy. I was lucky to find a therapist that was both gay and Mexican like myself.
When I offered that perhaps my parents had ruined my ability to attempt a healthy relationship, he called me out.
You're a grown-ass adult and there's only so much you can blame your parents for until you start working on yourself.
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As I continue to navigate love with a baggage full of trauma, I've learned to let my guard down a little bit.

Julio Salgado (@juliosalgado83) is a digital illustrator based in Long Beach.

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