By: Genesis Gil
Seeing the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals portrayed in entertainment impacts viewers’ feelings of acceptance and belonging. For Latinx viewers, 2018 brought more LGBTQ+ characters to enjoy in both English and Spanish-language media, shows like One Day at a Time, Élite, Vida, and Amar a Muerte.
The passion and joy fans feel when seeing themselves represented stands out particularly with the Mexican telenovela Mi Marido tiene más familia. The novela, that is produced by Televisa in Mexico and airs on Univision, is derived from Mi Marido tiene familia. The novela tells the story of Latinx adults balancing multiple roles in their home and workplace while their children learn how to navigate their identities and relationships. Mi Marido tiene más familia is one of five novelas nominated for the 2019 GLAAD Media Awards (including Élite, Papá a Toda Madre, and Mi Familia Perfecta).
Ratings have been strong—at an estimated 3 million viewers per night in Mexico—and the show also has a fan base in other countries; including Colombia and Peru, where you can watch online. The show is expected to have a spin-off series titled Aristemo, la serie that centers on one of the gay couples of the show.
Fans rave over the gay couple, and have even created the ship-name “Aristemo” by combining their names Aristóteles (Emilio Osorio) and Temo (Joaquín Bondoni). Fans of the show and the LGBTQ+ community have flooded Twitter with their Aristemo appreciation. Many of them express how the novela’s couple has inspired them with confidence, happiness, and much more! Check out some of these tweets!
As I watched the love story between Aristemo, I could not help but feel a sense of encouragement to embrace my identity and an overwhelming happiness for the fictional couple. Seeing so many Latinx individuals embrace the identities of these two characters provides me with so much pride and leaves me wanting more of the storyline. As a Latina, it could be so easy to believe in some traditional and less accepting views on LGBTQ identities. However, with novelas such as Mi marido tiene más familia, it feels like progress is possible.
Novelas such as Mi marido tiene más familia showcase more than an entertaining storyline. The show manages to demonstrate real-life scenarios that queer Latinx people face on the daily basis, such as longing for acceptance from family members and fully accepting oneself. With much laughter and tears, the novela demonstrates to viewers that they are loved and not alone.
Which leaves me—like those passionate fans—saying: “#Aristemo forever!”
Source: GLAAD
