Editorial

Abstract

This year's first issue of Sexuality, Health and Society-Latin American Journal features an original collection of articles and book reviews, which have the quality of starting important dialogues, both with each other, and with an ever increasing wealth of Latin American literature on gender and sexuality. From a theoretical point of view, almost all the contributions revolve around the delicate plots and pitfalls of the constitution, reproduction, and transformation of subjectivities and social identities. Several of them refer to contexts under processes of intense reconfiguration, where old expectations regarding gender performances are recast. That is the case, for instance, of heterosexual masculinities, as addressed by Souza Ramos, and by Cantalice. Both explore the ways male identities are being recast by the media, and in certain romantic and sexual markets, bringing in aspects traditionally attributed to the universe of the feminine. To a large extent, such reconfigurations are processed with the growing political and cultural visibility of gay, lesbian, transsexual, travesti, drag, etc. identities as background, as focused by Rabbia & Iosa; Silva Júnior; Santos, Costa, Carpenedo & Nardi. The reviews of Lobert's and Cosse's books take readers to the almost mythical decade of the 1960's, when roles, codes, and moralities were reshuffled by the paradoxical grammars of gender and sexuality, now current. These were making their spectacular "debut" in irreverent cultural productions, such as the Dzi Croquettes in Brasil. As in Lobert's original title, they "answered something difficult to ask". It seems to us that Peller brings a significant contribution for the formulation of precisely that question, ever since addressed by authors with backgrounds as diverse as Butler's, Lacan's or Foucault's. Unlike previous issues, this one is devoted to the analysis of socalled "cultural production". New authors, or ones that have just recently approached the topics contemplated by this journal, reflect on the meanings, reception, and social uses of films, magazines, and shows. As the journal's thematic scope is broadened, so we hope that our readership may find further resources for their research and reflections.