10.29.08
The Latino Players in the Prop. 8 Fight: Mayors and Models
José Eduardo Verástegui is tall, dark, and handsome, not to mention rich and famous. This Latino actor and sex symbol was a favorite of gay Mexicans and Mexican-Americans — until he came out as one of the loudest proponents of California’s Proposition 8.
The pitched battle raging between gay leaders and conservative Christians over the ballot initiative that could take marriage rights away from same-sex couples has spread beyond California’s borders: The Utah-based Mormon Church has contributed the bulk of the money to promote Proposition 8, and many donors to the fight against the initiative live thousands of miles from the Golden State.
Now the fight has reached Mexico, where one of that country’s biggest young stars is being recruited to convince California’s Latinos to vote for Proposition 8. The voice and face of Verástegui — a Mexican actor and model who was named by People en Español as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world — can currently be found on airwaves and television screens calling for a yes vote on Proposition 8.
The 34-year-old actor garnered attention from roles in the English-language film Chasing Papi, the canceled Shannen Doherty series Charmed, and a Jennifer Lopez video. He’s a devout Catholic who has urged Latinos to vote not only against same-sex marriage but also abortion rights and Barack Obama. Not surprisingly, gay fans and gay supporters have turned on Verástegui — Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio is rumored to have called him ignorant. Latina.com said of Verástegui, “[he] used to make us weak in the knees, but lately he’ s just making us sick to our stomachs.”
While many Latinos are Catholic, it’s not clear whether this voting bloc is being influenced by people like Verástegui. According to the Sacramento Bee, a Field Poll revealed 37% favored the same-sex marriage ban and 44% opposed it.
No on Prop. 8, the group fighting to defeat the ballot initiative, is not taking any chances. They just released a commercial to Spanish-speaking markets on Monday featuring three Latinos who appear on Ugly Betty — star America Ferrera, along with Tony Plana and Ana Ortiz — telling voters that Proposition 8 would hurt families, not help them.