ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the linguistic consequences of coming out, that is, the assertion of nonheteronormative sexual identities, among bilingual Latinos in the US. It describes data from interviews, which took place in a variety of locations, usually chosen by the participant, including cafes, bars, restaurants, and private homes, and the questionnaires, which were administered following the interviews. The chapter examines with two participants who have pursued instead 'sexual silence' in order to illustrate exactly how these decisions can impact queer bilingual Latinos without claiming that these experiences are prototypical or universal. Linguistic Consequences is most often the case for bilingual Latinos in the US that their parents, grandparents, and members of their generations are the most consistent Spanish language influences. The chapter outlines roughly some of the insights one might gain if they were to include people who identify as LGBTQ in the study of bilingualism and language maintenance and shift.
