Red-Inked Retablos is a memoir written by Rigoberto Gonzalez, who is an LGBTQ+ author. This text follows his life, from his childhood through to adulthood, and what he experiences along the way. The format of this text is a mixture of essays and stories, making it an interesting read. The text is also deeply personal, illuminating parts of Rigoberto's life and experiences as a gay man.
In the introduction, the author introduces the Mexican Catholic tradition of retablos, which are ornaments made of wood that frame a painting of a significant figure. The significance of Retablos is seen through the text and becomes a key motif. Through the memoir, Rigoberto takes us through his catholic upbringing, and his "confessions of a Gay Catholic Boy," and then through a variety of other personal essays about his later experiences and academic thinking. Rigoberto explains that he has been writing personal essays for years, and now feels confident enough to share them in a collected memoir.
