Andrés Duque is a blogger, twitter pioneer, LGBT advocate, activist and all round inter-connected dude.

Hello Andrés! Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. By the amount of twitter updates on your profile, I can tell you're a busy guy. But more on that later.

10. Tell us how you got started blogging. What inspired you to take up your keyboard and be a full-time blogger?

Well, at the time I had heard a few things about blogs but didn't know much about them or how much of an impact they could have. But then I became aware of a number of gay black bloggers - Bernard Tarver, Jasmyne Cannick, Keith Boykin (pictured) among others - who were not only writing about their personal experiences but also using the medium to highlight issues and concerns relevant to the black gay community.  So I decided to jump into the fray not really knowing where I'd take it, as a writer, at least in the beginning.

9. Tell us about the name Blabbeando. How did you decide on that name?

Basically I was thinking of something short and catchy. And I thought it would be funny to use the word "Blatherer" or "Blabberer" to indicate someone who just can't or won't shut up.  And, since I knew I would be writing about Latino LGBT issues in English, I decided to use my amazing Spanglish skills and came up with "Blabbeando".

8. Now you've moved onto Twitter correct? How has that change affected the way you communicate with your readers?

I haven't exactly moved to Twitter wholesale.  But have been trying it out now that I finally realized how it works. Most people probably give up on Twitter after writing a couple of things and expecting something to happen. But, as a search engine, it can provide up to the minute information that might not be easily found elsewhere and, as a social medium, it truly makes you depend on building a list of followers who are interested on the topics you Tweet.

I have been blogging less frequently and that might or might not change in the future.  But blogging certainly requires more commitment and time than Twitter, particularly when a lot of my posts require research and translation of material.

7. Do you think Twitter signals the end of blogs and blogging?

Ha! I remember giving my first blog post the title "Blogs Are Over". And that was back in 2005.  I have noticed a decrease in posts from blogs I read on a regular basis as well, including those from people that inspired to create Blabbeando. And, in some sense, some of them have expressed that Twitter and Facebook might be to blame.

But there are new LGBT bloggers every day and more than a few long-time bloggers who consistently amaze me with the frequency, quality and vitality of their postings.  Look at Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend , Andy Towle at Towleroad or Rod McCullum at Rod2.0, for example.

I've also noticed a bit of a recent upswing in English-language blogs written by LGBT Latinos which is great.  Look at Brandon Lacy Campos (pictured) at My Feet Only Walk Forward, Marisol Lebron at Post Pomo Nuyorican Homo, Oriol Gutierrez, Jr. at POZ, Phil Velez, Charlie Vázquez, Gloria Nieto and others.

6. What are you tweeting at this moment? -- Is that the right word or  is it "twittering?"

...or maybe Twitteando? Hm, it's been a week since the Iranian elections and everyone on Twitter seems to have engaged in giving a voice to Iranian voters so I've been Twitting about that.

5. You're a leader in the Latino LGBT community. What do you think is the single most important issue that affect gay and lesbian Latinos in the US?

Two issues: The economic downturn as well as immigration reform. They might not be seen as 'gay' issues, per se, but, as part of the larger Latino community, they impact LGBT Latinos as much as the rest.

4. Recently, we compiled a list of gay and lesbian entertainers -- and we found that list very short. Why are there so many gay Latinos who refuse to come out?

Well, Hollywood certainly took its time to be a more welcoming environment for openly gay actors and the US music industry certainly lags a bit behind.  And perhaps that's the reason why some Latino actors who perform in the United States have had an easier time coming out. Wilson Cruz, Guillermo Diaz, for example.

But I believe that when it comes to entertainers who perform in Spanish language markets and media, most publicists, handlers, managers and production companies are still deathly afraid of the potential impact on the star's career - whether their fear is warranted or not.  Christian Castro of RBD is an exception to the rule and he only came out when pictures emerged online of him kissing another man but I wouldn't say that his career has been negatively impacted by his coming out.

Or look at Chavela Vargas (pictured), the legendary singer, who came out at 81 and is as revered today at 90 as she ever has been.

3. What's the bigger challenge for you -- being gay or being Latino?

Challenge? Not sure I consider either being a challenge or that I would trump one part of my identity against the other.  Both my sexual identity as well as my Latino background are as much part of who I am as the color of my eyes.  The challenge is not my identity, the challenge is fighting against the intolerance and irrational fear of those who might treat me lesser than any other person based on any of those traits.

2. A lot of Cubans have the last name Duque. The family on the short-lived network show Cane comes to mind. What's your heritage?

Yes! I wish I could get my hands on a bottle of Duque Rum or some of the stogies they were smoking on that show! But, no, I was actually born in Colombia, South America.  As for my heritage, I'm not sure that I have ever even tried to look for clues in my family tree so I wouldn't know where to begin.  Probably a mestizo mutt of sorts.

1.  Now that you've taken time to answer these questions, I'm sure you're anxious to get tweeting again. What's your next tweet going to be about?

Ha! Not sure. I've been working on a blog post about a Father's Day article I read this week but Twitter seems more 'of the moment' than that. No advance planning or warning.  I'll Twitter whatever it is that catches my interest next.

To read more about Andres Duque visit WikiLatino.com and follow him on Twitterand on Blabbeando.