From June 24th to 27th the Semana Cultural Lésbica-Gay will be celebrated in Mexico City. This year, the slogan is “Desvío en construcción” (Deviation or Detour under construction) and it will take place in many venues in the city.
The man in charge of this particular event was José María Covarrubias, a life-time activist during the tough seventies and eighties who fought against homophobia in Mexico. He used to organize the Semana Cultural Gay at the Museo del Chopo, which hosted the event for twenty years in a row. A big success, especially taking into account how difficult it was for scared gays and lesbians to come out of the closet and gather together. Also, one of his biggest battles was the series of public protests demanding to solve the assassinations of 14 transvestites in Chiapas.
In 2003, la Pepa, as some of his friends called him, locked himself in a hotel room, wrote a posthumous note and saved himself from a torturous death caused by HIV, as an impoverished man who could not afford medical treatments.
In 2006, Altarte, a new gay organization took over the Semana Gay, facing a big obstacle: the Museo del Chopo is being remodelled, hence, there can’t be an “official” venue where the Semana can take place.
However, the inconvenience soon proved to be a better way to find people willing to host different events all over the city. As a continuation of Covarrubias’ work, but I would say even better because of the circumstances and the changes that have taken place in some sectors of Mexican society, the Semana Cultural Lésbica-Gay now celebrates its XXI edition. The program includes conferences, dance, book readings, photography, music and a series of performance acts “lo que se ve no se juzga”.
All of this sounds like a happy-ending story, but still there is a lot to do. The Semana Cultural ends with the gay parade as its main event. This year, one of the demands is to categorize violence against LGBT people as hate crimes in the local and federal scene.
To see the complete program of the Semana click here
June 28th marks Mexico City’s 30th annual gay pride march (and my first “pride” in Mexico City).
The march starts at the Angel de Independencia in the Zona Rosa and ends at the Zócalo, where free musical and theatrical performances will take place on the main stage. These shows were coordinated by lesbian activist Martha Cuevas. A full description of artistic events can be found (in Spanish) at http://eventoslgbt.blogspot.com/. The schedule is tentative, and I will update this post as I know more.
Excerpts from the Mexican production of the hit musical, Avenue Q, currently staring openly gay former Rebelde member, Christian Chávez. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never seen the English or Spanish versions of this show, though I hear it’s fabulous.
2:30–Grupo Destino
2:45–Hijas de Safo (Saffo’s Daughters)
This trio of lady performers do a very campy song and dance routine, each parodying a lesbian or Mexican architype (a machota in a leather jacket, a cowgirl, Adelita…). The photo below does not do their live performance justice. For those who don’t speak Spanish, a lot of the jokes go by very quickly, but the visual theatricality is charming, even for those who can’t keep up. (I include myself in that last category.)
I know nothing about this group, except what I read on the pride events blog (link above) and from their own website, but Foreños appears to be a gay, rachero boy band. Need I say more?
This group of lesbian performers are based out of the Coyoacán performance venue El Vicio (formerly El Hábito). I have been meaning to go to one of their shows for the past two years, and shame on me for not yet doing so. I’ve only heard good things.
4:00–This time slot is reserved for “political discourse” which involves inviting gay activists and political figures to the stage. As of yet, no specific names have been offered.
4:15–Raquel Bigorra
4:30–Tito Vasconcelos
This gay actor and activist is a bit of a Mexico City legend. In addition to having a long career as an actor, perform, and theater teacher, Tito Vasconcelos is the entrepeneur behind the successful Cabaretito chain of gay clubs. Not only have his clubs been hard by the recent gentrification of the Zona Rosa, but Vasconcelos himself was arrested for trumped up charges, punishment for not playing along with police and city officials.
4:45–Sissa
I can’t seem to find a website for this performer, a drag artist and “sophisticated androgine” who has appeared in Rent (I’m assuming the Mexican production) and other musicals and dance performances. Anyone know more information?
Another living legend. Her website gives this musician and performance artist a good taste of her style. (Also, I was fascinated by the design of her website.)
Amandititita is a player in the current wave of what I would call Mexican electroclash (think Casio beats with more traditional Mexican instruments layered in, with rapping/shouting/singing vocals delivering bratty vocals on top of that). I have never seen her, but hear she puts on a good show.
Footage of the backstage of last year’s pride stage is posted below:
Sexy glances, veiled smiles, subtle movements and coded signs. Desire between men—and sometimes women—made public in the smallest space of the city is what you can observe in the last car of certain Mexico City subway trains. Also known as the vagón rosa (pink car) or cajita feliz (happy, little box, the Spanish term for a McDonalds happy meal) this car is famous among Mexican queers because of the quick encounters that you can arrange there.
I couldn’t say that I am talking about an urban legend, since I myself have seen actual gay men riding the pink car on purpose. They look for fun, or perhaps for something more physical; sometimes striking the pose, sometimes just sitting there and aiming their looks to possible “victims”.
I know that there are many places spread all over the city where gay men can enjoy sensual adventures framed by secrecy. These are clandestine places that fit with the idea of being gay and hence, to be compelled to live in an underground culture. As a woman, I cannot enter those venues comfortably, but I do enjoy knowing about this secret dynamic in which, I am sure, presumably straight, married men can be found in spite of the ruling moral. There is no doubt that the pink-car is the only place where such clandestine meetings can be witnessed by women or every person who is aware enough of what takes place there.
Specific techniques and methods can only be described by a protagonist, but I’ve heard that blue tooth in cell phones is a useful tool. Gay men open this device inside the pink-car, receive id’s and provocative images, the next step being just to pick the right candidate.
With respect to machas, I have just one friend who dares to flirt in the pink-car, and there is no record of her going all the way to a physical encounter. I guess it is not the same for women, but maybe that’s due to change….
The most famous station to get on the pink-car is Insurgentes, which takes you to the Zona Rosa. However, I have witnessed the same phenomenon at other stops of the same line like Sevilla, Cuauhtémoc or Balderas…
Decades had to pass by before a mainstream Mexican musical artist dared to talk openly about his homosexuality–and with not as much criticism as one could have expected. Compared to Juan Gabriel and Fabiruchis’ stories, shaped by ambiguity and lies, Christian Chavez’s coming out story is an example of how much easier is to deal with homosexuality when you talk openly about it.
Christian is one of the five members of the pop music group Rebelde (Rebel), launched to fame and success by the novela (soap opera) of the same name. The show followed the adventures of a fictional group of fresas who decide to form a pop band. The popularity of the show spawned a series of billboard hits, complemented by a whole marketing project that included a series of million-selling cd’s, t-shirts, perfume, a lame magazine and several concerts across the country, followed by tours in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe. All well dressed, each one of the members represented the new way to be a stylish “rebel”; one that would not shake the basic structure of the establishment.
However, one morning Christian Chávez published a six-page press-release talking about his homosexuality. The public declaration was the result of a series of photos published in the tabloids that showed Chávez getting married to a man in Canada. In the text, the 23 years-old singer and actor talked about his fear of rejection from his family, criticism and judgment, logical consequences of coming out of the closet as a young male and a public figure. Also, Chávez talked about love and how much he trusted his friends and fans to support him, as long as he was being honest with himself and hence, with the people that love him.
Tabloids, paparazzi and any kind of possible blackmailers vanished as soon as the letter was published, especially after Chavez’s friends and family were shown giving unconditional support, which included Rebelde members stating that gayness was not a reason to expel Christian from the group. At the same time, other actors and singers hired by the same network congratulated their workmate for his truthfulness.
Feeling free of any kind of accusations, Christian Chávez was careful enough to address part of his letter to worried parents that could see him as the instrument of the devil. “Your children are not going to see anything bad”, said Chávez referring to his public behaviour as a worshipped figure among teenagers.
Nowadays, after Rebelde’s sensation, Christian performs in the Mexican version of Avenue Q. Chávez saved his skin just in time, right before gossiping press began with the infinite and profitable business of speculation. It’s true that Christian’s declaration was the result of Mexican press pressures and attempts of blackmail, rather than a self-conscious, personal decision in the first place. However, his decision to respond to the gossip honestly, rather than attempting to deny the obvious, and his continued success despite this admission, is something other closeted celebrities should take note of.
One of the things I love about the Centro Historico is the way the combination of the architecture, the fonts on the signs, and the styles in the storefronts allows you to time travel through decades, even centuries of Mexican history. Simply walking down Cinco de Mayo, from the majestic Palacio de Bellas Artes, past the 16th century decadence of the Casa de los Azulejos and the stylish lines of art deco buildings, all the way down to the Catedral Metropolitana, gives any visitor a sense of the way different eras seem to overlap and bleed into each other in this part of town.
My favorite place to stop for nourishment along Cinco de Mayo is La Pagoda. Formerly called “Cafe Popular,” La Pagoda has all the charm and attitude of a well-run roadside diner. The front part of the restaurant has row of booths for two or four, opposite a long counter. The counter is often full of single gentlemen stopping in for some comida corrida or a piece of pan dulce and some coffee, depending on the time of day.The back room is sunnier and has more booths and tables. The decor is an interesting blend of 1950’s and 1970’s hues and furniture, with small televisions propped in the corners of the ceiling, displaying an ever-rotating slide show of featured menu items.
The service is snappy and provided by sassy waitresses (of all ages) dressed in matching pink uniforms, complete with hair piece. Perhaps the reason the service is so good is that patrons are handed an evaluation card with the check. I’ve never had a reason to fill it out negatively, and usually have something positive to say about the service.
In my experiences, waitresses have never so much as raised an eyebrow upon seeing a large group of machas or an affectionate lesbian couple tucked in a booth. Additionally, I have seen transgender women dining here, without incident.
The menu offers a wide variety of styles of food, from sandwiches served on bagels, to soups (including ass decent sopa azteca), to egg dishes, to salads, to more standard Mexican fare. My favorite item on the menu is the chilaquiles verdes, with chicken, with an egg, or plain; all are delicious and filling. The portions are large and served with a generous amount of cheese. La Pagoda also offers well priced comida corrida during the day (around forty pesos). Nothing on the menu is over 100 pesos, and most items are under 50.
Aside from its savory fare, La Pagoda is well known for its pan dulce and delicious cafe con leche. For those that have never ordered cafe con leche in Mexico, the ritual of the experience is part of what makes it delicious. Dark, hot Espresso is poured first into a glass (you say how much), then topped off a minute later with hot, slightly sweet milk. The glass vessel allows you to witness the color of the beverage get lighter and lighter as the milk reaches the top of the glass. I will admit to not being a very sophisticated coffee drinker, but I love ordering this, and have done so at both 9:30 in the morning and 11:30 at night.
La Pagoda is open twenty-four hours a day, and is a wonderful place to stop for a reasonably priced and delicious meal or snack both during the day between sights in the Centro Historico and late at night in an attempt to prevent a hangover the next morning.
La Pagoda, address: Cinco de Mayo 52, Centro Historico, corner of Filomena
The concept of “family” has been changing over the years. Around the globe, the traditional model of dad-mom-children is not the only example to follow anymore, and Mexico is not an exception in this trend.
An example of this is the series of photographs taken by Óscar Sánchez since 1996 of queer families living in Mexico City. Twelve of them are being exhibited in the Centro Médico subway station, as part of the Semana Cultural Lésbica Gay 2008 (Gay and Lesbian Week, 2008). The series represents a useful effort to documenting the changes that are taking place in Mexico regarding the practice of shaping alternative families, in the outskirts of society. The exhibition works to move these families closer to the mainstream.
It is worth to mention that in 2007, Mexico City’s congress passed leyes de convivencia or “the law of cohabitation,” in order to make official the unions of same-sex couples. Supposedly, this new legal status would empower gay and lesbian couples, giving them the same rights that straight couples enjoy. However, the law was mainly symbolic, and didn’t make significant changes to rights that queer couples already had. For instance, they were already allowed to leave possessions to the same-sex partner when they die, and could make medical decisions if their partner goes into a coma. The paper work that has to be done is the same as before.
These images will force subway passengers to face a reality that is often ignored by the mainstream media, who chose not to keep up with the transformations of society.
Mexican Families; Centro Médico subway station, from 6th to 30th June 2008.
The Xochimilco canals are hardly an undiscovered secret in Mexico City; they are described in all the handbooks as a worthwhile destination for tourists and chilangos alike. Rightfully so. The afternoon I spent there for a friend’s birthday was one of the nicest I’ve ever had in Mexico City.
Lake Xochimilco was the breadbasket of Tenochtitlan. The canals that exist today were formed by chinampería, a method of farming developed by the Xochimilcas during the 12th through 14th centuries. Chinampas, often called “floating gardens”, were a way around the challenges faced by farmers in the Valley of Mexico (such as poor soil, irregular rainfall, and occasional frosts) because they allowed farming to take place literally on top of the lake. Created by staking off shallow areas of Lake Xochimilco and enclosing these areas with reeds or canes, these areas were then filled up with mud, silt, and dead plants until the chinampa rose about a meter out of the water. Because of the flow of water around the chinampas, the crops were easily irrigated and maintained.
Although there is still farming taking place in Xochimilco, the main draw is the canals, where you can rent a trajinera (boat) to take you on a slow, floating tour of what is left of the canal system. The trajineras are colorfully painted, covered boats, propelled by a boatsman pushing a stick against the floor of the canals. Each trajinera is named after a woman. They range in size to accomodate whatever group you bring, from a couple of people up to a group of 20. Rates are supposedly uniform, but be sure to set a price before you leave the embarcadero, and remember to tip the boatsman for good service.
I had read about Xochimilco in the guidebooks for about a year before I finally made the trip. I went with a group ofgays and lesbians in order to celebrate my friend’s birthday. I have to admit, I don’t know if it would have been as much fun if I wasn’t in such good company. For our large group we got the largest size trajinera, for approximately 200 pesos per hour. Split between a bunch of people, it was well worth the cost.
Our boatsman made a special point of selling us a bucket of beer on ice before we left the embarcadero, and we bought, not knowing that anything we needed would be available to us on the water as well (for a slightly higher price). Indeed, we had not pushed off more than five minutes earlier when a girl making massive micheladas in paper cups paddled up to our boat and latched onto the side of it so her hands were free to play bartender. She was only the beginning: souvenirs, esquites, beer, botanas, dulces, flowers, tacos–all of them were available for purchase, sold by floating vendors that aggressively paddled after boats full of potential customers.
Micheladas on the go:
Manzanas acarameladas:
In addition to being able to purchase food, drinks, and recuerdos, there are also many floating bands available for hire, the most popular styles being mariachi and marimba. The boats carrying the musicians (including their large percussion instruments) can attach to your boat and provide you with music for your floating party. Rates are per song.
This video gives the viewer a sense of the pace of the Xochimilco canals. Please note the marimba band floating by on another boat.
The longer you spend on a trajinera, the further away from the touristy areas you can get. It is possible to tour the parts of Xochimilco where people live, where farming is still going on, and where there is more wildlife. To get deep into the remote sections of the canals, expect to lease the boat for at least three hours (accounting for the return trip to the embarcadero). On that note, please be aware that although the boats do not have bathrooms on them, there are several locations along the way where, for a few pesos, you can use the bathroom. (Note: some do not have soap or running water.)
If you are nervous about being affectionate with a girlfriend or otherwise being visibly “out” in front of the boatsman, I recommend, if your Spanish allows, simply being upfront about your needs as you negociate a price. There are many boatsmen competing for your business, and there are certainly those who will have no problem taking gays and lesbians on their boats.
The two main launches, Embarcadero Caltonga and Embarcadero Nativitas, are both a short walk from the center of the town of Xochimilco, which is nice to explore, and boasts a large and beautiful 16th century church, Parroquia de San Bernardino de Siena. I recommend going by taxi (to save time and energy), but for those who prefer public transportation, you can get to Xochimilco by taking the tren lijero to the Embarcadero Station. Other sights in the area include the Xochimilco flower market and the Parque Ecológico de Xochimilco which hosts a museum dedicated to the history (both natural and cultural) of the area.
Xochimilco is worth visiting if you are spending more than a few days in Mexico City. (If you are just in town for the weekend, the location, which takes a while to get to, makes it less attractive than other more central sights.) Although I enjoyed the energy that came from visiting the canals with a large and festive group, my sense is that a day at Xochimilco can just as easily be slow and romantic, perfect, say, for two couples on a double date. So relax, macha, rent a boat, get a little drunk, enjoy the music, and enjoy the ride.
Burlesque in Mexico has always been related to images of Chinese-Mexican dancer Lyn May dancing on an dark stage, somewhere between Garibaldi and the surroundings neighbours. Last summer, what I could call a Mexican queer group gathered together for random reasons, and took a workshop on neo-burlesque with Old Ma Femme. The result was the re-interpretation of the art of burlesque from a Mexican standpoint, and a burlesque company: Burlesquimeras.
This Summer, Burlesquimeras brings the fun back at the Museo del Chopo, with a two-week workshop that guarantees to become a blast. Here is the information:
In the interest of full disclosure, we are friends with the Burlesquímeras, but we wouldn’t be plugging this event if it wasn’t truly worthwhile. Check out the workshop or the show if you are in the D.F.
When I arrived at this bar, the first impulse I had was to call the crowd to order and give a history lesson. This group of queer preppies, dressed in a way that I couldn’t understand, were giving me deja vu from the short period when I worked as a high school teacher.
But the night went on and suddenly I was listening to M.I.A, one of my favorites singers. And, making the scene even more attractive to my eyes, a bunch of teen fags were singing her lyrics and dancing as if they were her or, at least, as if they were in one of her videos. La Bomba, indeed, turned out to be a real explosion for my eyes, which I suppose were no longer used to seeing this array of color, youth and hormones, altogether in the same place.
In order to understand what the appeal of this place is, I have to mention Pepi, Lucy, Bom y las chicas del montón, Pedro Almodóvar’s first movie, where Carmen Maura is unbelievably young and the Spanish now-famous-singer Alaska is fifteen years old. La Bomba is a place where anyone can appear, from fashionistas trying to find “alternative” new places to “emos” showing off their creative outfits. This small, kind of improvised bar, gives life to colorful characters–it’s as though their myspace layouts have come to life–who come to migle away from their homes and parents.
In my earlier posts, I’ve talked about how the victims of the gentrification of the Zona Rosa include the young queer teenagers who can barely afford a dinner and a couple of beers in the upscale new venues on Amberes street. Although one of the regulars mention that this place opened about five years ago, La Bomba seems to be filling this gap, since it is located near the gay area, and offers a wide variety of music; even hosting young dj’s that are beginning their careers.
Following the requirements of the new local policy, an ID has to be displayed at the entrance. A big, young machota will frisk you if you are a woman. So don’t bring any weapons….
La Bomba: Jalapa 13 Glorieta metro Insurgentes, Col. Roma; Caguama 30 pesos (US$3.00), tostadas and snacks are served.
I guess this is the upside of the gentrification of the Centro Historico. At least, that’s how I’m interpreting the opening of the Marrakech Salon, a great bar located on Republica de Cuba between the Viena and La Perla, both famous local gay bars.
This place was founded by a couple of guys who also own two restaurants known for their comida corrida, one behind the Museo de San Ildefonso and the other one on Gante street, also in the Centro Historico. Both restaurants are characterized by their peculiar decorations that are reminiscent of old Mexican kitchens, but infused with an extremely gay aesthetic: the paintings hanging on the wall are like Tom of Finland drawings, but in bright colors.
It is worth mentioning that Marrakech Salón is different from its neighbors because it doesn’t offer the drag shows that Viena and La Perla boast as their main attractions. Instead, there is a juke box with a large variety of music, from disco music to reggaeton, both in English and Spanish. The place is spacious enough to dance, bathrooms are clean and there is a smoking area upstairs. The beer is cheap (25 pesos or 2.5 dollars) and the best brands are served; also cocktails are part of the menu. Drinks come with peanuts or habas con chile as a botana (snack).
Of course, machas will feel welcome here, along with their friends coming from abroad. Although it’s a gay bar, there always seem to be a good mix of queer women in the crowd. An artsy, hipster kind of crowd mixed with veteran gays and young lesbians looking for a place to have fun shape the landscape of this new great bar, which I highly recommend.
(And my gay male friends, connoisseurs of these matters, are always fascinated with the beautiful waiters that work here….)
Marrakech Salón, República de Cuba no. 18, (a block from Eje Central), Col. Centro. No cover. Opens from Tuesday to Sunday.
anna
Anahí Parra
