Posted on 07/05/2003 12:04:02 PM PDT by chance33_98
Congress beckons as transvestite taps support for gay rights
Jo Tuckman in Juchitan Saturday July 5, 2003 The Guardian
Amaranta Gomez has attracted more attention for her clothes than her policies, sporting flowing ankle-length skirts and blouses, clothes traditionally worn by Zapotec women of her home town of Juchitan, Oaxaca state.
Nothing unusual there, perhaps. But Gomez is a transvestite, and the first in Mexico with a chance of winning a seat in congress at tomorrow's mid-term elections.
Her tiny party, Mexico Possible, has livened up the contest by calling for the legalisation of marijuana, gay marriage and abortion.
"We are showing that everybody can put their ideas forward, and we are dignifying the political process," the 25-year-old gay rights activist insists.
Homosexuality is increasingly tolerated in the big cities but remains taboo elsewhere. Transvestites are widely seen as prostitutes, not politicians.
Not so in Juchitan, a town of 80,000 people in sweltering southern Mexico. Here the Zapotecs hardly raise an eyebrow at the frilliest frock on the burliest frame. And here Amaranta, who lost an arm in a bus crash last year, has a slim but genuine chance of winning. Even if she loses locally, she could gain a congressional seat if Mexico Possible wins over 3% of votes nationally.
Muxe ("moo-shay"), the Zapotec word for openly homosexual men and male transvestites, are valued members of society, and known for partying hard and working even harder in hair salons, clothes workshops and restaurants.
Amaranta's political ambitions bloomed in this atmosphere, inspired by the area's history of indigenous activism and its formidable women who lord it over the street markets and loll about town emanating self-confidence. The great matrons of Juchitan are the great allies of the muxe .
"God didn't bless me with a muxe ," bemoaned Amelia Martinez. "Boys and girls get married and leave home, but muxe look after their mothers for life."
But Juchitan fathers not infrequently try to beat the femininity out of their sons.
According to Amaranta: "Juchitan is not the paradise for gays that some people say, as there is homophobia. But there is less here than elsewhere."
Amaranta's political ambitions bloomed in this atmosphere, inspired by the area's history of indigenous activism and its formidable women who lord it over the street markets and loll about town emanating self-confidence. The great matrons of Juchitan are the great allies of the muxe .
"God didn't bless me with a muxe ," bemoaned Amelia Martinez. "Boys and girls get married and leave home, but muxe look after their mothers for life."
But Juchitan fathers not infrequently try to beat the femininity out of their sons.
According to Amaranta: "Juchitan is not the paradise for gays that some people say, as there is homophobia. But there is less here than elsewhere."
"This is a MADHOUSE" the character Taylor..."Planet of the Apes"
But Juchitan fathers not infrequently try to beat the femininity out of their sons.
Sounds a lot different when I rearrange the paragraphs.
The only thing I can take home from this is that the media is fascinated by the weird.
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