There are no federal laws governing homosexuality in Mexico, and
hence it's legal. There are, however, laws enforcing "public
morality", which although they are supposed only to apply to
prostitution, are often used against gays out cruising. While July
1997 saw the election of Mexico's first "out" congresswoman, the
left-wing PRD's Patria Jimémez, the right-wing party, PAN, has been
running anti-gay campaigns in towns and states that it controls,
closing gay bars in Monterrey and passing an ordinance against
"abnormal sexual behaviour" in Guadalajara.
There are in fact a large number of gay groups and
publications in Mexico - we've supplied two contact
addresses. The lesbian scene is nothing like as visible or as large
as the gay scene for men, but it's there and growing. There are gay
bars and clubs in the major resorts and US border towns, and in
large cities such as the capital, and also Monterrey, Guadalajara,
Veracruz and Oaxaca; elsewhere, private parties are where it all
happens, and you'll need a contact to find them.
As far as popular attitudes are concerned, religion and
machismo are the order of the day, and prejudice is rife. Even so,
soft porn magazines for gay men are sold openly on street stalls
and, while you should be careful to avoid upsetting macho
sensibilities, you should have few problems if you are discreet
(camp gay men and butch women, incidentally, are known in Mexico as
obvios ). Many Mexicans of both sexes are bisexual, though
they do not see themselves as such ("The difference between a
straight and a gay," says one gay activist, "is about two beers.").
In Juchitán, Oaxaca, on the other hand, gay male transvestites,
known as muxes , are accepted as a kind of third sex, and
the town even has a transvestite basketball team.
HIV and AIDS (SIDA) are as much a threat in
Mexico as anywhere else in the world, and the usual precautions are
in order. As for contacts within Mexico: lesbians can get in touch
with Grupo Lesbico Patlatonalli, Aptdo Postal 1-4045, Guadalajara,
Jalisco; while for gay men, CIDHOM (Colectivo de Información de las
Homosexualidades en Mexico), Aptdo Postal 13-424, México D.F.
03500, can offer information.