Muxe

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In Zapotec cultures of Oaxaca (southern Mexico), a muxe (also spelled muxhe; [muʃeʔ]) is an assigned male at birth individual who dresses and behaves in ways otherwise associated with the female gender; they may be seen as a third gender. Some marry women and have children while others choose men as sexual or romantic partners. According to anthropologist Lynn Stephen, muxe "may do certain kinds of women’s work such as embroidery or decorating home altars, but others do the male work of making jewelry."

The word muxe is thought to derive from the Spanish word for "woman", mujer. In the 16th-century, the letter x had a sound similar to "sh" (see History of the Spanish language § Modern development of the Old Spanish sibilants).

Identity expression for every muxe is different. Some dress as women and take hormones to change their bodies. Others wear male clothes.^[1] Many members of the community believe that muxes have special intellectual and artistic gifts.

Muxe and gender in Zapotec culture[edit | edit source]

In contrast to Mexico's majority mestizo culture, the isthmus of Oaxaca has a predominantly Zapotec population, and it is widely reported that there is less hostility toward muxe in the region than homosexual, effeminate males and trans women face in other regions of the country. One study estimates that 6 percent of males in an Isthmus Zapotec community in the early 1970s were muxe. Other Zapotec communities have similar "third gender" roles, such as the biza’ah of Teotitlán del Valle.

Muxe may be vestidas (wearing female clothes) or pintadas (wearing male clothes and make-up). It has been suggested that while the three gender system predates Spanish colonization, the phenomenon of muxe dressing as women is fairly recent, beginning in the 1950s and gaining popularity until nearly all of the younger generation of muxe today are vestidas.

Within contemporary Zapotec culture, reports vary as to their social status. Muxe in village communities may not be disparaged and highly respected, while in larger, more Westernised towns they may face some discrimination, especially from men due to homophobic attitudes introduced by Catholicism. Muxe generally belong to the poorer classes of society. Gender variance and same-sex desire in wealthier communities of the region are more likely to follow a more western taxonomy of gay, bisexual and transgender. Such individuals are also more likely to remain in "the closet". Despite this, Muxe have traditionally been considered good luck, worth more than cisgender women and many now have white-collar jobs or are involved in politics.

In an article published in 1995, anthropologist Beverly Chiñas explains that in the Zapotec culture, "the idea of choosing gender or of sexual orientation is as ludicrous as suggesting that one can choose one's skin color." Most people traditionally view their gender as something God has given them (whether man, woman, or muxe), and few muxe desire genital surgery. They generally do not suffer from gender dysphoria because transphobia is a rare attitude in their culture, people are generally accepting of them and they usually have their gender recognised through their clothing, there is not as much pressure to "pass" as in Western societies.

Lynn Stephen writes: "Muxe men are not referred to as “homosexuals” but constitute a separate category based on gender attributes. People perceive them as having the physical bodies of men but different aesthetic, work, and social skills from most men. They may have some attributes of women or combine those of men and women." If they do choose men as sexual partners, neither are those men (known as mayate) necessarily considered homosexual.

Prominent Muxe Individuals

Amaranta Gómez Regalado and Lukas Avendaño are well known Muxes because of their accomplishments in politics and the arts. The Muxe community is from a small, rural community among the Zapotec people. These two individuals started the acceptance of the Muxe outside of that community.

Amaranta Gómez Regalado, who was born Jorge Gomez Regalado, is a 25-year-old Muxe, who is a social anthropologist, political candidate, HIV prevention activist, social researcher and columnist. In 2003, she ran as a candidate for federal deputy for the Mexican Possible party to the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico becoming Mexico’s first transsexual candidate. Gomez studied social anthropology at the Universidad Veracruz Ana from 2011-2016. She is the first Muxe to obtain a professional title and be legally recognized by the University. In 2015, she legally changed her gender identity on her birth certificate and all other official documents.^[2]^[3]

Lukas Avendaño was born in Tehuantepec Isthmus and embodies the complex identity of Muxe individuals from his home state. He is an emerging Mexican performance artist whose recent work presents Mexican nationalistic representatives through a queer filter and confronts the idea that the indigenous community is gay-friendly. Avendaño’s performances include crossing-dressing that interweaves ritual dances with autobiographical passages and actions that include the audience’s participation. His work shows that the Muxe community is familiar with experiences that negotiate pain and loneliness with self-affirming pride.^[4]

The Celebration of the Bold Seekers of Danger (Jacob London) (The only thing I did was write this section)

La Vela de las Autenticas Intrepidas Buscadoras del Peligro, (The Celebration of the Bold Seekers of Danger), is a four day pageant celebrating the perseverance of the muxe. Despite the pressures of colonialism to completely institute European ideas of gender roles, the muxe maintained their significance within their communities. During Spanish occupation, sexual deviants were sometimes executed. The continued existence of the muxe is a testament to the resilience of their community. Although their role has been forced to evolve in contemporary society, the muxe have largely resisted western ideals of gender and sexuality, such as the gender binary. Whereas colonialism, Catholicism, and western cultural influences led to the collapse of many other facets of pre-colonial Mexican society, the role and existence of the muxe persevered. As a result, another purpose of the celebration is to honor traditions that pre-date colonialism and the resilience of indigenous traditions. What began as a reunion between a few elderly muxe in 1975 quickly grew. With more than 5,000 people gathering in Juchitan, Oaxaca every year, the celebration brings together muxe from the surrounding communities and across Mexico, and also includes allies who do not identify as muxe. The acceptance of the muxe in their communities is reflected throughout the event. For example, the Catholic Church even holds mass for participants during the celebration. In 2015, the muxe celebrated the 40th anniversary of The Celebration of the Bold Seekers of Danger. The Celebration of the Bold Seekers of Danger serves to unite muxe all over Mexico and provides inspiration and validation to non-binary people everywhere.

Muxe Expression (Chelsey Verzosa)

One can experience gender identity internally, which can manifest externally for personal and/or public expressions. The Muxe community present their gender identity in a number of ways, including transforming their bodies through medical means, like hormone treatments. ^[5]. One other such way is through costuming and makeup. It is popular to base a look off of prominent figures in the world such as Frida Khalo, or to take up the essence of general figures, like angels or demons. These costumes and appearances are displayed predominantly at community events like “Velas” or other celebratory events.

Muxe Treatment (Chelsey Verzosa)

There are mixed findings on the treatment, or acceptance of the Muxe community. Some anthropologists attribute acceptance from the normalcy of cross-dressing Aztec priests and Mayan gods who were simultaneously male and female in the Pre-Colombian times.^[6] This happens to be a more positive view, but there are those who argue that the Muxe face very similar discrimination and exclusion as the broader LGBTQ+ community. Though the city of Juchitán has a pretty significant Muxe community, it is not always a traditionally accepted concept in some families.^[7]

Muxe background and Influence on the United States (Janet Lares)

The Muxe hold their identity as an indigenous third gender, being neither male or female. Some are male passing, but are drawn to a more feminine lifestyle. However, there is not one solely unique way in which Muxes express their identities. The natural acceptance of these type of people in Mexico is said to be rooted back to cross-dressing Aztec priests and Mayan gods that expressed both binary gender roles^[8]. While most Muxes live in rural, indigenous communities in Mexico, several have migrated abroad, including to the United States^[7]. Many Muxes have found themselves in conflict with the westernized ideologies of gender.

The United States has had tendency of categorizing these type of people as homosexual or transgender, rather than by what Muxes ultimately identify themselves as, which is a third gender. According to Meet the Muxes, “about 50 percent of young Americans believe that gender is not binary, but falls on a spectrum”^[9]. However, Muxes do not fall under the LGBT umbrella. Muxes hold their identities under traditional, indigenous roots with their own culture being very different from LGBT culture^[6]. Muxes have done a good job in challenging the United States’ view on gender spectrums and preferences.

^[9]See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Jump up ^' Chiñas, Beverly (1995). Isthmus Zapotec attitudes toward sex and gender anomalies, pp. 293-302 in Stephen O. Murray (ed.), "Latin American Male Homosexualities" Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. Chiñas (p. 294) defines muxe as “persons who appear to be predominantly male but display certain female characteristics” and fill a “third gender role between men and women, taking some of the characteristics of each.” Jump up ^' Stephen, Lynn (2002). "Latin American Perspectives," Issue 123, Vol.29 No.2, March 2002, pp. 41-59. (98.6 KiB) Jump up ^' Ibid. Jump up ^' MIANO, M. (2002). Hombre, mujer y muxe’ en el Istmo de Tehuantepec. México: Plaza y Valdés. CONACULTA-INAH. Jump up ^'

Jump up ^ Rymph, David (1974). Cross-sex behavior in an Isthmus Zapotec village. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association, Mexico City.
Jump up ^ Gómez Regalado, Amaranta (2005) (50.0 KiB)
Jump up ^ Stephen, Lynn, op cit.
Jump up ^ Chiñas, Beverly (1995). Isthmus Zapotec attitudes toward sex and gender anomalies, pp. 293-302 in Stephen O. Murray (ed.), "Latin American Male Homosexualities" Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press
Jump up ^
Jump up ^ CS1 maint: Unfit url (link)
Jump up ^ Belonsky, Andrew (2014). "The striking muxe Mexico's third gender." The Advocate, p. 62+. General OneFile (Jacob London)
Mirande, Alfredo (2011). "The Muxes of Juchitán: A Preliminary Look at Transgender Identity." California Western International Law Journal, Vol. 42. pp. 512. (Jacob London)

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