Recent Mexico City News Article

Mexico City Gay Life | Hotels | Mexico City Photos | Gay Bars and Discos | Gay Pride Info | Gay Pride Photos | Recent News Article

QUEER LIFE REIGNS IN MAJESTIC MEXICO CITY
 
By Bucky the Travelin' Man, FLAVAZ Gay Magazine
 
     MEXICO CITY - The biggest fairy in Mexico City is actually an angel. She's the Angel of Independence -- a golden winged statue atop an 80-foot monument at the entrance of this city's chic Zona Rosa district -- the official gay neighborhood of Mexico City. In Spanish, Zona Rosa actually means Pink Zone -- and this area couldn't get any more "pink" if it tried.
 
     Mexico's capital is one of the most colorful and cultural cities in the world -- and the gay community is a loud and proud part of the mix. Gay and lesbian culture in the Zona Rosa is bold and beautiful and downright ballsy. It seems that no other world-class city -- besides the gayest metropolis on the planet San Francisco -- showcases more rainbow flags on buildings or hand-in-hand gay couples in the streets. And the number of gay-owned and gay-friendly businesses are quickly catching up to the community, with well over 30 gay and lesbian bars and clubs and at least twice that number of gay-related businesses featured in Mexico City's two main gay magazines, Ser Gay and Homopolis.
 
     "Mexico City is full of gay life, and it just keeps getting better and better," said Mexico City photographer Paco Calderon.

 

 

     With more than 20 million people living in a 600-square mile area, Mexico City's gay population must be at least 2 million, gay leaders say. So it's no wonder that the city's GLBT culture has blossomed so much in recent years.
 
     Yes, it's true that Mexico City is huge. But it is also a surprisingly manageable place once you get to know it. And the best thing about this 24-hour big town is that boredom is never an option. The city truly glitters with all the wonder and excitement of a world-class metropolis, with parks, museums, night clubs, live music, theater shows, shopping, fine dining -- all at your fingertips. And the diversity and abundance in the gay community is no exception. Whatever your tastes -- booming discos, quiet cantinas, leather bars, drag shows, stripper lounges, darkrooms, piano bars, coffee shops -- there is no end to the choice for gay activities.
 
     The largest gay discos in Mexico City are BOX and LIVING, both massive show palaces that feature crowds of well-to-do Mexicans and Circuit Boy wannabes schmoozing to the latest electronic and house music. EL TALLER ( The Workshop ) is a longtime favorite stomping ground that features a decor of chains, gears and steel surrounding the pounding disco, porno videos, stripper shows and lots of cruising. As one of the original gay venues open for decades, BUTTERFLIES is more of a traditional Mexican gay club located in a huge warehouse, playing the best dance music ( English and Spanish pop ) and offering some of the most professional drag and strip shows in Mexico. Check out http://mexcity.8m.com for more Mexico City gay club information. 
 
     All this queer activity means, of course, that Mexico City now has one of the biggest Gay Pride celebrations in the world. And Gay Pride Week ( every year during the last week of June like many traditional gay pride festivities ) is a perfect opportunity to experience the brassiness and vitality of this kinetic capital city. The events draw millions to the streets -- marching and viewing -- to celebrate the orgullo ( pride in Spanish ) and diversity of the gay community. A 2-mile long colorful parade of floats, celebrities and marching units winds down the elegant, tree-lined Paseo de la Reforma ( modeled after the Champs Elysees in Paris ) and ends with a rally and carnival at the massive Zocalo Main Square in the center of the historic downtown. 
 
     The San Diego-based travel company ARCO IRIS offers a gay group tour to Mexico City every June for the Gay Pride Week activities. The trip includes tourist sightseeing and cultural day trips. Check out their website at www.ArcoIrisTours.com for more information.

 
     Many years ago, Mexico City had a reputation for being a dangerous place. In the early 1990s, the national treasury lost 50 percent of its value in one night and every citizen's life savings were cut in half in an instant, causing crime and despair to skyrocket. But the peso has since stabilized and Mexico's economy is doing fairly well, making Mexico City no more dangerous to visit than New York City or Los Angeles. As in any big city that you visit for the first time, beware of your surroundings and use common sense and you will be fine.
 
     Tourism to Mexico City is on the rise. With a warm, temperate climate year round, visitors are never surprised by a stifling heat wave or a sudden snowstorm. And city leaders have been working on the smog problem since the 1970s, with the result being clear, sunny days becoming the norm again instead of the gray, hazy days of years past.