Los Exoticos: In Macho Mexico's Lucha Libre, the 'Lady' Is Often the Champ Jasmine Garsd - NPR
go to original September 7, 2013

Los Exoticos - Trailer (Michael Ramos-Araizaga)

Professional wrestling, known as lucha libre — literally, freestyle wrestling — is a big deal in Mexico. It’s a sport that’s generally associated with machismo: buff fighters with names like Nemesis and Aguila Imperial (Imperial Eagle) strut around in a rope-bound ring, wearing shiny spandex outfits and colorful masks. They make big threats and promise spectacular smackdowns. The high-flying attacks are mesmerizing.

It’s also an unlikely niche for Mexico’s LGBT community.

Exóticos — or Exotics — are campy, mostly gay, male luchadores, or fighters. With names that might well be titles of Danielle Steel novels en Español — like Diva Salvaje, Pasión Kristal and El Bello Califa (Beautiful Califa) — they participate in regular fights, but wearing full makeup and often very feminine outfits. They flirt with the ref, blow kisses at the crowd and come on strongly to other fighters.

Filmmaker Michael Ramos recently made a documentary about them called Los Exóticos. He says Exóticos are nothing new: they’ve been around since at least the 1940s. Back then they didn’t wear makeup, and they weren’t as overtly sexual as they are today.

... Ramos admits that without a doubt, it’s problematic that Exóticos involve stereotyping of gays, and that homosexuality is played for laughs.

Read the rest at NPR

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