Meet the Muxes of Oaxaca, a “third gender” that goes back to pre-Hispanic times

Photo: Miho Haguino

It is believed that the term Muxe comes from the word mujer in Spanish (woman). Muxe is a phonetic derivation that Zapotec began to use from the XVI century. Since the pre-Columbian era, Zapotecs have considered Muxes as a “third gender”. Photo: Nicola Ókin Frioli

In a traditional family, a Muxe is considered by his mother as a real blessing, since a child muxe never leaves parents in old age or disease.Photo: Mc Yanni

Unlike heterosexual children, who will marry and form another family nucleus, the muxe child stays at home or returns when he is needed.Photo: Nelson Morales

Muxes have a strong presence and role in the community often as designers, weavers, embroiderers, seamstresses, or cooks. Photo: ephoz

Every year, the Muxe community organizes Velas Muxes, (Velas are prehispanic celebration held in the Isthmus of Tehuatepec). The best known Vela Muxe is organized by the “Las autenticas intrepidas buscadoras de peligro” (The Authentic Intrepids Searching For Danger), and the “Vinnii Gaxheé Vela”, where the Muxes show off their beautiful costumes and their intrinsic and captivating beauty.Photo: Auténticas Intrépidas

In 2003, Amaranta Gomez Regalado, a 25 years old, activist muxe, captured the attention of international media, with her candidacy to the Congress of Oaxaca state.

In the City of Oaxaca, The Muxe community organized the Vela Priscilas. Certainly every muxe manifestation is an element in favor of inclusion and respect for human freedoms and the freedom of being a muxe.Photo: El Imparcial de Oaxaca