“Los 41”: The Queer Dance Party That Changed Mexico

In the wee hours of November 17, 1901, police raided a private house party in Mexico City’s central Tabacalera neighborhood Beyond the standard revelry, what the raid uncovered would scandalize the city and realign notions of sexuality, gender and class in Mexico for generations At the party, police found 41 men dancing together – about half of them dressed as women Quickly, and without a trial, the authorities punished the participants of this clandestine drag ball, as observers might think of it today Some of the offenders were forced to sweep the streets in their feminine attire...

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