Wikipedia Article: Homophobia Is A Serious Issue In Mexico!!!

Violence

LGBT people denouncing hate crimes based on sexual orientation at the 2009 LGBT Pride Parade in Mexico City.

Homosexuality is not illegal in Mexico but LGBT people have been prosecuted through the use of legal codes that regulate obscene or lurid behavior (atentados à la moral y las buenas costumbres). Over the past two decades, there have been reports of violence against homosexual men, including the murders of openly gay men in Mexico City and of transvestites in southern state of Chiapas. Local activists note that often these cases remain unsolved, blaming the police for lack of interest in investigating them and for assuming that homosexuals are responsible for the attacks against them.^[1]

In mid-2007, Emilio Alvarez Icaza Longoria, then-chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Mexico City, said he was deeply concerned that Mexico City has the worst record for hate crime because of homophobia, with 137 crimes between 1995 and 2005.^[15] Likewise, the journalist and author of the book, “Homophobia. Hate, Crime and Justice, 1995–2005”, Fernando del Collado affirmed that during the decade covered in the edition 387 hate crimes due to homophobia were committed in Mexico, 98% of which has gone unpunished up until now.^[15] The author expressed his concern that there is a high level of impunity and indicated that to take the testimony of one of the institutions, that of the Citizens Commission Against Hate Crime because of Homophobia (CCCOH) which has reported three homosexuals are murdered per month in Mexico.^[15] Del Collado indicated that between 1995 and 2005, 126 homosexuals were violently murdered in Mexico City, those of which 75% were reclaimed by their families; in 10% of the cases families identified the victim but did not reclaim their bodies, which ended up in common graves; and the remaining 5% were never identified.^[15]

Ex-assistant attorney for attention of crime victims of the Federal District Attorney General’s Office (PGJDF), Barbara Illan Rondero, strongly criticized the lack of sensitivity and professionalism on the part of the investigators of the crimes committed against homosexuals and lesbians.^[15]

“

I still can’t determine if this is due to negligence, lack of preparation or down-right covering up, and is a matter that has to do with the intention of not solving these crimes because they carry no weight of importance

”

Alejandro Brito Lemus, director of the news supplement “Letra S” (Letter S), claimed that only 4% of gays and lesbians that suffer from discrimination present their complaints to the corresponding authorities.^[15]

“	In spite of the gravity of the aggressions suffered, the majority of gays, lesbians and transsexuals prefer to keep silent about what happens and to remain isolated in fear of being attacked again in revealing their sexual orientation.

Living conditions

Float with Aztec Eagle Warrior theme at the 2009 LGBT Pride Parade in Mexico City.

Go-go dancers at the 2009 LGBT Pride Parade in Mexico City.

According to the First National Poll on Discrimination (2005) in Mexico which was carried out by the CONAPRED, 48% of the Mexican people interviewed indicated that they would not permit a homosexual to live in their house.^[15] 95% of the homosexuals interviewed indicated that in Mexico there is discrimination against them; four out of ten declared they were victim of acts of exclusion; more than half said they felt rejected; and six out of ten felt their worst enemy was society.^[15]

Although overall public displays of homosexual affection or cross-dressing are still taboo in most parts of Mexico, LGBT social life tends to thrive in the country’s largest cities and resorts. The visible center of the LGBT community is the Zona Rosa, in Mexico City, where over 50 gay bars and dance clubs exist.^[45] Surrounding the country’s capital, there is a sizable amount in the State of Mexico.^[46] Some observers claim that gay life is more developed in Mexico’s second largest city, Guadalajara.^[2] Other large cities include border city Tijuana,^[47] northern city Monterrey,^[48] centrist cities Puebla^[49] and León,^[50] and major port city Veracruz.^[51] The popularity of gay tourism especially in Puerto Vallarta, Cancún and elsewhere has also brought more national attention to the presence of homosexuality in Mexico.^[52] Among some young, urban heterosexuals, it has become popular to attend gay dance clubs and to have openly gay friends.^[52]

In 1979, the country’s first LGBT Pride Parade, also known as LGBT Pride March, was held and attended by over one thousand people in Mexico City.^[53] Ever since, it has been held every June without interruption under different slogans with the aims of bringing visibility to sexual minorities, fomenting consciousness about AIDS and HIV, denouncing homophobia and demanding the creation of public policies such as the recognition of same-sex civil unions and same-sex marriages and the legalization of LGBT adoption, among others.^[54] According to organizers, in its latest edition, the XXXI LGBT Pride Parade was attended by over 350,000 people, 100,000 more than its predecessor.^[55] In 2003, the first Lesbian Pride March occurred in the country’s capital.^[56] In Guadalajara, well-attended LGBT Pride Parades have been held also every June since 1996.^[57] LGBT Pride Parades have continuously occurred in Monterrey,^[58] Tijuana,^[59] Puebla,^[60] Veracruz,^[58] Xalapa,^[61] Cuernavaca,^[62] Tuxtla Gutiérrez,^[63] Acapulco,^[64] Chilpancingo,^[58] and Mérida.^[57]