Muxe community from Oaxaca make their first ever appearance in San Francisco LGBTQ Pride parade

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., (KMUV-TV) – More than 200 floats participated in the Pride Parade on Sunday in San Francisco. Mexican LGBTQ communities also participated for the third consecutive year and among them the Mexican Consulate of San Francisco contingent, extending the invitation to the Muxe community of Oaxaca for the first time ever. 

Although the Pride Festival celebrates its 53rd anniversary and Muxe communities have been present in California for more than 20 years, this was a historic event, where a Zapotec trans community is recognized and invited to participate in LGBTQ representations.

With the elegance that defines the Tehuanas of Juchitán, the Muxes walked and danced their embroidery silk dresses in San Francisco. Walking with their black long garments and the elegance that distinguishes them, this is how they made their first appearance in the bay.

🏳️‍🌈🎶💃🪩🎧Así fue nuestro 3er encuentro de Comunidades Mexicanas LGBTQ+ 👇🙌👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/V4wzq77FZ0

— Consulado Mexico SF (@ConsulmexSFO) June 26, 2023

The organization Muxe Vinni Ghaxee LA was invited by the Mexican Consulate of San Francisco to join their contingent of LGBTQ Mexicans.  Days prior to the parade, conferences, and workshops were held to discuss mental health, general health, resources, and spaces to talk about the experiences of these transgender communities in the Bay Area. 

Muxe, also called the third gender of Mexico, meaning “woman” in Zapotec, do not consider themselves entirely transgender. They define themselves as someone who is born a man, but is raised as a woman, and lives that way all their lives.

These are the Zapotec indigenous people of the Juchitán region in the state of Oaxaca. Although it is more common to see Muxes in that region, many still suffer discrimination, abuse, and rejection by family members to the present day.  

Jamie Arangure, a collaborator and participant in the Muxe movement, shared the following on social media: 

"I just met someone here from San Diego, amazing thing. We are in the Mexican Consulate fleet and well here we are getting ready to parade, we are here with the girls getting ready and the muxe guy too." 

The contingent of the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco included this ethnic group as part of the trans nationals in the United States. According to the human rights campaign, so far this year a record 70 anti-transgender laws have been registered in the country, affecting the Muxe community.

The Muxes say that some people in their community see them as a symbol of good luck. By not marrying in their lifetime, they take care of the home and take on roles that only a woman would do in their community.

The Muxe of Monterey County and the Bay Area say they have had to travel to Los Angeles every year to celebrate their Zapotec traditions, as acceptance and support has been more common in urban areas.