Pride Month is celebrated in June in countries all over the world, and Mexico is no exception. While many would not normally associate Mexico, known for its strong traditional Catholic values, with the Pride movement, the reality is more complex and varies from state to state and even from town to town. While it is true that LGBTQ+ rights remain contested in many areas of Mexican life, significant progress toward equality has been made in recent years, mirrored by shifting public attitudes and the increased visibility of LGBTQ+ communities and Pride movements.

The very first Pride parade in Mexico was held in 1979 in Mexico City and was attended by over a thousand people. The event has grown over the years and was estimated to have over 500,000 attendees by 2010. Given its modern urban nature it is perhaps unsurprising that Mexico City would lead the way in the acceptance of the Mexican LGBTQ+ community. It was the first non-European host city for an ILGA (International Gay and Lesbian Association) meeting in 1991 and was the first part of the country to allow same sex marriage in 2010 (4 years after being the first to allow civil partnerships).

While Mexico City has been at the forefront of the country’s acceptance of sexual and gender diversity, the situation across the rest of Mexico has been mixed. Many areas are still strongly influenced by Catholic doctrine and culturally imposed restrictive gender roles are still the norm in many communities. Due to Mexico’s federal system these differing values have resulted in a patchwork of equality laws, with different states affording different rights to different parts of the LGBTQ+ community. For this reason, access to same sex marriage, gender affirming treatment and recognition, employment protections and adoption rights are not universal or consistent across state lines. There has however been a general trend towards the granting of rights and extending of protections.

This inconsistency is caused in part by the complex mix of cultural and historical influences present throughout the country. While the importation of the Catholic faith and the very concept of sin by Cortés and the Spanish has shaped attitudes towards gender and sexuality, previous Indigenous Mesoamerican belief systems and morality still have a strong influence in many parts of the country. Civilizations such as the Isthmus Zapotecs, the Toltecs and the Yucatec Maya differed from the European Catholics in their views and acceptance of gender and sexual diversity. While the exact nature of the position of each group towards those we might today consider to be LGBTQ+ is unclear and the subject of considerable debate in cultural anthropology circles, in part due to deliberate obfuscation by Spanish writers during and after the conquest, it is clear they did not align with the prevailing Catholic beliefs. One example of the survival of pre-Columbian cultural values is the continued acceptance and celebration of the Muxe third gender in Zapotec Juchitán.

In Quintana Roo, where Maya culture is still a major influence, attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people are seemingly more accepting than in many other parts of the country. Despite some legal wrangling, in 2012 it became the first state to allow legal same sex marriages, and only the second part of the country to do so after the Mexico City. Before the Covid pandemic the number of same sex quintanaroense couples tying the knot had risen to over 200 per year. While many people in the state still hold traditional views, polls have consistently shown opposition to LGBTQ+ rights to be lower in the region than the nation as a whole, and the percentage of people in favor of rights such as same sex marriage has been increasing over time. This is perhaps unsurprising given the mixed success of Spanish and Catholic attempts to influence the Maya people, resulting in a combining rather than supplanting of beliefs.

The emergence of the region as a tourist hotspot has also had an impact on attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community, with growing visitor numbers and an expanding diverse expat community increasing demand for LGBTQ+ friendly businesses and experiences. Cancun in particular has become a hotspot for LGBTQ+ travelers, with many hotels and tourism adjacent organizations marketing the city as a Gay Destination. Only Puerto Vallarta and Mexico City receive more LGBTQ+ visitors each year. Other resorts in Playa Del Carmen along the Costa Maya are also popular with LGBTQ+ visitors and are seen as welcoming and friendly. 

Pride events, such as marches, rallies or processions are held in many cities and towns in the state, with the number increasing year after year. The events remain relatively small compared to those held in Mexico City but continue to grow in popularity. The largest such event on the Peninsula is held over the state border in Mérida, the capital of the Yucatan state, and draws participants and supporters from all around the region. While Quintana Roo cannot match the size and spectacle of Mérida’s annual event, the importance of growing Pride movements in smaller cities away from the tourist trail, such as Felipe Carrillo Puerto, cannot be overstated. 

As we begin to look towards a future in which large public events become safe again, Pride will continue to be a driving force for greater acceptance and equality for all LGBTQ+ Mexicans.

Quintana Roo and Mexico as a whole are home to one of the world’s most culturally diverse societies. To read more about life in the region check out our blog pages with regular features on subjects such as Mexican history, language and food.