Exoticos


The March 2011 edition of the French gay lifestyle magazine Tetu features an article on pro-wrestling "exoticos," those colorful gender-bending characters in 21st-century lucha libre, overtly gay and defiantly sissified technicos (heroes) and rudos (heels) in an already frenzied and flamboyant world.  Not that the gimmick does anything to jiggle my trigger, erotically, but I'm always happy to encourage positive steps towards sexual openness and diversity in the pro wrestling world.  "Actually," says Polvo de Estrellas [Stardust], in the article (I translate), "a lot of wrestlers are gay, and not only exoticos.  But it's the best kept secret in wrestling."  Another star Miss Gaviota [Miss Seagull] goes further:  "The gay world is too hard on femmes like me.  Here in the wrestling ring, they really love you and accept you."

We could perhaps go on and on debating whether such developments are "good for the gays" or "bad for the gays."  I figure recognition and visibility in the broader culture has its good and bad points both.  Exoticos have shown up in US wrestling, too.  I've been puzzling over similar gimmicks in Texas wrestling for a while now--characters like Ann Dromeda (formerly, ladies man [!] "Delicious" Don Juan) and "Ring Queen" Marty Cone, a gay wrestler whose name echoes maricon ("faggot," essentially), yet who has quickly gained an enthusiastic fan following in the San Antonio area.  I can't quite decide what I think about all this.  On one hand, three cheers for you if this works for you.  On the other hand, it is, like drag, Levi Johnston, and Hello Kitty! collectibles, not particularly my thing ... yet.

Comments

  1. Hey Joe, do you know of Cassandro El Exotico? She(?) is worth looking up. He/She talks about her story with Colt Cabana on his Art of Wrestling podcast. I would love to meet her... him.... you know

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  2. Thanks, Tigre! I've heard the name and perhaps seen something on YouTube, but he sounds like someone I need to pay attention to.

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