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In contrast to Mexico's majority mestizo culture, the Isthmus of Tehuantepec has a predominantly Zapotec population, one of the country's indigenous peoples.It is widely reported that muxe face less hostility there than homosexuals, effeminate males, and trans women do elsewhere in Mexico.
The gender of Muxe is defined as an indigenous Zapotec third gender that defies the common binary option of female or male. Definitions are provided in Lynn Stephen's piece Sexualities and Gender in Zapotec Oaxaca [5] and Alfredo Mirandé article Hombres Mujeres: An Indigenous Third Gender.
The muxe — Indigenous Zapotec people in Mexico — view themselves as neither man nor woman. They embrace a distinct 'third gender,' part of a burgeoning LGBTQ+ movement worldwide.
Somewhat androgynous, they do both women's and men's work. While their apparel can be somewhat flamboyant, they are more masculine than feminine in dress. [68] A muxe status is recognized in childhood, and as Zapotec parents consider the muxes to be the brightest, most gifted children, they will keep them in school longer than other children. [68]
Members of southern Mexico's third-gender 'muxe' community celebrated sexual and gender diversity over the weekend, while committing to fighting for LGBTQ people in the face of recent losses.
In many Indigenous cultures across the Americas, gender is recognized as fluid, contrasting sharply with Western norms.
It is important to note that “two-spirit” (and similar native terms) refer to gender, not sexual orientation or biological sex. “Two-spirit” individuals may be heterosexual, bisexual, or homosexual. To date, muxes still exist among Zapotec people and play a crucial role within the community.
The Isthmus Zapotecs recognize a traditional third gender, known as muxe, an intermediate between male and female. Muxes are assigned male at birth, but typically act and behave like women and do both women and men's work. Having a muxe in the family is perceived as good luck and a blessing. [13]