If Ali Gua Gua’s name sounds familiar, it may be because she’s been mentioned on this blog many times in various incarnations: DJ-about-town DJ Guagüis, one-woman electroclash act Afrodyke (a “autopiracy” cover of former collaborator Afrodite), and as the lead singer of our favorite queer cumbia punk band, the Kumbia Queers. If you like Ali Gua Gua’s later work, or if you just like tough-ass chicks with guitars, come see Ultrasonicas play their hits in a queer venue.

Ultrasonicas; Thursday, April 7, 2011, 11pm; Cabaretito Fusion, 77 Londres, Zona Rosa; 5511 1613, no cover for women

Although she among a younger generation of Mexican writers, Tellez has been quite active in the local feminist literary scene, leading lesbian writing workshops, and working to help organize the TTTrans Festival as well as the Festival of Rock, Film, and Sexual Diversity. For more information about Artemisa Tellez’s activism and the queer perspective she brings to her work, read our 2009 interview with her.

Monday’s reading will feature musical accompaniment by Tellez’s frequent performance partner, guitarist and singer Chichis Glam, as well as commentary from contemporary writers Reyna Barrera, Odette Alonso, and Marielena Olivera.

The event funs from 7 to 8 pm at the Casa del Poeta, Alvaro Obregon 73, Colonia Roma. No cover.

In case some Machas are enjoying Oaxaca City this summer, the second calenda is taking place this Saturday, July 10th. This year the motto is All people, all rights. Let’s celebrate being proud of who we are.

I think this will be an excellent opportunity to meet LGBT organizations based in that beautiful city.

The list of organizers is long: Red Oaxaqueña, Diáspora Feminista, Diversidades A.C., Colectivo Luzónica, Disidencia Queer, Colectivo Arcoíris, Red Nacional de Jóvenes Católicos por el Derecho a Decidir, CDD, Demysex Oaxaca, GLOBOCORPO, Sociedad Civil y Colectivo AAA.

Let us know how it was!

Segunda Marcha Calenda por la Diversidad Sexual, July 10th 2010, from Fuente de las 8 Regiones to the Zócalo, 12pm, Oaxaca City.

*Catron, thanks again for sharing information with us.

Sorry for the long hiatus here at Macha Mexico, but what better to lure us out of hibernation than the Kumbia Queers‘ new Mexican tour!

That’s right, Macha Mexico’s favorite queer-core Mexican/Argentine cumbia/punk band is back in Mexico for a month long tour. The majority of the shows are in Mexico City (with a few She Devils shows mixed in), but they’ll also heading north to Querétaro and Guanajuato, south to Oaxaca, east to Cuernavaca, and west to Veracruz.  Check out the Kumbia Queers’ website for complete dates and details of the Mexico: Te Quiero de a Madre tour.

The tour kicks off this weekend when the Kumbia Queers perform at Vive Latino, the tenth incarnation of Mexico City’s annual international festival of rock en español at the Foro Sol. This is a huge festival drawing big names in Spanish-language music. The names that most caught my attention were rocker/accordionist Julieta Venegas, gay-friend Puerto Rican reggeaton duo Calle 13, and chilango klezmer geniuses Klezmerson. (Find times and stages at the complete schedule for Vive Latino.)

The Kumbia Queers will be opening Sunday afternoon’s shows on the escenario azul at 1:00 pm, so go and show them some macha love!

The same group that organized the march in defense of same-sex marriage last Saturday will host a series of lectures and debates next Tuesday and Wednesday regarding a series of matters:  human and gay rights, the separation between the Church and the State, the concept of family, and sexual diversity.

Activists and politicians closely involved in GLBT rights will speak during this event (including Rep. David Razú, who proposed the same-sex marriage bill). If you want to see the whole program you can click here.

Foro Derechos, ciudadanía y diversidad sexual, February 9th and 10th, 10 hrs., Comisión de Derechos Humanos del Distrito Federal, Av. Universidad No. 1449, Col. Florida, Phone number: 5229 5600.

The Clit Party is back again, with DJ May Crown spinning playful and sexy techno for the ladies to dance to this Thursday in the Condesa.

The party offers itself as an alternative to Lipstick, but caters to a similar crowd: twenty and thirty-somethings, middle class, femme-of-center. Being in the Condesa, however, expect a slightly more hipster vibe than at Lipstick. I’m sure electronic music aficionados can identify with much greater accuracy the sub-genres of techno that May Crown spins, but I’ll just describe it as pure ponchis-ponchis, the onomatopoeic descriptor used frequently in Mexico to describe any electronic dance beat.

Perhaps the best way to capture the feel of this scene is to leave you with the following footage from a recent Clit Party that the promoters published on youtube:

Clit Party: Electro Pop Love; Thursday, January 21st, 9pm; Nuevo Leon 67, Colonia Condesa

El Imperial; 293 Álvaro Obregón, at the corner of Oaxaca; Colonia Condesa

Two readings on new books focused on lesbianism and queerness will take place this Friday in different parts of the city. The first book is Entre amoras. Lesbianismo en la narrativa mexicana by María Elena Córdoba Rivera. The book will probably become one of the very few analysis about lesbian literature in Mexico. Experienced activists and writers will be present at the reading, so don’t miss this opportunity to ask all the questions about old school lesbianism in Mexico…

A couple of hours later, author Mauricio List Reyes will talk about his newest book Hablo por mi diferencia. De la identidad gay al reconocimiento de lo queer. List’s work focuses on sexuality as a political practice that works within a institutional construction closely related to modernity.

Whether you prefer literature or theory, both sound like good options to approach Mexican queer theory and practice. If you go to one of the readings, let us know your opinion.

Entre amoras. Lesbianismo en la narrativa mexicana, October 9th, 2009, 5:30pm; Torre II de Humanidades, 4th floor, Ciudad Universitaria, Copilco subway station.
Hablo por mi diferencia. De la identidad gay al reconocimiento de lo queer, October 9th, 2009, 7pm; Niza 23-A, between Reforma Ave. and Hamburgo St. Phone number 5533-7116.

This Wednesday the VII National Conference on Sexual Education and Sexology will start in Oaxtepec, Morelos. The Conference is organized by the Mexican Federation of Sexual Education and Sexology, a group of activists, and sexologists that promote sexual and reproductive rights in Mexico.

One of the highlights of the Conference is the presence of Mariela Castro, Raúl Castros’s controversial daughter who has taken actions regarding sexual diversity in Cuba. Castro will talk about the integration of the trans population in social policies, which I’d love to listen to, since it’s well known how difficult is to be gay, lesbian or trans in that Caribbean island.

Sexual diversity, sex among elderly people, self-esteem and sexuality, and how to talk about sex with children are some of the other lectures. You can see the whole program here, and if you go, don’t hesitate to report some of your impressions to Macha Mexico!

VII Congreso nacional de Educación Sexual y Sexología, from September 23rd to September 27th; Unidad de Congresos, Oaxtepec, Morelos; you can call for information to phone numbers 5601 2892 and 5601 4177.

La Jornada is one of the most important newspapers in Mexico. Even though some consider it as extremely supportive of Mexican left Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD), over the years the newspaper has certainly done a great coverage of important events in Mexico, such as the aftermath of the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City, the outburst of the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (EZLN), the Acteal massacre, and other issues that other newspapers don’t cover in depth.

The celebration of La Jornada‘s first quarter with Chomsky is an important statement made by the newspaper. It means that it’s against the war, against certain practices of capitalism, and of course, a profound disagreement with U.S. foreign policy. No doubt this lecture is going to be fascinating.