honorable mention
Nicola "Okin" Frioli mexico
title
We are Princesses in a land of Machos
Los Muxes (in zapotec language means homosexual)are considered as a blessing in Juchitan and you can count almost 3000 of them.
According to a taxi-driver, there is a homosexual in every family and Muxes themselves assert to be “fallen fron a broken pocket of San Vicente Ferrer” the patron saint of Juchitan,during his holy walk over the town (a local expression to say they are lucky, chosen people). It is a luck for a homosexual to be born in Juchitan , where in a population of 160.000 people, the most of them feel respect for Muxes, while they walk proudly in the streets, dressed as women with huipiles and enaguas, typical dress of the Tehuantepec Isthmus. The homosexuals of Juchitan have gained a place in economical and political activities, normally reserved to men.
They are ownersof shops,they work in hospitals, they are successful stylists of the typical local dresses and owners of beauty salons.
A resident in Juchitan says ”Thanks to God, we have one of them in every family... they are like women, they work as a man, but they wash, cook, clean the house and when the other sons will get married and leave, they will stay and look after their old parents”.
“A lot of us are in this way, because our parents have converted us and treated as female “says Felina, a 36 years old Muxes, owner of an Estetica (beauty salon). ”I’m not a man.. I’m not a woman.. I’m a Muxes and there is place for everyboby in the Vineyard of Lord
Ókin has worked for the Anzemberger Agency as well as in advertising at different international advertising agencies. His work, AL "OTRO LADO" DEL SUEñO (THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM), was included in the exposition ‘Resiliencia’ in Photo Espana in 2009 for the Cervantes Institute of Spain. The expo won the ‘Premio del Publico’ award for best exposition of PHE 09. It was exhibited at the Cervantes Institute of Madrid, Chicago and New York, Tokyo, Rome, Instambul, New Delhi and in other cities all around the world still 2011. He is beneficiary ARTS FUND SUPPORT for Cultural Development / Fundación BBVA Bancomer in octuber 2013.
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entry description
They drink beer, they are part of local governement and they are symbol of good luck for their family: they are Muxes, homosexuals of the “pueblo oaxacaqueno de Juchitan”, more than 3000 homosexuals who enjoy respect and admiration in all the country.Los Muxes (in zapotec language means homosexual)are considered as a blessing in Juchitan and you can count almost 3000 of them.
According to a taxi-driver, there is a homosexual in every family and Muxes themselves assert to be “fallen fron a broken pocket of San Vicente Ferrer” the patron saint of Juchitan,during his holy walk over the town (a local expression to say they are lucky, chosen people). It is a luck for a homosexual to be born in Juchitan , where in a population of 160.000 people, the most of them feel respect for Muxes, while they walk proudly in the streets, dressed as women with huipiles and enaguas, typical dress of the Tehuantepec Isthmus. The homosexuals of Juchitan have gained a place in economical and political activities, normally reserved to men.
They are ownersof shops,they work in hospitals, they are successful stylists of the typical local dresses and owners of beauty salons.
A resident in Juchitan says ”Thanks to God, we have one of them in every family... they are like women, they work as a man, but they wash, cook, clean the house and when the other sons will get married and leave, they will stay and look after their old parents”.
“A lot of us are in this way, because our parents have converted us and treated as female “says Felina, a 36 years old Muxes, owner of an Estetica (beauty salon). ”I’m not a man.. I’m not a woman.. I’m a Muxes and there is place for everyboby in the Vineyard of Lord
about the photographer
Nicola "Ókin" Frioli is a freelance photographer who has worked for several years in the areas of on-tour reportage photography, photojournalism and portraits. Over the last six years he has traveled through Northern Mexico, India, Pakistan, Kashmir and Sardinia. Ókin is now based in Mexico City. Widely published, Ókin’s work can be seen in such fine magazines as I have been published in National Geographic (Germany), Time Magazine, The New Yorker Magazine, Geo, The Guardian, Internazionale, Glamour, Vanity Fair, Maclean’s Magazine, Dagbladet, Nido-Stern, Financial Time, Milenio Semanal, Men's Health, GUP Magazine and others.Ókin has worked for the Anzemberger Agency as well as in advertising at different international advertising agencies. His work, AL "OTRO LADO" DEL SUEñO (THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM), was included in the exposition ‘Resiliencia’ in Photo Espana in 2009 for the Cervantes Institute of Spain. The expo won the ‘Premio del Publico’ award for best exposition of PHE 09. It was exhibited at the Cervantes Institute of Madrid, Chicago and New York, Tokyo, Rome, Instambul, New Delhi and in other cities all around the world still 2011. He is beneficiary ARTS FUND SUPPORT for Cultural Development / Fundación BBVA Bancomer in octuber 2013.
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