1 00:01:06,631 --> 00:01:08,161 Ah! 2 00:01:36,139 --> 00:01:37,709 When you go to a wrestling show, 3 00:01:37,749 --> 00:01:40,059 a lot of times, people skip the first couple matches. 4 00:01:40,100 --> 00:01:43,100 But here, people are lined up right from the get-go, 5 00:01:43,146 --> 00:01:44,706 and I guess it's because the second match has 6 00:01:44,756 --> 00:01:46,756 Pimpinela in it, and Pimpinela is... 7 00:01:46,802 --> 00:01:49,632 the queen of Exoticos, you don't want to miss that. 8 00:01:49,674 --> 00:01:51,074 You gotta be here early. 9 00:01:52,764 --> 00:01:54,944 Lucha Libre's history in Mexican culture runs deep, 10 00:01:54,984 --> 00:01:57,124 dating back to the middle of the 19th century. 11 00:01:57,160 --> 00:01:59,470 Sometime during the 1940s, they started putting characters 12 00:01:59,510 --> 00:02:01,340 in the ring that would act effeminately, 13 00:02:01,382 --> 00:02:03,172 and in a manner that might imply that their characters 14 00:02:03,210 --> 00:02:05,080 were homosexuals. 15 00:02:05,125 --> 00:02:07,385 They called these characters "Exoticos," 16 00:02:07,431 --> 00:02:11,611 and for years it was so, enter Pimpinela Escarlata. 17 00:02:11,653 --> 00:02:14,573 A gay man tired of performing as straight found that 18 00:02:14,612 --> 00:02:16,482 he could perform his gayness freely in the ring 19 00:02:16,527 --> 00:02:18,917 under the label of Exotico. 20 00:02:18,964 --> 00:02:21,404 Tonight he's wrestling in a massive tag match 21 00:02:21,445 --> 00:02:23,095 with some of AAA's top talent. 22 00:03:29,470 --> 00:03:31,300 Polvo de Estrellas, or Stardust, is one of 23 00:03:31,341 --> 00:03:34,131 the original exoticos wrestling since the 80s. 24 00:03:34,170 --> 00:03:36,650 Wrestling for decades alongside the likes of Pimpinela, 25 00:03:36,694 --> 00:03:38,314 he's well known in the industry for having helped 26 00:03:38,348 --> 00:03:41,608 many a young wrestler break in as a talent scout for AAA. 27 00:03:43,658 --> 00:03:46,438 Polvo sat with me to watch the ground-breaking Pimpinela. 28 00:03:46,487 --> 00:03:48,487 What was Pimpinela chanting? 29 00:03:55,496 --> 00:03:57,496 Oh, that's what it is, okay. 30 00:04:00,283 --> 00:04:02,763 How often is it a mixed match like this, 31 00:04:02,807 --> 00:04:05,717 with exoticos and traditional male division wrestlers? 32 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,260 It's so crowded. Is it always this full? 33 00:04:38,974 --> 00:04:42,674 Pimpinela Escarlata! 34 00:05:02,389 --> 00:05:06,349 When you came to Mexico City and started wrestling as exoticos, 35 00:05:06,393 --> 00:05:08,313 who were some of the initial people that you met? 36 00:06:22,860 --> 00:06:25,560 Getting to be in the crowd again must be a... 37 00:06:25,602 --> 00:06:27,742 a return to something from before. 38 00:06:27,778 --> 00:06:29,348 Like you're not having to watch backstage this time, 39 00:06:29,389 --> 00:06:30,959 you get to watch with the people. 40 00:07:31,059 --> 00:07:33,189 Look at these! 41 00:07:37,935 --> 00:07:39,415 Ah, the feathers! 42 00:07:50,078 --> 00:07:51,948 This is gorgeous. This is amazing. 43 00:07:51,993 --> 00:07:54,603 It makes me feel like a superstar! 44 00:07:54,648 --> 00:07:56,388 Shooo! 45 00:07:58,869 --> 00:07:59,999 Look at this. 46 00:08:00,523 --> 00:08:01,613 Woo! 47 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:04,310 Ric Flair, eat your heart out. 48 00:08:05,702 --> 00:08:08,142 Miss Gaviota, or Wendy Martinez, 49 00:08:08,183 --> 00:08:10,933 has been an exotico for 30 years. 50 00:08:10,968 --> 00:08:13,008 A protégé of Pimpinela Escarlata, 51 00:08:13,057 --> 00:08:14,537 she's known for her wrestling move, 52 00:08:14,581 --> 00:08:17,541 "The Back Breaker Against Homophobia". 53 00:08:17,584 --> 00:08:20,114 She created this move because of the discrimination she suffered 54 00:08:20,151 --> 00:08:22,631 early in her career as a trans woman. 55 00:08:22,676 --> 00:08:25,416 Miss Gaviota is also well known for the eye-catching outfits 56 00:08:25,461 --> 00:08:26,591 she wears in the ring. 57 00:08:32,686 --> 00:08:35,466 Oh my gosh... 58 00:08:35,515 --> 00:08:37,295 Miss Gaviota. 59 00:08:37,342 --> 00:08:38,392 Oh! 60 00:08:42,609 --> 00:08:43,869 Whoa. 61 00:08:46,177 --> 00:08:48,437 You feel the weight of the feathers. 62 00:08:48,484 --> 00:08:51,104 It's actually like... whoa. 63 00:08:57,145 --> 00:08:59,055 There's so much more required to being an exotico 64 00:08:59,103 --> 00:09:00,543 than just a luchador. 65 00:09:00,583 --> 00:09:02,323 You have to think about all this stuff. 66 00:09:18,514 --> 00:09:20,264 So Pimpi was-- has been very supportive of you 67 00:09:20,298 --> 00:09:21,468 in your career? 68 00:09:25,869 --> 00:09:27,129 What are these? 69 00:10:07,302 --> 00:10:08,962 Oh! Ha-ha! 70 00:10:24,014 --> 00:10:26,714 My biggest takeaway of any part of Mexico I've been in 71 00:10:26,756 --> 00:10:30,326 is that crossing the street... 72 00:10:30,368 --> 00:10:32,458 is one of the most dangerous parts of your day, 73 00:10:32,501 --> 00:10:34,071 no matter when you do it. 74 00:10:34,111 --> 00:10:37,071 You just kind of have to rely on the car to stop. 75 00:10:37,114 --> 00:10:39,904 Lot of trust, crossing the street in Mexico. 76 00:10:53,174 --> 00:10:56,574 Well, we've left the hustle and bustle of Mexico City for 77 00:10:56,612 --> 00:11:00,052 the comparatively tropical climate of Acapulco. 78 00:11:00,094 --> 00:11:01,314 We've come here to see our friend Miss Gaviota 79 00:11:01,356 --> 00:11:02,526 wrestle tonight. 80 00:11:38,001 --> 00:11:39,571 Miss Gaviota is wrestling on 81 00:11:39,611 --> 00:11:41,701 the International Day Against Homophobia, 82 00:11:41,744 --> 00:11:43,534 Transphobia, and Bi-phobia. 83 00:11:49,012 --> 00:11:50,672 She's the only Exotico on the card, 84 00:11:50,710 --> 00:11:53,670 and will be fighting in an inter-gender match. 85 00:11:53,713 --> 00:11:55,283 Lucha audiences are known for their lude 86 00:11:55,323 --> 00:11:57,373 and emotional outbursts, and I'm curious to see 87 00:11:57,412 --> 00:11:59,852 how they'll react to her performance in the ring. 88 00:12:35,755 --> 00:12:37,145 Gaviota! 89 00:14:15,463 --> 00:14:18,033 Wendy's really got the whole audience 90 00:14:18,074 --> 00:14:19,604 kind of behind her, I think. 91 00:14:19,641 --> 00:14:21,471 But I can't tell what people are saying, so there's-- 92 00:14:21,512 --> 00:14:23,302 every once in a while, someone will say something in the crowd 93 00:14:23,340 --> 00:14:24,990 and she'll look over at them, and... 94 00:14:25,038 --> 00:14:27,908 It's not the same look of like enjoyment that she's given 95 00:14:27,954 --> 00:14:29,564 the other audience members. 96 00:16:53,534 --> 00:16:57,064 So, you won this at your first-ever time in Mexico City, 97 00:16:57,103 --> 00:17:00,583 and you're here with the greatest collection of 98 00:17:00,628 --> 00:17:02,238 Exoticos in the world. 99 00:17:02,282 --> 00:17:04,412 It must have made you feel like you were on the right path. 100 00:17:13,075 --> 00:17:14,945 At 23 years old, Estrella Divina is 101 00:17:14,990 --> 00:17:16,990 an up-and-coming Exotico in AAA, 102 00:17:17,036 --> 00:17:19,036 one of the largest wrestling companies in Mexico. 103 00:17:19,081 --> 00:17:21,521 Raised by her grandmother, she has transitioned, 104 00:17:21,562 --> 00:17:24,092 takes female hormones, and advocates for trans rights 105 00:17:24,130 --> 00:17:25,700 on her social media. 106 00:17:25,740 --> 00:17:27,000 She originally started wrestling because 107 00:17:27,046 --> 00:17:28,436 her older brother was a luchador. 108 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:18,510 Does it feel weird to come back here now that you're in 109 00:19:18,548 --> 00:19:19,808 Mexico City most of the time? 110 00:19:46,750 --> 00:19:48,580 So, take me back to when you started wrestling. 111 00:19:48,622 --> 00:19:50,282 Did you want to be a masked wrestler 112 00:19:50,319 --> 00:19:51,319 when you first got into it? 113 00:20:11,862 --> 00:20:14,082 Growing up, were you familiar with Exoticos? 114 00:20:33,406 --> 00:20:35,226 So, do you feel what you're doing in the ring is helping 115 00:20:35,277 --> 00:20:37,237 push things forward outside of the ring, 116 00:20:37,279 --> 00:20:39,409 in the greater world, as far as homophobia and transphobia? 117 00:21:31,464 --> 00:21:33,124 Do you think he'd be proud of everything you've accomplished 118 00:21:33,161 --> 00:21:34,641 so far in lucha? 119 00:23:11,477 --> 00:23:14,037 From what Estrella Divina has told us, 120 00:23:14,088 --> 00:23:15,608 it seems like growing up in Acapulco would have been 121 00:23:15,655 --> 00:23:17,175 a very difficult thing to do. 122 00:24:51,707 --> 00:24:55,967 Super Gay first came to life with this mask. 123 00:24:57,583 --> 00:24:59,283 All black. 124 00:24:59,323 --> 00:25:00,933 Joselo Luis Constello has been 125 00:25:00,977 --> 00:25:03,237 a gay rights activist since the 90s. 126 00:25:03,284 --> 00:25:04,634 Although he doesn't wrestle himself, 127 00:25:04,677 --> 00:25:06,367 he created the Lucha character Super Gay, 128 00:25:06,417 --> 00:25:09,417 who would promote LGBTQ rights in Mexico City. 129 00:25:09,464 --> 00:25:11,994 Yeah, this is... this is almost historical 130 00:25:12,032 --> 00:25:14,562 because it was the second cape that Super Gay ever had. 131 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:15,910 Oh, wow. 132 00:25:15,949 --> 00:25:18,209 Like when you walk out on the street with it, 133 00:25:18,255 --> 00:25:19,555 it really calls out attention. 134 00:25:19,605 --> 00:25:21,385 Oh yeah, I could see! 135 00:25:21,432 --> 00:25:24,092 When this hits the sun, it must explode. 136 00:25:32,879 --> 00:25:34,579 Can you tell me a little bit about the activist group 137 00:25:34,620 --> 00:25:36,140 where you two met? 138 00:25:36,186 --> 00:25:38,666 This group was made up of a group of friends in the 90s, 139 00:25:38,711 --> 00:25:41,281 'cause in that time we didn't have equal marriage. 140 00:25:41,322 --> 00:25:45,152 But maybe the people needed, like, an icon to look up to 141 00:25:45,195 --> 00:25:48,195 and to know that they could fight for their rights. 142 00:25:48,242 --> 00:25:50,202 And that's how Super Gay came up. 143 00:25:51,767 --> 00:25:54,467 The people will say like, "Why is he wearing a mask?" 144 00:25:54,509 --> 00:25:57,079 We say we're not for being in the closet. 145 00:25:57,120 --> 00:25:58,950 If you want to be in the closet, it's okay. 146 00:25:58,992 --> 00:26:01,732 But the idea is that anybody can be Super Gay. 147 00:26:04,650 --> 00:26:07,440 Why is it important that Super Gay was a luchador? 148 00:26:07,478 --> 00:26:12,958 Mexican wrestling is buried deep into people's minds in Mexico, 149 00:26:13,006 --> 00:26:15,836 so the children will run to him and they will ask, 150 00:26:15,878 --> 00:26:17,398 "Who are you?" 151 00:26:17,445 --> 00:26:19,095 Of course the answer was, "I'm Super Gay." 152 00:26:19,142 --> 00:26:21,542 And the children will turn to their parents and say, 153 00:26:21,580 --> 00:26:24,890 "Mom, I'm with Super Gay, take a picture with him!" 154 00:26:24,931 --> 00:26:28,281 That's another way to do activism from our point of view. 155 00:26:35,289 --> 00:26:37,639 So, Reese, how did it feel when you put on the mask? 156 00:26:37,683 --> 00:26:38,903 How'd you feel when you were donning that? 157 00:26:58,704 --> 00:27:00,364 I like this one very much. 158 00:27:00,401 --> 00:27:01,751 I love that one, too. 159 00:27:01,794 --> 00:27:05,584 I've always been kind of intrigued about how 160 00:27:05,624 --> 00:27:09,024 Exoticos are viewed within the gay community. 161 00:27:09,062 --> 00:27:13,242 Maybe we are not so much attracted to see 162 00:27:13,283 --> 00:27:17,243 wrestling matches, because if we go to see an Exotico, 163 00:27:17,287 --> 00:27:19,677 we go like... 164 00:27:19,725 --> 00:27:21,115 It's fun, yeah. 165 00:27:21,161 --> 00:27:25,171 But really, gays don't behave like that all the time. 166 00:27:25,208 --> 00:27:28,118 And these stereotypes are also a little bit harmful, 167 00:27:28,168 --> 00:27:30,688 which is something that we also fight against. 168 00:27:30,736 --> 00:27:34,126 Unfortunately, the Exotico, the classical Exotico 169 00:27:34,174 --> 00:27:36,704 feeds that stereotype of a hypersexualized gay man. 170 00:27:36,742 --> 00:27:40,752 Exactly, where everybody can identify, "This guy is gay." 171 00:27:40,789 --> 00:27:43,529 'Cause people assume that if you are gay, 172 00:27:43,574 --> 00:27:48,714 you have to "look" a certain way or act somehow. 173 00:27:48,754 --> 00:27:49,934 I don't really know. 174 00:27:49,972 --> 00:27:51,932 - Like an Exotico? - Probably. 175 00:27:51,974 --> 00:27:54,154 And we come back to the stereotypes. 176 00:27:54,194 --> 00:27:56,204 - Yeah. - You know? 177 00:27:57,632 --> 00:28:00,552 Super Gay is not against Exoticos, of course not. 178 00:28:02,724 --> 00:28:06,384 We are against the stereotypes. 179 00:28:07,903 --> 00:28:10,213 We haven't really met a wrestler 180 00:28:10,253 --> 00:28:12,693 that was willing to fight for their community rights. 181 00:28:14,867 --> 00:28:16,907 After discussing Exoticos with Joselo, 182 00:28:16,956 --> 00:28:19,256 I wanted to introduce him to Estrella. 183 00:28:19,306 --> 00:28:21,826 While her in-ring skills are impressive, 184 00:28:21,874 --> 00:28:24,704 it's her outspoken views on trans rights inside and outside 185 00:28:24,746 --> 00:28:27,096 the sport that I think he'll find most powerful. 186 00:28:27,140 --> 00:28:29,750 I brought Joselo to meet her in person at her training facility 187 00:28:29,795 --> 00:28:31,575 in Mexico City. 188 00:29:38,994 --> 00:29:40,784 I would imagine, just like anywhere else, 189 00:29:40,822 --> 00:29:43,742 you have to confront discrimination in Lucha. 190 00:29:43,782 --> 00:29:46,482 Is that wrong for me to assume that, 191 00:29:46,523 --> 00:29:48,133 or is that something you have to deal with in Lucha Libre? 192 00:30:20,819 --> 00:30:22,469 So that's the goal, I guess. 193 00:30:22,516 --> 00:30:23,866 You're gonna be competing for 194 00:30:23,909 --> 00:30:25,299 that women's title one day in AAA? 195 00:31:01,294 --> 00:31:03,044 Do you view what you do in the ring 196 00:31:03,078 --> 00:31:05,118 as an extension of what Super Gay does? 197 00:33:30,051 --> 00:33:32,581 The world of a wrestler is hard on the body and the mind 198 00:33:32,619 --> 00:33:36,099 at the best of times, so Joselo guiding Estrella to transition 199 00:33:36,144 --> 00:33:38,844 in a healthy manner helps ensure Estrella is able to 200 00:33:38,886 --> 00:33:41,756 continue fighting for her rights in and out of the ring. 201 00:33:41,802 --> 00:33:43,852 Like many of her peers, wrestling has been a way 202 00:33:43,891 --> 00:33:46,071 for Estrella to begin the process of being open 203 00:33:46,111 --> 00:33:47,941 and confident about who she is. 204 00:33:59,863 --> 00:34:02,343 - Hola! - Hi! 205 00:34:02,388 --> 00:34:04,518 How many days a week are you out here cutting hair? 206 00:34:07,349 --> 00:34:09,049 I find it shocking that you... you know, 207 00:34:09,090 --> 00:34:10,350 you have to be out here cutting hair. 208 00:34:10,396 --> 00:34:12,176 Like, Lucha isn't enough to pay all the bills? 209 00:34:21,494 --> 00:34:23,544 Do you like being called an Exotico? 210 00:34:23,583 --> 00:34:25,063 Because you're a luchadora. 211 00:34:34,072 --> 00:34:35,462 Would you ever want to see that change? 212 00:35:03,101 --> 00:35:04,321 Awesome, awesome. 213 00:37:24,416 --> 00:37:26,936 Who is she fighting against today? 214 00:37:26,983 --> 00:37:28,123 - Today? - Yeah. 215 00:37:28,158 --> 00:37:29,508 It's her against Polvo. 216 00:37:30,987 --> 00:37:32,597 This tag match is a rare treat, 217 00:37:32,641 --> 00:37:35,561 as Polvo does not get inside the ring very often. 218 00:37:54,010 --> 00:37:56,100 Polvo was like so key in getting her to come to 219 00:37:56,143 --> 00:37:57,803 Mexico City and kind of pursue this. 220 00:37:57,840 --> 00:37:59,190 Yeah. 221 00:37:59,233 --> 00:38:02,543 So, it's like a teacher versus student dynamic. 222 00:38:12,202 --> 00:38:13,642 Polvo de Estrellas. 223 00:38:13,682 --> 00:38:15,642 Look how fantastic he looks. 224 00:38:27,740 --> 00:38:29,740 Wow, she looks amazing. 225 00:38:29,785 --> 00:38:31,125 She looks incredible. 226 00:38:31,178 --> 00:38:36,618 Le Parka Negra! 227 00:38:36,662 --> 00:38:38,232 La Parka, oh, wow. 228 00:38:40,622 --> 00:38:46,282 Nino Hamburguesa! 229 00:38:46,324 --> 00:38:48,504 - Who is this? - Hamburguesa. 230 00:38:48,543 --> 00:38:51,293 Estrella couldn't have asked for a better partner for this match. 231 00:39:13,612 --> 00:39:14,832 What is this? 232 00:39:14,874 --> 00:39:16,624 What the hell is going on here? 233 00:39:22,838 --> 00:39:24,058 They want a kiss! 234 00:39:29,932 --> 00:39:32,072 Aah! 235 00:39:37,070 --> 00:39:39,200 So even Estrella's doing that chant there? 236 00:39:40,465 --> 00:39:45,465 But either she's aware of it and she's using it 237 00:39:45,513 --> 00:39:49,263 to show him he lacks courage, or she doesn't really know 238 00:39:49,299 --> 00:39:51,079 the implications of it. 239 00:39:51,127 --> 00:39:52,477 I don't really know. 240 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:55,310 I guess it also shows just how engrained it is 241 00:39:55,349 --> 00:39:56,519 in sports culture. 242 00:39:56,568 --> 00:39:58,438 - Exactly, it is. - As a taunt. 243 00:40:13,149 --> 00:40:14,279 Oh! 244 00:40:16,109 --> 00:40:17,939 Boo! 245 00:40:27,381 --> 00:40:28,561 Oh! 246 00:40:37,478 --> 00:40:43,348 Estrella! Estrella! Estrella! 247 00:40:54,669 --> 00:40:57,409 I think you both are converted to fans of... 248 00:40:57,455 --> 00:40:58,585 of Estrella matches. 249 00:40:58,630 --> 00:40:59,720 We will. 250 00:41:03,156 --> 00:41:04,456 Oh shit! 251 00:41:13,079 --> 00:41:16,079 Estrella! Estrella! 252 00:41:16,125 --> 00:41:18,945 Estrella Divina wins the match and helps further cement herself 253 00:41:18,998 --> 00:41:21,828 as a baby face within the world of AAA wrestling. 254 00:41:21,870 --> 00:41:24,220 What's special about this is that it wasn't that long ago 255 00:41:24,264 --> 00:41:26,884 that the idea of a trans luchadora in a major company, 256 00:41:26,919 --> 00:41:29,179 not being a heel, would have seemed impossible. 257 00:41:29,225 --> 00:41:30,395 So, what do you think of Estrella, 258 00:41:30,444 --> 00:41:31,454 now that you've seen her in the ring? 259 00:41:31,489 --> 00:41:32,749 - She's amazing. - Amazing. 260 00:41:32,794 --> 00:41:34,064 She's amazing. 261 00:41:34,100 --> 00:41:35,490 And look at these kids come up to her, like... 262 00:41:35,536 --> 00:41:39,236 Yeah, yeah, she's already a... a star. 263 00:41:40,585 --> 00:41:42,145 You were incredible. 264 00:42:26,152 --> 00:42:28,812 When wrestlers like Pimpinela, Polvo, and Miss Gaviota 265 00:42:28,850 --> 00:42:30,590 first started wrestling as exoticos, 266 00:42:30,635 --> 00:42:32,985 they opened a space within Lucha Libre. 267 00:42:33,028 --> 00:42:35,808 Now, nearly two decades on, they've become legends 268 00:42:35,857 --> 00:42:38,117 in the sport, playing to sold out venues and being beamed to 269 00:42:38,164 --> 00:42:39,914 television sets across the nation. 270 00:42:41,646 --> 00:42:43,596 For an entire generation of children, 271 00:42:43,648 --> 00:42:46,478 they were the first openly queer and trans people 272 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:48,650 allowed broadcast on Mexican airwaves. 273 00:42:50,916 --> 00:42:54,616 At the same time, the tactics that exoticos use in the ring 274 00:42:54,659 --> 00:42:56,399 could be considered derogatory, 275 00:42:56,443 --> 00:42:58,583 and play on negative homophobic stereotypes 276 00:42:58,619 --> 00:43:01,319 that go all the way back to the very beginning of the sport. 277 00:43:05,017 --> 00:43:07,847 Will the tradition of exoticos continue on? 278 00:43:07,889 --> 00:43:09,979 It seems that as long as crowds line up to see them, 279 00:43:10,022 --> 00:43:12,552 promoters will continue booking matches. 280 00:43:12,590 --> 00:43:14,550 But eventually there may come a day 281 00:43:14,592 --> 00:43:17,252 when the wrestlers themselves refuse classification, 282 00:43:17,290 --> 00:43:19,600 and instead fight for the freedom to wrestle 283 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:21,250 without labels. 284 00:43:21,294 --> 00:43:23,304 Watching Estrella Divina, I think that day is coming 285 00:43:23,339 --> 00:43:25,249 sooner than later.