Mexico City Gay Chorus as a benchmark for LGBT+ choirs in America
The Mexico City Gay Chorus LGBTIQPA+ has been consolidated since its inception on June 13, 2013, as a cultural expression linked to an international movement of LGBT+ choirs that, from different geographies, have used music as a tool for visibility, dignity, and social transformation.
Its creation responded to a historical need for cultural representation, as well as the urgency of building safe and alternative spaces for a community marked by structural exclusion.
From its initial planning, the Mexico City Gay Chorus defined an artistic line aimed at bringing choral culture to younger audiences, through contemporary, accessible repertoires with a clear social awareness.
This aesthetic and political bet sought to address persistent problems in Mexico, a country that for years has ranked first in hate crimes, discrimination, workplace harassment, social inequality, and legal injustice towards LGBTIQPA+ populations, as well as as institutional abandonment and indifference to the needs of minorities.
The artistic project has been developed under the principle of a Culture of Peace, using music and professionally designed stage performances as vehicles to generate social reflection, empathy, and dialogue.
Its international presence has extended to cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, and Minneapolis, while in Mexico it has toured the states of Hidalgo, Morelos, Puebla, Nuevo León, and Mexico City.
The versatility of the Mexico City Gay Chorus has also been reflected in its participation alongside international artists such as Hugh Jackman, Mónica Naranjo, Gloria Trevi, Ana Bárbara, Regina Orozco, and Morgana Love, as well as in its involvement in three opera productions, consolidating a trajectory that articulates artistic excellence, cultural activism, and social commitment.
These collaborations have included joint performances and community activities in high schools with a high Latino presence, cultural centers dedicated to the dissemination of Latino culture in the United States, and spaces for care for LGBT+ youth.
After more than 12 years of artistic activity, the chorus has accumulated nearly 300 performances, held in a diversity of venues that include theaters, prisons, museums, schools, and hospitals, as well as its own productions in emblematic venues such as the Venustiano Carranza, Silvia Pinal, and the Teatro de la Ciudad Esperanza Iris theaters.
Among the choirs that have received this support are the Tijuana Gay Chorus, the Chiapas LGBTTi Chorus, the Sonora LGBT+ Chorus, the Lima Gay Chorus (Peru), the Montevideo Gay Men's Chorus (Uruguay), and the Rosario Gay Men's Chorus (Argentina), expanding its impact beyond national borders.
In its constant search for growth and international linkage, the group has actively collaborated with world-renowned choirs, including the New York City Gay Men's Chorus, the Gay Men's Chorus Los Angeles, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, and the San Diego Gay Men's Chorus.
In parallel, the chorus has promoted the building of fraternal ties at the national and international levels, becoming a benchmark and a source of inspiration for emerging groups.
Throughout its history, the Mexico City Gay Chorus has provided advice, workshops, and accompaniment to various groups, contributing to the strengthening of better choral and community practices.
