Gay Pride, Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico. Tepoztlán celebration of Gay Pride Day, July 25, 2025
The first Pride‐related event in Tepoztlán dates back to July 25, 2015, when the local Comité por la Diversidad Sexual organized a cultural event featuring drag and musical shows, alongside HIV/STI awareness booths and rapid testing. It drew participation from other Morelos municipalities and had about 2,000 attendees.
Surprisingly, since the first Gay Pride event in Mexico, in 1979, there have been many all across the country, even in small towns. Morelos, the Mexican state that includes Tepoztlán, legalized same-sex marriage in 2016.
Here is a quote showing high expectations before this year's event:
"Several committees from Morelos will be coming to support the Tepoztlán community. There will be spectacular shows, including transvestites, musicals, and singing... It's important to note that many heterosexuals are supporting us, and it's surprising," explains Mora Villamil, who expects around two thousand people to attend.
The Parade
The event kicked off with a very colorful parade down the main street of Tepoztlán, with an exceptional drum group, Batala, providing the marching cadence.
Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico. Gay Pride parade, 2024
Batala
I heard Batala play in a drumming concert under a huge tent several months ago. They were in full force then, with fifty drums lined up in rows by drum size. Their performance was loud in that enclosed space, and consisted of mind-altering polyrhythmic changes.
Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico. Batala drum group leading the Gay Pride parade
Here is a Facebook link of a video of Batala. And here is a slideshow with videos on Instagram.
Stage Shows
Following the parade, at the civic plaza stage, were a variety of performers.
Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico. Gay Pride performers: Obsidana, the queen of this event, is at the bottom. Maik, upper right, is a transvestite. In the upper left is Alexandria, another performer.
Here is an Instagram video of the queen dancing.
Artivist Priestess
I met DaVida at a conference in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico in January 2022, and bought her book that had came out just a year earlier.
Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, January 2022 at the Greater Reset Conference. Top: DaVida; bottom: me with her book.
I bring her up because she is a divine transexual woman, although she minimizes this aspect of herself. The book has a total of 100 pages. From page 88 through 97 is a chapter entitled: "Priestess of Unconditional Love," where she tells of her relationship with her "Twin Flame" or "Twin Soul." That relationship began in 2012, when she was 32 years old and he was nine years younger.
She mentioned that he was gay and said: "He was . . . scared of my femininity. . . What we had experienced wasn't gay." And then she described what happened when they took LSD together: "It was the right moment to reveal my most private secret . . . I told him I was a transexual woman."
Her spiritual philosophy on love: "True love is when two people make each other love themselves even more."
You can read more about her in my blog here.
Is Tepoztlán Gay Friendly?
My answer to this is a resounding "Yes!"
I cannot say this for sure about all of the non-binary types usually added to the gay designation.
Here is an article, "Gay-Friendly Tepoztlán: Hiking, Art, and LGBTQ Tips." It has a lot of information for the traveler, and for those interested in relocation from the US. However, it does erroneously say: "Tepoztlán doesn’t have a major LGBTQ Pride event." Obviously the author was ignorant about the annual local Gay Pride Day.
If you are LGBTQ+, and considering relocating or retiring to Mexico, we are here for you! Please check out our site and get in touch to learn more of what we offer.
