Wrapped in flowers and bright colors, and wearing a traditional costume along with a flower crown and a hot pink fan, Estrella, who is muxe (also spelled muxhe), is the star of Vogue Mexico’s December issue, in a great step forward for inclusion and Mexican folklore.
The shot, captured by renowned photographer Tim Walker, is the product of a collaboration between Vogue Mexico & Latin America and Vogue UK, who worked together to bring to light a series of portraits.
According to the Mexican publication: “In this occasion, and for the first time, #VogueMexico and @BritishVogue have come together for a fashion shoot to celebrate our 20th anniversary. With Mexican and British talent, this creative collaboration gave our teams the opportunity to exchange cultures and ideas captured by the lens of the the great British photographer, #TimWalker, thereby creating a joint history for both magazines.”
Source: @voguemexicoOn the cover’s announcement, which was made through their social media, Vogue wrote: “MUXE Naa: Once upon a time, there was a land full of magic, golden filigree, and iguanas, where the breeze still whispers LEGENDS in the ears of passersby. This is where, since time immemorial, the third gender’s story begins. In a world where labels seem to be ESSENTIAL, #muxes are figures who refuse to be put inside a box. The third gender plays an important role in #Zapotec history and has become living proof that its ancestral magic still walks this land.”
Hailing from Juchitán, in the state of Oaxaca, Estrella was chosen to be the face of Vogue Mexico’s December issue, which will hit stands in a few days, and which celebrates the third gender that exists only in the Zapotec region of the Tehuantepec Isthmus. In this culture, muxes exist beyond the traditional binaries of day-night, good-bad, and man-woman.
Source: @voguemexico
Who are the Muxes?
Muxes are born with a penis, but they have never identified as men. They don’t identify as women either, and they don’t want to be women or transgender. They are simply muxe and as such they have their own cultural identifiers and roles in their family and their community.
They aren’t gay either, and they aren’t transsexual: they are muxe, and their gender expressions are as varied as there are people in the world.
Fashion + culture + inclusion
With this new cover, Vogue Mexico & Latin America showcases Mexican culture and traditions along with inclusion, following the issue featuring actress Yalitza Aparicio, Rarámuri runner María Lorena Ramírez, and chef Abigail Mendoza.
