The Story Of How "41" Became A Homophobic Slur

In the early 20th century, 41 men were arrested at a queer ball in Mexico City, and it became a huge scandal. But why is the story still so relevant?

One autumn night in 1901, a mansion in Mexico City, where a fancy ball was taking place, was raided by police, and all the guests were arrested. The news traveled fast throughout the country, not because of the disturbances the party was causing for the neighbors, but rather because all the guests were men, and some of them wore women’s clothes.

Now, this story was one of the biggest scandals of the time, and besides showing us how homophobia has permeated in society for centuries, it could also show how resentment towards an unjust government can easily unleash the worst behaviors. So, let’s go step by step.

The night of November 18, 1901, a policeman watching the streets noticed there was a party going on in the Tabacalera neighborhood in Mexico City. When he took a look through the window, he was scandalized to see that the party was full of men. Immediately, he called for backup to raid the house. When they knocked on the door, they were received by an “effeminate man dressed in drag.” Immediately, the guests realized what was going on (though homosexuality hadn't been punishable by law for decades), and those in drag tried to hide to get rid of the dresses. No one managed to do so.

Forty-one men were arrested and taken to the police station. Nineteen of them were dressed in drag and taken to separate quarters for having a “morally offensive conduct.” The first punishment was forcing all of them to sweep the streets wearing their party clothes. Eventually, though the authorities tried to keep the raid a secret, rumors about a "queer ball" started spreading.

However, the biggest rumor was that it wasn't actually forty-one attendants, but rather forty-two. So, who was this mystery man that authorities kept a secret? Well, the gentleman in drag who failed to hide his identity was none other than Ignacio de la Torre y Mier, the only son-in-law of Porfirio Díaz, Mexico's president. De la Torre was the son of one of the country's richest landowners, so he was naturally one of the most eligible bachelors and the perfect match for the president’s daughter. He soon became known as “El yerno de la Nación” (the nation's son-in-law).

As THE hot couple of the moment, all eyes were on them, and soon, rumors about De la Torre’s sexuality started to swirl. Not only was it known that they slept in different rooms, but they‌ ‌would also appear separately at official events. Besides that, it was well known he loved organizing wild, lavish parties with his friends (mainly male friends, sparking even more rumors). Actually, everyone knew that he attended parties with men dressed in drag, but he claimed they were nothing more than just fun, costume parties.

But let’s go back to that party on November 18, 1901, now. It’s said that the list with the names of the attendants was handed to the President himself the next morning. Legend has it, after reading the names, Díaz asked how many had been arrested, and the officer's answer was “42.” But Díaz grabbed his pen, crossed Ignacio’s name out and said, “no, 41,” forbidding everyone from ever mentioning his attendance to the party.

The episode became well-known thanks to Amada Díaz (de la Torre's wife), who wrote in her diary about how her father told her about the arrest and how he ordered that her husband's name be concealed from the public, which did happen… for a while. Meanwhile, de la Torre’s privileged position started to crumble after the episode, with his father-in-law following every single step he made. His fate would change dramatically during the Mexican Revolution, when he became a prisoner of none other than Emiliano Zapata (with whom, rumor has it, he had a relationship when the latter worked at de la Torre’s hacienda).

As for the members of the so-called "41 club," those able to pay the bail had to learn how to endure public scorn. Those without money weren’t that lucky. They were sent to far-off Yucatán and forced to join the army and do forced labor, not without also being publicly shamed. The people of Mexico, so settled in its macho culture, naturally applauded the measures taken against these men and even turned the number 41 into a homophobic slur.

Plaque remembering the Dance of the 41 placed 100 years later. What’s interesting about the story is not how homophobia has been a thing for so long, but actually, how social resentment unleashes it even more. The fact that the story was covered in most newspapers around the country and the fact that even famous characters like José Guadalupe Posada chose to portray it in his art, shows that people were just waiting for a story that would ridicule the government, and this was definitely it.

The Story Of How "41" Became A Homophobic Slur

In the early 20th century, 41 men were arrested at a queer ball in Mexico City, and it became a huge scandal. But why is the story still so relevant?

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