The Gender and Sexuality of Cotita de Encarnación

Manley, Devin

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130952 Copy

Description

Title

The Gender and Sexuality of Cotita de Encarnación

Author(s)

Manley, Devin

Issue Date

2025-01-08

Keyword(s)

• Cotita de la Encarnación
• Spanish colonial documents
• queer analysis

Date of Ingest

2026-01-16T14:46:58-06:00

Abstract

In the year 1657, in San Lázaro, Mexico City, a mestiza laundress named Juana was washing clothes in a nearby river. A tedious yet necessary job, it was reserved for women in Novohispanic households. Suddenly, she was disturbed by a boy who ran to her for help. He was horrified and exclaimed that “there [were] two men riding each other like if they were on horseback!” She then ran to the site and witnessed the sexual act, deciding that local authorities were needed to assess the crime. The perceived sodomite in question was someone who referred to themself as “Cotita de la Encarnación.” They were originally born a mulato named Juan Galindo de la Vega. In the case of Cotita’s trial, they were charged with cross-dressing and engaging in anal intercourse with young boys, adults, and older gentlemen of all castes and social backgrounds engaging in anal intercourse with them. This offense was the crime of pecado nefando, or sodomy, the worst of the offenses possible under the sin of lust in Catholic religious doctrine.

Type of Resource

text

Genre of Resource

article

Language

eng

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Devin Manley

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