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LGBTQ+ Collective Puts Unique Spin on Mexico City's Day of the Dead Tradition
27 Oct
Summary
- Drag artist Angel Arumir and his collective Exoticas march in Catrina parade
- Parade celebrates Mexico's iconic Catrina skeleton figure with vibrant costumes
- LGBTQ+ community faces high levels of violence in Mexico, especially transgender women
On October 27, 2025, Mexico City's annual Catrina parade took place, celebrating the country's iconic Day of the Dead tradition. This year, the event saw a unique twist, as the LGBTQ+ collective Exoticas joined the festivities with their own vibrant flair.
Leading the charge was drag artist Angel Arumir, who donned a pink dress inspired by Mexican folk art and a purple wig adorned with a flower crown. Arumir and his team of nearly 200 LGBTQ+ artists, stylists, and designers were one of over 40 groups marching in the parade, each adding their own rhythm, color, and message to the streets of Mexico City.
For Arumir and his fellow performers, the Catrina parade offered a rare moment of safety and solidarity in a country where the LGBTQ+ community, especially transgender women, face alarmingly high levels of violence. In 2024, more than 80 queer people were murdered in Mexico, ranking the country second in Latin America and the Caribbean for such crimes.
Despite the challenges, the Exoticas collective is determined to celebrate their culture and fight for their rights. As the parade rolled through the city, Arumir and his group danced to traditional Latino pop songs, drawing cheers and smiles from the thousands of spectators lining the streets.
