Gay Men Pose for Photos While Being Detained at a Police Station in Mexico City - 1935
The above image is from a set housed in the National Photo Library of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico, and they depict a group of Mexican men purportedly arrested for homosexuality in 1935. These photographs were taken in Lecumberri prison in Mexico City, a place notorious for its harsh conditions and the mistreatment of prisoners.
Lecumberri prison, often referred to as "The Black Palace of Lecumberri," was a prominent penitentiary in Mexico City from 1900 until its closure in 1976. It was infamous for its severe overcrowding and the brutal treatment of inmates. Among those incarcerated were individuals arrested for their sexual orientation, a reflection of the harsh societal and legal attitudes towards homosexuality at the time.
In the early 20th century, Mexican society, like much of the world, viewed homosexuality as a deviant behaviour. The legal system mirrored these prejudices, criminalizing homosexual acts and subjecting those accused to imprisonment and public shaming. The men in these photographs were likely arrested under such laws, their identities reduced to mere subjects of derision and punishment.
The photographs from 1935 provide a rare and unsettling glimpse into the lives of these men. Despite the grim circumstances, the images capture a range of emotions and interactions among the detainees. Some appear defiant, others resigned, and a few even display a sense of camaraderie. Their clothing and hairstyles reflect the fashion of the era, grounding these images in a specific historical moment.
Very little is known about the individuals themselves. Their names, stories, and ultimate fates remain largely undocumented, lost to history. However, the images serve as a testament to their existence and their suffering, preserving a moment of resistance and humanity in the face of systemic oppression.
Lecumberri Prison and Ward J
Lecumberri's history is marked by its reputation for harsh conditions and the strict segregation of inmates. Up until 1976, gay men were often imprisoned in a specific ward known as "J" or "Jota." The term "joto" (derived from the letter "J") is a derogatory slang still used as a homophobic slur in Mexico. This segregation was not only a form of control but also a means of further stigmatising and isolating homosexual individuals.
The conditions in Ward J were notoriously inhumane. Inmates faced physical and psychological abuse, overcrowding, and a lack of basic necessities. Despite these conditions, the ward also became a space where a unique subculture could develop, providing some sense of community and solidarity among the detainees.
Luis Arturo Salmerón, in his article ‘Pride Behind Bars’, covered the photos: “The detainees' smile, posed to scandalise the same people who took them prisoner; they look proud before the cameras of the society that represses them.
“Why do they do it? I want to believe – and the images seem to confirm it – that it is their way of resisting, of challenging the society that oppresses them and encloses them, but, as their faces shout at us from the distance of the years, they can not change them.
“They are shouting that there they are, that they can lock them up or kill them, but they will not leave, that they will fight so that society can finally be inclusive and that sexual diversity is not persecuted as a crime.
“We do not know their names, but we can remember their challenging faces as a brief tribute to the thousands of victims of a struggle that in Mexico has made some progress, although it still has a long way to go.”