A brave Mexican newscaster does his show in drag. It’s put his life in danger.

Mexico is one of the deadliest countries for journalists. It also has one of the highest rates of violence against LGBTQ+ people. So when Amanda, Guillermo Barraza’s drag alter-ego, goes on air for his newscast in Mexico City, he’s taking his life in her hands.

Despite death threats and constant slurs, Barraza isn’t backing down. It’s only made him more determined.

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“Having an alter ego, you have fewer problems because they can’t harass a character,” he said. “You have more freedom to speak out.”

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“There are many things that Guillermo wouldn’t do or say that Amanda wouldn’t think twice about.”

While Mexico City (CDMX) is arguably the most LGBTQ+-friendly city in the nation, the conservative macho culture combined with the overwhelming influence of the Catholic church stains the general society. Gay couples routinely hold hands and kiss in the more affluent neighborhoods, malls, tourist areas, and Zona Rosa, the city’s gayborhood, but in the outlying barrios, Pride flags don’t fly in June and hate crimes are frequent.

CDMX hosts North America’s largest Pride celebration, pro-trans graffiti is scrawled on walls and buildings, and the city celebrated when a transgender woman won a popular reality show. And on the TV station Canal Once, Amanda delivers the news.

Ociel Baena, the first openly nonbinary person in Latin America to hold a judicial position, was a guest in late October. Two weeks later, they were found dead next to their partner in their home in a conservative central state.

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The police quickly declared it a crime of passion, arguing that Baena’s partner stabbed them and then committed suicide. But the explanation is a common excuse by authorities reluctant to investigate anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes; most murders in the country are never solved.

Friends, activists, and politicians decried the rushed announcement. Hundreds of people marched down a major thoroughfare to the president’s mansion, screaming, crying, and banging drums to protest. As they filled the zócalo, the central plaza facing the mansion, the Catholic cathedral, built on the ruins of the Aztec palace to indicate the church’s dominance over the native population, sat on the side of the square.

Barraza, tears streaming down his face as he marched, was one of the protestors that evening. He reported on the march and murder on his program.

“My mom wrote to me this morning incredibly worried. A couple friends wrote to me saying, ‘Man, step out of the spotlight. Don’t talk politics. Protect yourself,’” Barraza said as he walked down Paseo de la Reforma. “I don’t want my mom to have to be the one out here marching.”

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“Welcome to La Verdrag, the program where minorities turn into a majority,” Barraza says to open the show.

His show, a mix of headlines, in-depth investigative pieces, and interviews, is popular, but also brings thousands of hateful social media comments and threats.

“This hate speech against me continues to grow and grow. I’ve seen it on social media. What’s most regrettable are the death threats I’ve been receiving recently,” Baena said. “They’re ingredients that create a breeding ground for homicides.”

“I wouldn’t be the first journalist to be killed and I wouldn’t be the last. My biggest fear is that what I’m doing is going to hurt other people, my partner, my mom, my brother.”

But before every broadcast, Barraza dons a brightly colored wig, an elaborate outfit, and a confident smile. He goes on air, bringing news and commentary to a city that’s slowly becoming more tolerant. Each new bookstore or bar, supportive words from politicians and celebrities, and increased visibility for LGBTQ+ residents, brings CDMX closer to acceptance.

“In this country, no one is safe,” Barraza said. “The more visible you are, the more you want to fight for change, the more you put a target on your own chest. And if we have to put our lives on the line, that’s what we’ll do, because we won’t let fear win.”

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