Mexico City, or Cuidad de Mexico in Spanish, is a massive city boasting the fifth largest population in the world. High in the mountains, this Mexican capital city is located in the beautiful Valley of Mexico, with an altitude of around 7,400 feet (~2250 meters). This city spans an impressive area, covering around 571 square miles (1,485 km2) and supports a population of about 19,463,000 people.
The land on which Mexico City now stands used to be a large lake called Lake Texcoco. Around 700 years ago the Aztec Indians settled on an island in the middle of the lake. They slowly changed the land and water around them and built a city called Tenochtitlán. After around 200 years of prosperity, the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Aztec city. They conquered Tenochtitlán and built a new city on the island: Mexico City. Wanting more land and having trouble controlling flooding, the Spanish drained most of Lake Texcoco. Today, almost the entire lake basin is occupied by Mexico City.
Zona Rosa, or “Pink Zone” in English, is the red light district in Mexico City. It comprises 24 of the 99 blocks of a neighborhood called Colonia Juárez. The borders of the area are formed by Chapultepec Avenue and Metro Insurgentes to the south, Paseo de la Reforma to the north, Avenida Insurgentes to the east, and Varsovia Street to the west.
Zona Rosa is easily one of the most touristy areas in the city, filled with restaurants, hotels, live bands, bars, and clubs. Although no longer as trendy compared to the Polanco and Condesa districts, it is still a tourist favorite and a good place for nightlife and entertainment; the area around Plaza Garibaldi is known for its street sex workers. Being a hotspot in the city, you can also expect to be accosted by the typical street vendors and beggars, and there are dozens of men promoting strip clubs and other adult entertainment establishments.
History of the RLD
The Zona Rosa district has dramatically changed from its former elegant past. The district was once an exclusive residential area for Mexico City’s wealthy; a pleasant neighborhood with cafés and restaurants. It has now become an area of prostitution and cheap adult night-time entertainment. The area’s reputation started its decline in the 1980s when a number of luxury businesses closed down and businesses specializing in adult entertainment were opened in their place. Today, prostitution and all other similar activities such as lap dances and erotic massages have become prevalent.
How to Reach the RLD
Safety Information
Mexico City is much safer today than ten years ago. Taxi crime has been greatly reduced, and the city is considered safer than many U.S. cities. That being said, it is still a city of almost 20,000,000 so there is still a large amount of crime due to its sheer size. Be aware of your surroundings. As long as you don’t wander into dangerous neighborhoods at night, you shouldn’t run into any problems.
Zona Rosa in particular, is a safe location to walk around during the day, but once night falls it is generally considered unsafe. If you plan on going out in this area at night keep your wits about you and try to go out in a bigger group.
In recent years, erotic massage parlors and strip clubs have become very popular. Prostitution is legal, but not very organized. Some of the stimulating entertainment you can expect in the Mexican capital are strip clubs, erotic massage parlors, swinger clubs, and adult cinemas.
Adult Cinemas
Cine Erotika is an adult cinema which has a great VIP area for swinging couples. It is located in the Historical Center, and if you are not familiar with the city, it might be best if you think twice before coming to this cinema.
This cinema is reserved for couples and is located in the upper theater of a cinema on República de Cuba Street. Tickets will cost about 60 pesos per couple. As with other porn cinemas, movies are played without a schedule so people can come and go during the film. The seats are comfortable and cushioned.
Getting to this place is a mystery. This cinema doesn’t allow single men to enter, which can be comforting for many women and couples. It’s important to note that this cinema has a very decadent spirit, which can be appealing or disgusting depending on your interests. But if the theater is empty, the experience can be very sexy.
Erotic Massage Parlors
A number of massage parlors in Mexico City offer erotic or sensual massages. Some may offer bareback blowjob (BBBJ), but it’s not always guaranteed. It helps a lot if you can speak Spanish and are nice to the girl. Here are some recommended massage parlors:
Street Prostitution
Although street prostitution is illegal, it is still common along the streets of Mexico City. Some locations include the following:
Strip Clubs
Mexico City has a variety of well-maintained gentlemen’s clubs with beautiful Latina girls mostly from Mexico. Some of these clubs are only topless, while the others are fully nude. Here is a list of some of the most notable strip clubs in Mexico City:
Swinger Clubs
There is one swinger club in Mexico City that is worth mentioning: Club Desden Swinger. Swinger couples are required to pay 150-peso cover charge or entrance fee. From Tuesdays through Thursdays, you can only enter as triples or solo.
Prostitution is decriminalized in Mexico and regulated at the state level. Where it is regulated, prostitutes must be at least 18 years of age and registered. They are required to carry their health card, as well as pay for and receive health checks. Prostitution is not allowed in public, but Mexico City has a red light district where public prostitution occurs. Brothel ownership, as well as pimping, is illegal. The penalties for these actions are anywhere from three to eight years in prison.
Specific Laws for Gays
In 1862 to 1867, Mexico was occupied by the French and this resulted in the adoption of the Napoleonic Code. This decriminalized same-sex sexual acts, but laws against public indecency or immorality were used to prosecute people who engaged in the act.
In keeping with worldwide legal trends, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights in Mexico have recently expanded. On June 3, 2015, the Supreme Court of Justice changed the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples. It was determined that the articles in the constitution qualifying marriage to be only between a man and woman were unconstitutional. Same-sex unions were required to be validated by every justice provider in the nation, legalizing gay marriage.
The nightlife in Mexico’s capital is all about staying out until the early morning. A typical night in Mexico City begins around 10 p.m. and usually goes until after the sun comes up. Since Mexico City is so large and populated, you can be sure that there is a vast amount of places to choose from when going out at night, but the areas with the best nightlife are indisputably the Roma and Condesa neighborhoods. These neighborhoods offer both great late-night dining as well as lively clubs and bars. For something a little different, there are several tour companies that offer nightlife tours. These tours take you around the Federal District, where the food and drinks are very affordable.
In general, being gay in Mexico City is considered more taboo than in most other cosmopolitan cities. That being said, a number of LGBT groups, which have been aided by the United States gay liberation movement, have formed since the early 1970s. You can still find a flourishing gay community with great clubs and bathhouses specifically for gays in Mexico’s capital city.
General Attitude Towards Gays
Machismo is very prevalent in Latin culture, and Mexico City is no exception. The presence of machismo, or the strong sense of masculine pride, results in it being hard for gay men to openly express themselves. It’s politically correct to favor gay rights and accept gay people, but the actions of doing so isn’t as common. However, with globalization and influence of foreign cultures, these attitudes are changing.
Having deep-rooted ties with Catholicism also meant that the people tend to have a conservative take on homosexuality, but in the recent years, Mexico City has been more accepting of same-sex relationships. Gays and lesbians are welcome, and the city has promoted itself as a destination for gay tourists.
Gay and Lesbian Scene in Mexico City
The most common meeting point of the gay community is in the Zona Rosa, which boasts a healthy gay population. Here you can find dance clubs for gays as well as gay prostitutes. Since it is still somewhat taboo to be gay in Mexico City, the gay scene is a little more discrete than in other major cities. The Historic Center also is a good place to find clubs that cater to the gay scene.
Dance Clubs for Gays
Dance clubs are by far the most popular and lively aspect of the city’s gay scene. With a plethora of different clubs, all offering something special and different, you can be sure to find one that resonates with your interests. Here is a list of some of the popular nightclubs within the gay community
Bathhouses and Sex Clubs for Gays
Aside from dance clubs, bathhouses and sex clubs are also available for the gay community in Mexico City. Some of the notable places are listed below:
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