Abstract

Aesthetics has been an essential part of discourses of control and of the policing of queerness or jotería. Nevertheless, aesthetics has also been crucial in the emancipation, self-valorization, and self-determination processes of Latina/o queers, jota/as, tortilleras (tortilla makers), maricones (“faggots”), and mariposas (butterflies) – all variations of queerness. It is not only our sexual desires and fantasies that make jota/os unique and disturb others but also the manner in which we approach and customize spaces: in other words, how we “mariconize” the world around us. Therefore, we must ask: How does this process take place? What are some of the maricón or jota/o aesthetic approaches that emerge from our unique experiences?