Have you ever heard of Nancy Cárdenas? If not, you’re in for an inspiring, fiery tale. Nancy was a trailblazer in Mexico’s LGBTQ+ movement and one of the first public figures to speak openly as a lesbian. Her legacy? Unforgettable. Grab a cafecito de olla and let’s dive into the herstory of this queer icon.
Nancy Cárdenas was born in 1934 in Coahuila, and it didn’t take long for her brilliance to shine. Her breakthrough came in 1960 with her first published work, The Dry Pitcher. That piece earned her a scholarship to Yale—yes, Yale!—where she absorbed the early waves of feminist thinking that would later fuel her activism.
Talk about foreshadowing!
Wearing All the Hats… and Then Some
Nancy was a force on and off the stage: speaker, actress, poet, theater producer, you name it. She gravitated toward plays with political punch, adapting works like The Well of Solitude, AIDS, Dialogues of Refugees, and The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant. Her artistic voice was deeply tied to the rebellious spirit of the student movements rocking Mexico in the ’60s and ’70s.
And in 1973? She directed The Boys in the Band, a play inspired by the Stonewall riots. It stirred scandal in Mexico, facing censorship from authorities. But Nancy? She wasn’t backing down.
Making Herstory on National TV
Her activism didn’t stop at theater. In a history-making moment, Nancy became the first Mexican intellectual to openly advocate for LGBTQ+ rights—on national television. During a 1973 interview on 24 Horas, she came out publicly. The backlash was harsh, but she responded with legendary grace:
"Sir, don't you know you're talking to a Lesbian!?"
Building Mexico’s First LGBTQ+ Organization
Nancy co-founded the Homosexual Liberation Front, Mexico’s first organization to publicly fight for queer rights. In 1975, she helped publish Mexico’s first Homosexual Manifesto, alongside cultural titans like Elena Poniatowska, Juan Rulfo, Carlos Monsiváis, and Luis González de Alba.
Talk about squad goals.
The Power of Pride
In 1978, during a commemoration of the Tlatelolco Massacre, Nancy led one of Mexico’s first public queer pride demonstrations. That same year, she read The Lesbian Declaration in Mexico at the International Women’s Year conference in Mexico City.
Just picture it—Nancy standing tall, unapologetically queer, demanding space for lesbian voices at the feminist table.
Activism Through the AIDS Crisis
In the 1980s, Nancy stayed on the frontlines. Her play AIDS… That’s Life tackled the epidemic head-on, aiming to educate and humanize the queer community. Her activism didn’t slow down, even as the challenges grew.
Nancy passed away in 1994 from breast cancer—but her voice echoes still.
Why Nancy Cárdenas Still Matters Today
Nancy Cárdenas is a name everyone should know. Her courage, creativity, and relentless drive made her a pillar of Mexico’s LGBTQ+ and feminist history. Her work laid the foundation for the queer activism we continue today.
Do You Want More Queer Herstory?
Join us at "MxCity for the Girls, Gays, and They’s" walking tour. Where we celebrate icons like Nancy while exploring Mexico’s vibrant LGBTQ+ history, feminism, and hidden stories you won’t find in guidebooks.
Reserve your spot now and walk through the queer side of Mexico City. Let’s keep Nancy’s legacy alive, together!
Book here!