There are no federal laws governing homosexuality in Mexico, and hence it's legal. There are, however, laws enforcing "public morality", which although they are supposed only to apply to prostitution, are often used against gays out cruising. While July 1997 saw the election of Mexico's first "out" congresswoman, the left-wing PRD's Patria Jimémez, the right-wing party, PAN, has been running anti-gay campaigns in towns and states that it controls, closing gay bars in Monterrey and passing an ordinance against "abnormal sexual behaviour" in Guadalajara.

There are in fact a large number of gay groups and publications in Mexico - we've supplied two contact addresses. The lesbian scene is nothing like as visible or as large as the gay scene for men, but it's there and growing. There are gay bars and clubs in the major resorts and US border towns, and in large cities such as the capital, and also Monterrey, Guadalajara, Veracruz and Oaxaca; elsewhere, private parties are where it all happens, and you'll need a contact to find them.

As far as popular attitudes are concerned, religion and machismo are the order of the day, and prejudice is rife. Even so, soft porn magazines for gay men are sold openly on street stalls and, while you should be careful to avoid upsetting macho sensibilities, you should have few problems if you are discreet (camp gay men and butch women, incidentally, are known in Mexico as obvios ). Many Mexicans of both sexes are bisexual, though they do not see themselves as such ("The difference between a straight and a gay," says one gay activist, "is about two beers."). In Juchitán, Oaxaca, on the other hand, gay male transvestites, known as muxes , are accepted as a kind of third sex, and the town even has a transvestite basketball team.

HIV and AIDS (SIDA) are as much a threat in Mexico as anywhere else in the world, and the usual precautions are in order. As for contacts within Mexico: lesbians can get in touch with Grupo Lesbico Patlatonalli, Aptdo Postal 1-4045, Guadalajara, Jalisco; while for gay men, CIDHOM (Colectivo de Información de las Homosexualidades en Mexico), Aptdo Postal 13-424, México D.F. 03500, can offer information.