Quinceañeras traditionally mark a significant transition from childhood to adulthood for girls in Latinx cultures, characterized by elaborate celebrations featuring ball gowns and ceremonial rituals.
However, this ritual has often excluded queer and gay boys who feel marginalized and left out of a moment that is steeped in family pride and communal celebration.
Oliver DelGado, the chief marketing and communications officer at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, reflects on his own experience of not being able to celebrate a quinceañera.
“Being a cis gay male, I didn’t really get the chance to celebrate my own quinceañera because traditionally that’s not the way it works,” DelGado shares.
He recounts how his cousin’s quinceañera coincided with his 18th birthday, allowing him to embrace his own coming-out story.
“The same way she was debuting or coming out as a young lady, I was formally coming out as a gay man,” he recalls.
Now, two decades later, DelGado is working to create similar opportunities for others who may have missed out on their own quinceañera celebrations.
The Los Angeles LGBT Center is set to host its third annual Queerceañera, often referred to as Queerce, a vibrant celebration that honors queer Latine culture.
This year’s event is themed “Mariposas Sin Fronteras,” or “Butterflies Without Borders,” and aims to elevate narratives of migration and the transformative nature of queer and trans joy.
Highlighting the event will be drag artist and social media personality Lushious Massacr, alongside bar owner and community organizer Oliver Alpuche.
Lushious, originally from Brownsville, Texas, gained notoriety for winning a Primetime Emmy Award for makeup artistry on the HBO series “We’re Here.”
She recalls a fond memory of being the only male in her cousin’s baile sorpresa, embracing the moment despite feeling societal pressures to conform to traditional masculinity.
“As a Mexican kid, society, your community and your family teach you to be afraid of yourself and to feel shame,” Lushious says, reflecting on her upbringing.
Although she never had her own quinceañera, she experienced a significant moment of self-acceptance through her drag mother, Divina Garza, who helped inspire Lushious to embrace her identity fully.
“She taught me to embrace myself through drag in spite of the world not loving me back.
I’m big, I’m brown, I’m gay and I’m fem. Everything changed after that,” she shares.
Now, she views the upcoming Queerce as a chance to celebrate the quinceañera she never experienced, expressing what it means to truly own her identity.
“I would have had the biggest quinceañera ever, with the most beautiful dress and the most beautiful hair,” Lushious reflects wistfully.
In a parallel narrative, Oliver Alpuche sees his recognition at this year’s Queerce as a pivotal moment in a decade-long journey.
Alpuche was the founder of the now-closed gay bar Redline and played a key role in launching the DTLA Proud Festival, which continues to highlight the queer community in downtown Los Angeles.
Coming from a Belizean American background, Alpuche did not have many opportunities to attend quinceañeras growing up, but he acknowledges their significance within Los Angeles culture.
“I love the idea of blending my Belizean culture with my queerness,” he states, revealing his plans for a triple quinceañera with his twin brother on their upcoming 45th birthday.
To Alpuche, the quinceañera symbolizes far more than a celebration.
It represents a collective yearning for acceptance and recognition from society—an energy he strives to foster through the DTLA Proud Festival, creating a safe space for the queer community.
The festival recently celebrated its tenth anniversary in the heart of Los Angeles on Olvera Street, a location steeped in Latin cultural significance.
“We don’t have to separate our culture from our queerness,” argues Alpuche passionately.
This year’s Queerce intentionally focuses on migration and immigrant rights, an especially poignant topic as immigration enforcement remains a pressing concern in Southern California.
The Los Angeles LGBT Center plans to provide free legal resources for immigrant community members, transforming Queerce into not just a celebration but also an empowering space for collective support and safety.
“Immigrants are the backbone of L.A., and queer people have always been at the heart of building community and mobilizing others,” Alpuche emphasizes.
Lushious also engages with the theme of immigrant rights in her popular “Dragvestigate” videos, where she addresses real-life issues faced by her community while advocating for those impacted by immigration challenges.
In a recent episode, she shared the story of fellow drag queen Xunami Muse’s self-deportation and reflected on her close friend’s undocumented status.
“When I think about Mariposas Sin Fronteras, I immediately think of my friend,” she affirms.
This celebration, while rooted in joy, underscores the importance of resilience and empowerment in the face of adversity.
“She’s the true Mariposa Sin Frontera,” Lushious concludes, proudly acknowledging her friend’s strength and determination.
The atmosphere at Queerce promises to blend the richness of tradition with the vibrancy of queer identities, fostering a deeper sense of belonging for those who attend.
image source from：latimes
