{"id":23709,"date":"2026-10-25T09:23:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-25T09:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev95.site\/queer-mediums-of-the-cult-of-maria-lionza-are-redefining-the-gender-binary-in-venezuelas-sacred-mountain\/"},"modified":"2026-10-25T09:23:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T09:23:17","slug":"queer-mediums-of-the-cult-of-maria-lionza-are-redefining-the-gender-binary-in-venezuelas-sacred-mountain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev95.site\/ar\/queer-mediums-of-the-cult-of-maria-lionza-are-redefining-the-gender-binary-in-venezuelas-sacred-mountain\/","title":{"rendered":"Queer mediums of the cult of Mar\u00eda Lionza are redefining the gender binary in Venezuela\u2019s sacred mountain"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"dev95-3685727037\" class=\"dev95-- dev95-entity-placement\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"\u0627\u0644\u0625\u0639\u0644\u0627\u0646\u0627\u062a\"><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl27862732.profitableratecpmnetwork.com\/2ad7a50e0bbc23ac6801d7b77c501463\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-2ad7a50e0bbc23ac6801d7b77c501463\"><\/div><\/div><div id=\"dev95-2038347310\" class=\"dev95-before-content dev95-entity-placement\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"\u0627\u0644\u0625\u0639\u0644\u0627\u0646\u0627\u062a\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Stop wasting time on dead links! \ud83d\uded1 This smart platform automatically detects your device and country to give you the exact best offer instantly. Check it out now 100% free! \ud83d\udc47<\/strong><br data-sfc-root=\"ep\" data-sfc-pl=\"|||[]\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.profitableratecpmnetwork.com\/pvhx5mbcc?key=ff7d362db3c20bc86fad685cc94f1fc4\">\ud83d\udd17 <strong class=\"rQesXe MPyX\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"ep\" data-complete=\"true\" aria-owns=\"action-menu-parent-container\" data-copy-service-computed-style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);\">[Click here]<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><p>Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><big class=\"tagline\"><em>Gender diversity, resistance and ritual cross-dressing in Venezuela&#8217;s sacred cult<\/em><\/big><\/p>\n<p class=\"originally-published\"><small>Originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/2026\/10\/25\/queer-mediums-of-the-cult-of-maria-lionza-are-redefining-the-gender-binary-in-venezuelas-sacred-mountain\/\">Global Voices<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_859681\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859681\" class=\"wp-image-859681 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/9-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_5-800x533.webp?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Portrait of Wander Rodr\u00edguez, part of the Mar\u00eda Dolores Rodr\u00edguez Caravan and its powers, and the LGBTIQ+ community. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/9-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_5-800x533.webp 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/9-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_5-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/9-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_5-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/9-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_5-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/9-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_5-2048x1365.webp 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/9-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_5-1200x800.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859681\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Portrait of Wander Rodr\u00edguez, part of the Mar\u00eda Dolores Rodr\u00edguez Caravan and its powers, and the LGBTIQ+ community. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In Venezuela, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/mundo\/noticias\/2010\/12\/101215_venezuela_sorte_religion_lionza_jrg\">Spiritism<\/a> as a religion is part of the collective imagination, of our identity; popular beliefs and ritual practices that take us back to our ancestors in colonial times. Over the years, Spiritism has evolved into a vibrant, contemporary national cult centered on the figure of <a href=\"https:\/\/es.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mar%C3%ADa_Lionza\">Mar\u00eda Lionza<\/a> as the principal protector of waters and the charms of nature, a figure who challenges the notions of the patriarchal state and opposes monotheistic religions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This religious system has been studied in depth by anthropologists in our country (<a href=\"https:\/\/saber.ula.ve\/bitstream\/handle\/123456789\/46799\/MARIA%20LIONZA_DaisyBarreto.pdf?sequence=205\">Daisy Barreto<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/25612032\">Angelina Pollak-Eltz<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/ilovepdf_merged_20240511\/page\/n23\/mode\/2up\">Michelle Asencio<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redalyc.org\/pdf\/747\/74791804.pdf\">Francisco Ferr\u00e1ndiz<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/asociacionlatinoamericanadeantropologia.net\/revistas\/index.php\/plural\/issue\/view\/6\/6\">Cesar Escalona<\/a>, among others), which I had read about and found interesting at the time, but which I later witnessed for the first time in its most important sites, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DPxIkGSDCtT\/?hl=en\">Quibayo and Sorte<\/a>, in the state of Yaracuy, Venezuela.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_859668\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859668\" class=\"wp-image-859668 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-400x267.jpg?resize=400%2C267&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Altar to Mar\u00eda Lionza in Quibayo (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 11. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859668\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Altar to Mar\u00eda Lionza in Quibayo (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 11. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These sites are part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CDjw0txBUQa\/?hl=en\">Cerro Mar\u00eda Lionza Natural Monument, <\/a>popularly known as the Monta\u00f1a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">de Sorte, and they represent the most prominent expressions of this cult nationwide, so they are visited year-round by practitioners or \u201ccaravans\u201d (as these groups are commonly called),<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">But few days are as important as October 11 and 12, when thousands of people flock there to celebrate the Day of Indigenous Resistance in Venezuela.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These dates offer an opportunity for ethnographic and cultural observation, specifically how oral histories and our ethnic origins are reclaimed; including those of Indigenous peoples, some of them warriors who fought against Spanish colonization, and African populations \u2014 enslaved people and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Maroons\">maroons<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 as we can understand through the figure of the Three Powers: Queen Mar\u00eda Lionza as the central figure of the cult, the leader, accompanied by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mincultura.gob.ve\/eventos\/8-de-diciembre-nace-el-cacique-guaicaipuro\/\">El Indio Guaicaipuro<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DWAveRJl1Dv\/?hl=en\">El Negro Felipe<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_859675\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859675\" class=\"wp-image-859675 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-de-octubre-Quibayo-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_1-400x267.jpg?resize=400%2C267&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Altar to Queen Mar\u00eda Lionza in Quibayo (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 11. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-de-octubre-Quibayo-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_1-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-de-octubre-Quibayo-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_1-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-de-octubre-Quibayo-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-de-octubre-Quibayo-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-de-octubre-Quibayo-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-de-octubre-Quibayo-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_1-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859675\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Altar to Queen Mar\u00eda Lionza in Quibayo (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 11. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For this celebration families gather among the trees and along the banks of the Yaracuy River, which runs through the entire mountain, setting up lavish altars to the various deities of Venezuelan spiritualism, which embody the sacred rituals characteristic of the Marialioncero cult.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The figure of Mar\u00eda Lionza is profound, and I believe it is risky to oversimplify her, as she is regarded as a Queen, a Goddess, a mother, and a guardian, yet there are also aspects linked to her sensuality, as evidenced by the iconographic representations of her that have emerged -naked or clothed, for example-. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this regard, I draw upon the writings of Francisco Ferr\u00e1ndiz and C\u00e9sar Escalona from the perspective of Venezuelan anthropology, combining them with my own observations and field interviews, to address issues related to gender and sexual diversity that are essential to the fascinating debate within the cult on <a href=\"https:\/\/incrementalcity.wordpress.com\/2012\/04\/09\/the-courts-of-maria-lionza\/\">its various courts<\/a> \u2014 such as the Black Court, the Viking Court, the Malandra Court, the Chamarrera Court, and the Medical Court, among others \u2014 and entities.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_859672\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859672\" class=\"wp-image-859672 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/6-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-scaled.jpg?resize=1280%2C854&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Detail of flowers and bottles of the Baile del vidrio (Glass Dance Ritual) in Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"854\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/6-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/6-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/6-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/6-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/6-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/6-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/6-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859672\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Detail of flowers and bottles of the Baile del vidrio (Glass Dance Ritual) in Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Gender diversity, gender discrimination<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Sorte Mountain is a setting where gender stereotypes are called into question, and I believe they undermine androcentric perspectives and rigid notions of masculinity and femininity found within Christianity, since the entities pose a challenge due to their wide spectrum in terms of strength, height, voice, attire, and other details of the mediums who embody them, as well as the particular characteristics of each spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_859671\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859671\" class=\"wp-image-859671 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/5-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-800x533.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Strenght between banks and Viking Court entity. Baile del vidrio (Glass Dance Ritual) in Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/5-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/5-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/5-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/5-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/5-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/5-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859671\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Strenght between banks and Viking Court entity. Baile del vidrio (Glass Dance Ritual) in Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In his ethnographies and writings, Ferrand\u00edz offers interesting reflections on the body and masculinity in this religion, and how male mediums (from a position of stigmatized masculinity) resisted possession by female spirits, something that did not occur as frequently among female spiritualists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That is why my encounter in Sorte with the Mar\u00eda Dolores Rodr\u00edguez Caravan and its powers \u2014 led by Osmer Padr\u00f3n and his godchildren \u2014 allowed me to also explore these aspects.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_859676\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859676\" class=\"wp-image-859676 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_19-800x533.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Osmer Padr\u00f3n embodies the spirit of Mar\u00eda Dolores. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_19-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_19-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_19-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_19-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_19-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/12-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_19-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859676\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Osmer Padr\u00f3n embodies the spirit of Mar\u00eda Dolores. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Osmer Padr\u00f3n, Wander Rodr\u00edguez, and Jhonaiker D\u00edaz are all male mediums that belong to the LGBTQ+ community, and are part of this caravan that channels female entities from <a href=\"https:\/\/ve.scielo.org\/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&amp;pid=S1315-64112009000300009\">the <\/a><span style=\"color: #000000\">Black Court, such as Mar\u00eda Dolores Rodr\u00edguez, Francisca Mart\u00ednez, Rita Encarnaci\u00f3n, and La Negra Tomasa; but in Osmer\u2019s case, he also channels Mister Piter, a male entity from the Viking Court, a warrior and healer.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wander tells me that in the LGBTQ+ spiritualist community, \u201cthere\u2019s a lot of discrimination, both inside and outside the mountain [of Sorte], but Queen Mar\u00eda Lionza is love and affection, and as many spiritual beings have said, we are all deeply cherished by her. We are here first and foremost to fulfill a mandate from Goddess and our Majesty Mar\u00eda Lionza. Nothing else matters.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_859674\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859674\" class=\"wp-image-859674 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/10-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_8-800x533.webp?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Portraits of Jhonaiker D\u00edaz (who works with the spirit of La Negra Tomasa) and Jos\u00e9 Rojas. They are part of the LGBTIQ+ community. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/10-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_8-800x533.webp 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/10-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_8-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/10-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_8-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/10-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_8-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/10-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_8-2048x1365.webp 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/10-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_8-1200x800.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859674\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Portraits of Jhonaiker D\u00edaz (who works with the spirit of La Negra Tomasa) and Jos\u00e9 Rojas. They are part of the LGBTIQ+ community. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regarding the practice of channeling female entities from the Black Court, Rodr\u00edguez tells me: <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most of us spiritualists in the LGBTQ+ community dress up in dresses \u2014 or find ourselves transported into that state \u2014 not because we want to\u2026 Right now, there\u2019s a lot of talk from people saying that men who want to be women channel Black Court entities just to wear dresses, but that\u2019s not the case. When a spiritual entity is a woman or was a woman, she always seeks to be fully covered, to cover her breasts, and why? Because she feels exposed; she feels alive. There are many spiritual entities, such as the Negra I work with \u2014 who is Rita Encarnaci\u00f3n Mart\u00ednez Ch\u00e1vez \u2014 as well as Mar\u00eda Dolores Rodr\u00edguez Rodr\u00edguez, Francisca Mart\u00ednez Mart\u00ednez, and Negra Tomasa, who have their dresses made for them. It\u2019s not because we want to wear dresses; if they were our own bodies, we\u2019d walk around shirtless, but no, they always\u2026 Spirituality always seeks to feel alive; that\u2019s why they put on their dress, their turban, and some even seek out a flower.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_859687\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859687\" class=\"wp-image-859687 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/11-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-copia-800x347.webp?resize=800%2C347&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Dresses for female entities from the Black Court: Francisca Mart\u00ednez, Francisca Palacios, Mar\u00eda Dolores Rodr\u00edguez, Negra Tomasa and Rita Encarnaci\u00f3n. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"800\" height=\"347\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/11-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-copia-800x347.webp 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/11-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-copia-400x173.webp 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/11-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-copia-768x333.webp 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/11-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-copia-1536x666.webp 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/11-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-copia-2048x888.webp 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/11-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-copia-1200x520.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859687\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dresses for female entities from the Black Court: Francisca Mart\u00ednez, Francisca Palacios, Mar\u00eda Dolores Rodr\u00edguez, Negra Tomasa and Rita Encarnaci\u00f3n. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are curious details regarding what the entities ask of their \u201cbanks\u201d \u2014people who also care for the physical forms of the entities \u2014 such as tobacco and aguardiente; but in the case of the black women, just as they ask for their dresses, they also ask for makeup and make gestures as if looking at themselves in a mirror. <\/span><\/p><div id=\"dev95-1387177754\" class=\"dev95- dev95-entity-placement\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"\u0627\u0644\u0625\u0639\u0644\u0627\u0646\u0627\u062a\"><center>\r\n<script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '4ba6b6513c00e0ba76511f798ae56401',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 50,\r\n    'width' : 320,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highrevenueformat.com\/4ba6b6513c00e0ba76511f798ae56401\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n\t<\/center>\r\n<br\/><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wander tells me that, in the case of Rita Encarnaci\u00f3n, \u201cher favorite flower is the cayena, since it was the flower with which she learned to perform her magic, while she labels \u201cother flowers as hypocrites, since those other flowers remain alive for many days after being plucked from nature, whereas the cayena once plucked from nature wilt immediately.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_859700\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859700\" class=\"wp-image-859700 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1-scaled.webp?resize=1280%2C854&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Altar to Las Tres Potencias (The Three Powers), in Quibayo (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 11. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"854\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1-400x267.webp 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1-800x533.webp 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1-2048x1365.webp 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales-1-1200x800.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859700\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Altar to Las Tres Potencias (The Three Powers), in Quibayo (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 11. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All of this demonstrates that Venezuelan spiritism must be examined through a gender lens, from a feminist perspective, reflecting on the power dynamics established between men and women, the presence of ritual cross-dressing during trance and possession rituals, and other aspects that enrich our understanding of this important Venezuelan religion.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_859678\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-859678\" class=\"wp-image-859678 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/14-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_32-800x533.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Wander Rodr\u00edguez enters a trance to receive the spirit of Rita Encarnaci\u00f3n. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/14-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_32-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/14-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_32-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/14-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_32-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/14-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_32-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/14-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_32-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/14-GV-Freisy-Gonzalez-Portales_32-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-859678\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wander Rodr\u00edguez enters a trance to receive the spirit of Rita Encarnaci\u00f3n. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12. Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Portales. Used with permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"gv-rss-footer\"><strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-credits-container\">\n<div class=\"text-credits-section\"><span class=\"credit-label\">Written by<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/author\/freisy-gonzalez\/\" class=\"user-link\">Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-top: 20px\">\n    published under a <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Creative Commons Attribution-Only license.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-top: 20px\">\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/globalvoices.org\/2026\/10\/25\/queer-mediums-of-the-cult-of-maria-lionza-are-redefining-the-gender-binary-in-venezuelas-sacred-mountain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Original source<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_23709\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"23709\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon large\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dev95.site\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif?resize=16%2C16&#038;ssl=1\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"dev95-1944236983\" class=\"dev95-after-content dev95-entity-placement\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"\u0627\u0644\u0625\u0639\u0644\u0627\u0646\u0627\u062a\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Finally, a link that actually works for your region and device! \ud83c\udf0d Get instant access to the top exclusive offers tailored just for you right now. Don&#8217;t miss out, click here! \ud83d\udc47<\/strong><br data-sfc-root=\"ep\" data-sfc-pl=\"|||[]\" data-complete=\"true\" data-copy-service-computed-style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 0px rgb(10, 10, 10);\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.profitableratecpmnetwork.com\/uzeja8ahze?key=bc876be53d6ad0ff6370ab8ea030e479\"><strong>\ud83d\udd17 [Click here]<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Gender diversity, resistance and ritual cross-dressing in Venezuela&#8217;s sacred cult Originally published on Global Voices Portrait of Wander Rodr\u00edguez, part of the Mar\u00eda Dolores Rodr\u00edguez Caravan and its powers, and the LGBTIQ+ community. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). October 12.<\/p>\n<div class=\"hosteria-entry-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dev95.site\/ar\/queer-mediums-of-the-cult-of-maria-lionza-are-redefining-the-gender-binary-in-venezuelas-sacred-mountain\/\" class=\"no-underline font-light  group-hover:text-primary-800 dark:group-hover:text-primary-300 py-1\">Read more &gt;&gt;&gt;<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_23709\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only\" data-element-id=\"23709\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon large\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/dev95.site\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fp_fajr_begins":"","fp_fajr_iqamah":"","fp_dhuhr_begins":"","fp_dhuhr_iqamah":"","fp_asr_begins":"","fp_asr_iqamah":"","fp_maghrib_begins":"","fp_maghrib_iqamah":"","fp_isha_begins":"","fp_isha_iqamah":"","fp_midnight":"","fp_midnight_name":"","fp_sunrise":"","fp_single_prayer_begins_title":"","fp_single_prayer_iqamah_title":"","fp_prayer_times_for_today":"","fp_hijra_date":"","fp_fajr_name":"","fp_dhuhr_name":"","fp_asr_name":"","fp_maghrib_name":"","fp_isha_name":"","fp_sunrise_name":"","fp_currentDate":"","fp_current_time":"","fp_current_title":"","fp_current_location":"","fp_masjid_name":"","fp_prayer_title":"","fp_next_prayer_iqamah_time":"","fp_next_prayer_iqamah_title":"","fp_next_prayer_begins_time":"","fp_next_prayer_begins_title":"","fp_next_prayer_title":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-posts"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":0,"today_views":0},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Queer mediums of the cult of Mar\u00eda Lionza are redefining the gender binary in Venezuela\u2019s sacred mountain - Dev95<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dev95.site\/ar\/queer-mediums-of-the-cult-of-maria-lionza-are-redefining-the-gender-binary-in-venezuelas-sacred-mountain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"ar_AR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Queer mediums of the cult of Mar\u00eda Lionza are redefining the gender binary in Venezuela\u2019s sacred mountain - Dev95\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Freisy Gonz\u00e1lez Gender diversity, resistance and ritual cross-dressing in Venezuela&#8217;s sacred cult Originally published on Global Voices Portrait of Wander Rodr\u00edguez, part of the Mar\u00eda Dolores Rodr\u00edguez Caravan and its powers, and the LGBTIQ+ community. Sorte (Yaracuy, Venezuela). 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