The Impact of Spain's LGBT Bullfighter: Inspiring More People to Embrace Their Identity

Spain's first openly LGBT matador, Mario Alcalde, believes that more bullfighters will come out after his revelation that he is pansexual. Alcalde expressed that there have always been gay people in bullfighting, but they chose to keep their sexuality hidden. He discussed this while practicing for one of Spain's most well-known yet controversial traditions, dressed in his traditional bullfighting attire. Alcalde also works as a baggage handler at Madrid-Barajas Airport and lives with his family, as bullfighting only provides substantial income for a select few. Alcalde recently gained attention after sharing his pansexual identity with Spanish newspaper El Mundo. He describes the decision to come out as spontaneous, even his family had no prior knowledge. He is grateful for the positive response he has received, stating that people have accepted it in the best way possible. Alcalde attributes his status as Spain's first openly LGBT matador to the perception that bullfighters primarily come from rural areas rather than more cosmopolitan cities. Now, he hopes to establish a meeting place called "Peña" for bullfighting supporters in Madrid's LGBT+ community of Chueca. This idea has been met with approval by some, as it challenges traditional notions of masculinity associated with bullfighting. However, others express reservations, believing that bullfighting is a conservative tradition that does not fit within the progressive atmosphere of the LGBT community. Bullfighting has experienced a decline in popularity over the years, with only around 2% of the Spanish population attending bullfights in the 2021-2022 season, according to Spanish culture ministry statistics. Nevertheless, Alcalde remains steadfast in his belief that bullfighting is still relevant and aligns with the realities of life. Despite criticism about the violence towards animals involved in bullfighting, he maintains that it is an essential part of the sport. During his training session, Alcalde faces a young cow, using a pink cape to maneuver around the ring. Although the animals are not killed during these sessions, they are injured by a man on horseback using a pike pole. At the end of the session, Alcalde's trousers are stained with blood, emphasizing the violent nature of the practice. Despite these challenges, Alcalde remains defiant, expressing that he would willingly choose to be a brave bull if given another life. Overall, Mario Alcalde seeks to modernize and diversify bullfighting while opponents hope for the decline of this tradition, irrespective of a matador's sexual orientation.