INVERTIDOS SEXUALES, TORTILLERAS, AND MARICAS MACHOS - THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN BUENOS-AIRES, ARGENTINA, 1900-1950

The author discusses Argentinean construction of homosexuality from 19 00 to 1950 in the context of the raging debate of the essentialists ve rsus social constructionists. The history of sexual inverts is discuss ed with reference to early sexologists. After a broad exploration of s exual inversion, the author turns to the Argentinean doctors who disti nguish between acquired and congenital inverts. There was much resista nce to the medical and legal establishments as there were autobiograph ies written by inverts, who subverted the medical views of the day. Fi nally, Bao concludes that there was, indeed, an Argentine construction of homosexuality, and that there were similarities between Buenos Air es and other large European cities. It is also noted that at the begin ning of the twentieth century, there was a developed Argentine subcult ure of inverts who had meeting places, fashion, sexual tastes, and cus toms.