In the heart of San Francisco’s Castro District, Antonio Castellanos redefines a beloved Mexican tradition with a bold new vision for representation.
Nine years ago, Castellanos started creating Jotería – a strange twist on the traditional Mexican game Lotería – in his small Castro studio. However, this is more than just a game; it is a powerful challenge to deeply held cultural norms within both the Latinx and LGBTQ communities.
“What I’m trying to do is show us. That’s it,” Castellanos said.
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Jotería goes beyond simple gameplay. It confronts the machismo and homophobia that are often present in Spanish culture.
“Jotería means flicker. And a person in Mexico when they use the word Jotería, it comes from the word joto, which is derogatory,” Castellanos explained. “But when you use the word Jotería, it is no longer derogatory, because you assimilate it to yourself.”
The game has been showcased at various festivals and events, where Castellanos interacts with people and teaches them to play. Like Lotería, Jotería’s rules are simple. Players draw cards and match them with images on their board.
But in Jotería, these images reflect queer culture, giving players the opportunity to see themselves represented in ways that traditional games might not allow.
According to research from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Trevor Project, Latino queer youth face significant challenges, with nearly half reporting feelings of isolation, and 42% claiming they have experienced rejection by their family. In this context, Jotería becomes more than just a game; it serves as a tool for young people to explore their identity in a safe and familiar environment, creating a sense of belonging.
“It’s still not the easiest thing, but at least this creates a conversation,” Castellanos said, emphasizing the importance of the dialogue that Jotería fosters.
Castellanos’ journey to create Jotería was far from easy. Growing up gay in a traditional Spanish household, he struggled to find acceptance.
“As a queer kid, you learn to edit yourself so you can be included in your family,” he noted.
Luis Cornejo, a therapist specializing in working with queer Latino youth, recognized the impact of games like Jotería.
“Jotería brings accessibility to something we know and makes people feel a lot safer playing this game, but also the fact that it is an educational game,” said Cornejo.
For Castellanos, Jotería represents a mission to empower the next generation of queer Latinos while helping families navigate these conversations together, just like in the game.
“This is my mother, mi mamá. My father. That’s me. This is my partner, and these are my sisters. That’s mi familia,” he said, pointing to the personalized cards in the game.
As Castellanos continues to spread his message one game at a time, he is changing not only the game, but lives.
