Macho Tips Letters

Collection

Identifier: MS195

Staff Only
No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

Macho Tips Letters (MS195) consists of letters dating from January 1987 to April 1990, predominantly in Spanish, with some wholly or partially in English, and some sexually explicit, mostly from men in Mexico (as well as in Spain, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Brazil, and the United States). The letters are written in response to an ad seeking pen pals placed in Macho Tips, a Spanish-language gay magazine published in Mexico City, Mexico. The letters are all addressed to Joseph Fedrowitz and there are no responding letters in the collection. According to Fedrowitz, there was a misunderstanding, and the ad was placed without his knowledge or consent in No. 16 of the magazine (as well as possibly No. 18). Letters are handwritten and typed, with some including stickers or drawings. Some senders included enclosed travel pamphlets, postcards of local attractions, and/or photographs of the sender. Redacted copies of the original letters span Boxes 1-2, and unredacted originals (restricted until 2064) span Boxes 3-4.

Dates

1987 January 8-1990 April 2 and undated

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on use of the materials in the department for research; all patrons must comply with federal copyright regulations. The names and addresses of the letters’ authors have been redacted to protect their privacy and identities; unredacted letters (Boxes 3-4) are restricted until 2064.

Biographical / Historical

Macho Tips was a gay magazine published in Mexico City from 1985 to 1989. The letters are predominantly in Spanish, with some wholly or partially in English, and are in response to a personal ad placed in No. 16 (and possibly No. 18) of Macho Tips asking for pen pals, to be addressed to Joseph Fedrowitz. The authors of the letters represent a cross section of gay men from across Mexico (as well as from Spain, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Brazil, and the United States), from large cities, small towns, and rural areas. Fedrowitz attributes the original personal ad posted in Macho Tips to a misunderstanding, submitted by a third party on his behalf without his knowledge, as at the time he was planning travel to Venezuela, possibly Costa Rica, and was interested in Mexico. (Fedrowitz had grown up with children from Mexico who were part of the Bracero Program, which existed from 1942 to 1964.) Fedrowitz moved residences while letters were still coming in from the ad; some were forwarded, but some sent at a later date may have never been received.

Extent

1.6 Linear Feet (4 boxes)

Language of Materials

Spanish; Castilian

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Arrangement

Collection is arranged in chronological order, with each letter in a separate folder. Redacted copies of letters are in Boxes 1-2, and are open for research; unredacted originals, restricted until 2064, are housed separately in Boxes 3-4.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated by Joseph Fedrowitz in February 2013.

Related Materials

See also 3 editions of Macho Tips in Special Collections (20th Cent Mex Serial M151, No. 6, No. 13, No. 24).

Separated Materials

Photographs included in original letters remain in the unredacted files (Boxes 3-4) which are restricted until 2064, and are not reproduced in the redacted files (Boxes 1-2).