SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) 鈥 The transformation begins as night falls on this semi-desert esplanade on the outskirts of Chile鈥檚 capital, with Arturo, Alejandro and Ren茅 applying makeup and donning wigs, feathers and sequins to become 鈥淰er贸nica Power,鈥 "Alexandra鈥 and 鈥淭he Crazy Purse Woman.鈥
The characters are classics of the Timoteo Circus, a show that has fought prejudice and discrimination against Chile鈥檚 LGBTQ community for more than a half century, even through a military dictatorship, in a country known for its devout Catholicism.
鈥淎lexandra鈥 鈥 played by 65-year-old Alejandro Pav茅s 鈥 recalled life for the performers under the regime of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, which governed the South American country from 1973 to 1990.
鈥淚t was terrible to work under the dictatorship 鈥 there was a lot of hatred for gays in Chile at that time,鈥 Pav茅s told The Associated Press, recalling the number of times he had been arrested, insulted and mistreated.
鈥淭he police would arrive and take us prisoner and if they found you dressed as a woman they would give you a sodomy鈥 charge, which would mark you for the rest of your life, Pav茅s said. 鈥淭he owners had to hide us.鈥
Although it is called a circus, it is more of a sexual diversity show with humor, song and dance under a big top, and has 30 employees. At its peaks it had up to 70. The Timoteo Circus is one of the best known of Chile鈥檚 120 circuses.
鈥淎ll Chileans know Circo Timoteo, it鈥檚 like an institution,鈥 said St茅fano Rubio, a conductor and administrative manager of the circus.
The show began in 1968 when one of the circus鈥 female dancers was absent for a performance. Its founder, Ren茅 Vald茅s, had one of the male performers dress as a woman and replace her on stage. The performance was so popular the dancer did five curtain calls to receive applause. The transformation circus was born and has been committed to sexual diversity ever since.
Arturo Pe帽a, who plays 鈥淭he Crazy Purse Lady,鈥 said that during the dictatorship the performers used to receive kicks and blows for their appearance, and the idea of carrying a purse in her act was to use in self-defense.
Pav茅s, who comes from a family with a strong military and religious tradition, hid his sexual identity from his family until a television program revealed what he did.
His family eventually accepted him but he says there always was the 鈥渟hame of having a gay son, uncle or cousin.鈥
Now, he cannot see himself having any other job than the Timoteo Circus, and that when he dies he wants his funeral to be held under the circus鈥 big top.
鈥淭oday I work with more security, they accept me more鈥 and the public understands the message better, he said.
