From the most prominent devotional leaders to anonymous believers, the disproportionate number of devotees to death can’t be ignored. I had noticed her special attraction to those who aren’t heterosexual from the outset of my research eight years ago, but in the rush to publish wasn’t able to go beyond passing reference in my book. LGBT Santa Muertistas constitute an inordinately large sector of devotees in North and Central America and beyond. While the Lady of the Shadows is the saint of the margins par excellence, her strong appeal to one particular group, which has suffered persecution throughout the ages, is unparalleled.
