▁hom osex ual ▁behavior ▁in ▁pre - Col umb ian ▁Mexico . ▁The ▁historian ▁Antonio ▁de ▁Herr era ▁arrived ▁at ▁that ▁conclusion ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 6 0 1 . ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁ind igen ous ▁pe op les ▁of ▁the ▁Amer icas ▁the ▁institution ▁of ▁the ▁two - sp irit ▁people ▁was ▁w ides p read . ▁The ▁two - sp ir its , ▁originally ▁considered ▁herm aph rod ites ▁and ▁called ▁" ber d ache " ▁by ▁the ▁Spanish ▁conquist adors , ▁were ▁men ▁who ▁took ▁femin ine ▁duties ▁and ▁behav iors . ▁They ▁were ▁considered ▁neither ▁men ▁nor ▁women ▁by ▁their ▁soci eties , ▁but ▁were ▁considered ▁like ▁a ▁third ▁sex ▁and ▁often ▁held ▁spiritual ▁functions . ▁The ▁conquist adors ▁often ▁thought ▁of ▁them ▁as ▁pass ive ▁hom osex uals , ▁and ▁they ▁were ▁treated ▁with ▁cont empt ▁and ▁cruel ty . ▁ ▁Among ▁May ans , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁strong ▁association ▁between ▁rit ual ▁and ▁hom osex ual ▁behavior . ▁Some ▁sh am ans ▁engaged ▁in ▁hom osex ual ▁acts ▁with ▁their ▁patients , ▁and ▁pri ests ▁engaged ▁in ▁rit ual ized ▁hom osex ual ▁acts ▁with ▁their ▁gods . ▁When ▁the ▁Tol te cs ▁arrived ▁to ▁conquer ▁the ▁region , ▁they ▁brought ▁more ▁sod omy ▁and ▁public ▁sex ▁of ▁all ▁kinds . ▁Then ▁when ▁It zá ▁conquer ed ▁the ▁area , ▁they ▁brought ▁more ▁sod omy , ▁more ▁er otic ism ▁and ▁extensive ▁sexual ▁cer emon ies . ▁However , ▁the ▁May a , ▁as ▁a ▁people