The Spring Fiestas in Murcia (Spain) present a special example of spontaneous
transvestism, as every year young women dress in the local costume originally
designed for men. This practice has incurred the wrath of local authorities and the
conservative sector, who have tried to counteract it through different campaigns. One
example of these was the official poster advertising the Fiestas in 2008, which
paradoxically displayed a transvestite couple. The current paper argues that through
this poster the local government contributed to subversion, even if their original
intention was to enforce tradition. This paper will look first at how the 2008
poster promotes conservative and essential ideals of masculinity and femininity,
moving on to an analysis of the transgression intrinsic to it. Finally, the consequences
that the 2008 poster has had for the local population will be examined and it will be
suggested that Murcians read this picture to legitimate a ‘failure’ to conform to gender
norms.