After being tossed in the air by a 700-pound bull, trampled, tossed again and then gored in the stomach, bullfighter Cristina Sánchez said, “I can’t wait to get back in the ring. To be in front of a bull is a feeling so great that it can’t be described. Outside the ring I am a normal, shy girl. But in the ring I am transformed. I'm not a girl anymore, I am a bullfighter."

 Women have performed with bulls since 2000 B.C. This project examines gender and power. It does not take a position on the politics of bullfighting. It focuses on bloodless bullfights along border towns in America and throughout California. This project captures the struggle and the triumphs of this fascinating subculture of women and bulls including female bullfighters, bull vaulters and bull riders in America. It explores the history of women who have or have not fit into bull performance and the cultural and symbolic implications of women gaining access and anchoring an undeniable presence in the industry. 

 

Mari Paz

Mari Paz