THE RELEVANT QUEER: Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno”, Spain’s Outrageous Trans Icon

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno before transition during modeling days, circa 1990. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta Ni Santa Momoir — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno” before transition during modeling days, circa 1990. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta, Ni Santa Memoir

“I’m not happy with my life, but I do not have another path than this.”

TRQ: Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno” Born March 19, 1964

Singer, actress and sex worker Cristina Ortiz Rodríguez, known as La Veneno (“The Poison”), was born José Antonio Ortiz Rodríguez on March 19, 1964. La Veneno appeared on late-night television and became was one of Spain’s first recognisable transgender women. Her flamboyant and shocking media profile established La Veneno as one of her country’s most important LGBTQ icons.

Ortiz was born in Adra, a conservative town in Spain’s Almeria province. She was one of six siblings, and her stories of her abusive mother paint a miserable childhood. “My parents did not support me,” she once said. Unable to accept her gender identity, they kicked her out of the house when she was 13.

She moved with a sister to San Pedro de Alcántara where she worked on a farm, in a shop, a hair salon and even as a model. In 1989, before she went underwent her sex reassignment surgery, Ortiz won the Míster Andalucía contest. In Torremolinos she modelled and waited tables, before moving to Madrid in 1991.

In Madrid, she worked as a chef in a hospital. She also appeared on “Vivan los novios,” a television dating game show. Ortiz won a trip with Charo to Bangkok, Thailand. There she attended a transgender stage show and realised her own gender identity. Soon she began taking hormones to transition.

After returning to Madrid, she worked as a prostitute in Western Park. Ortiz appeared on television in April 1996 as part of a feature on prostitution by reporter Faela Saiz. The story aired on Esta Noche Cruzamos el Mississippi, a late night talk show hosted by Pepe Navarro.

According to Navarro, Ortiz was “a mixture of tenderness, verbosity and out-of-the- ordinary folksiness.” He told La Razón that Ortiz was “someone tender and abrupt; happy and immensely sad.”

Ortiz was a hit thanks to her vulgar sense of humour, and Navarro invited her back regularly. Ortiz used her growing television presence to launch a music career. She recorded the Gold-certified “Veneno Pa’ Tu piel” and “El Rap de La Veneno” in 1996. Afterwards she toured Spain, performing her music in clubs and festivals.

Ortiz returned to modelling, working for Spanish fashion designers. On television she starred in En Plena Forma, alongside Alfredo Landa. In porn, Ortiz appeared in two films, El secreto de La Veneno and La venganza de La Veneno.

In 2003, Ortiz was charged with arson and insurance fraud after setting fire to her apartment. Guilty, and with her identity papers still listing her gender as male, she received a three year-sentence in a men’s prison where she suffered abuse and rape. By 2004, with deteriorating health, she entered Gregorio Marañón Hospital.

After her release from prison in 2006, Ortiz moved to Valencia. She also began reappearing on television to reignite her career. In 2010, ¿Dónde estás corazón?, a tabloid television show, challenged Ortiz to lose all the weight she gained in prison. Suffering from depression and bulimia, La Veneno lost nearly 80 lbs.

Ortiz appeared on Sálvame Deluxe in 2013 to publicise her upcoming memoir Ni puta, ni santa (Las memorias de La Veneno). The book was delayed until 2016 after she returned to prison for eight months. On publication, the memoir was an instant bestseller. Ortiz claimed to receive death threats for the book’s many confessions involving celebrities, politicians, and athletes.

On November 5, 2016, Ortiz’s boyfriend found her half-conscious in her house. She was bruised, bloody and suffering from brain injury. She was taken to the Hospital Universitario La Paz, and placed in induced coma.

She died on November 9, 2016. Coroner reports suggest she fell down a flight of stairs after mixing alcohol and anti-anxiety medication. However, others continue to suspect that she was the victim of a hate crime triggered by the launch of her book.

In Western Park, her ashes were scattered, and a commemorative plaque pays honour to her. Based on her memoir, the television miniseries Veneno launched in 2020 on the streaming platform ATRESPlayer. HBO Max picked up the show for international distribution.

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno, As you see me even in my youth I loved to pose, circa 1980s. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta Ni Santa Momoir — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno”, As you see me even in my youth I loved to pose, circa 1980s. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta, Ni Santa Memoir

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno as a young boy on their first communion day, n.d. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta Ni Santa Momoir — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno” as a young boy on their first communion day, n.d. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta, Ni Santa Memoir

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno, then known as Joselito with a friend circa early 1990. Photo Unknown — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno”, then known as Joselito with a friend circa early 1990. Photo Unknown

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno, then known as Joselito after winning Mister Andalucia contest in 1989. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta Ni Santa Momoir — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno”, then known as Joselito after winning Mister Andalucia contest in 1989. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta, Ni Santa Memoir

José Antonio Joselito Ortiz (La Veneno) in Vivan los novios in 1992. Photo YouTube, Mediaset España

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno with Faela Saiz, the journalist that discovered her, circa 1990s. Photo LA RAZON — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno” with Faela Saiz, the journalist that discovered her, circa 1990s. Photo LA RAZON

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno, modeling three months after starting taking hormones, circa 1990s. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta Ni Santa Momoir.2 — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno”, modeling three months after starting taking hormones, circa 1990s. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta, Ni Santa Memoir

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno circa 1996. Photo Unknown — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno” circa 1996. Photo Unknown

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno circa 1990s. Photo ALTRESPlayer — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno” circa 1990s. Photo ALTRESPlayer

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno, modeling three months after starting taking hormones, circa 1990s. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta Ni Santa Momoir — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno”, modeling three months after starting taking hormones, circa 1990s. Photo from Digo! Ni Puta, Ni Santa Memoir

Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno circa 1990s. Photo Unknown — Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno” circa 1990s. Photo Unknown

Pepe Navarro and 'La Veneno' on the set of 'Tonight we crossed the Mississippi'. Photo WORLD — Pepe Navarro and Cristina Ortiz, “La Veneno” on the set of ‘Tonight we crossed the Mississippi’. Photo WORLD

About the Authors

Troy Wise is currently a PhD student at UAL Central St Martins and teaches fashion and graphic design at London College of Contemporary Arts. His background is in marketing and is founder and co-editor of Image Amplified. He lives in, and is continually fascinated by, the city of London.

Rick Guzman earned his most recent MA at UAL Central St Martins in Applied Imagination in the Creative Industries. He currently holds two MA’s and an MBA in the New Media, Journalism and International Business fields. Co-editor at Image Amplified since its start, he lives in London, is fascinated by history and is motivated by continuing to learn and explore.

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