Latina Bombshells, Gypsies, Crime, and Sex

repost: original posting January 8, 2008

Orson Welles never bought totally into the Latina spitfire trope when it came to characterizing the fiery personality of Rita Hayworth--most times, he attributed her volatile character to the "Gypsy" in her. This link between "Gypsy" or Roma peoples and Latinas needs to be studied more--yet another chapter in the ongoing cyclopedia of lived links between sexuality and the "swarthy." I ran across this cover, featuring the homicidal and sexy potentiality that is Juanita Perez, Gypsy Killer, here--it forms part of this sordid bestiary of dark-complected subjects in the cultural arena of accelerated sexuality!