Valeria Vegas & Cristina Ortiz - ¡Digo! Ni Puta Ni Santa

2016, Cristina La Veneno, Cristina Ortiz, La Veneno, Spanish, Valeria Vegas,

Original title: "¡Digo! Ni Puta Ni Santa. Las memorias de La Veneo" (Say! Neither bitch nor Santa. The memories of La Veneno) by Valeria Vegas and Cristina Ortiz.

Cristina La Veneno is able to present in her peculiar way, different themes, ranging from family to plastic surgery, sex, or prison drama. It is the story of a young man who fled his village transforming himself into a woman. Of a prostitute who sees her luck change. Of a famous person who never fought to be. 

Sincere and funny, she presents her life to us. An uncommon life, unique as its protagonist and that has a certain melodramatic air, which will serve to know a little more about Cristina, already, forever, La Veneno.

According to Wikiwand, Cristina Ortiz Rodríguez (1964-2016), better known as La Veneno ('Poisongirl'), was a Spanish singer, actress, sex worker, and media personality. Considered one of the most important and beloved LGBT icons in Spain, she rose to fame in 1996 after briefly appearing on the late-night talk show Esta noche cruzamos el Mississippi, broadcast on Telecinco between 1995 and 1997 and hosted by the journalist Pepe Navarro.

She would later appear regularly on the show as well as on La sonrisa del pelícano. Distinguished for her spectacular appearance and profane humor, La Veneno was one of the first transgender women to become widely known in Spain, and has since been recognised as a pioneering trans icon. In 2020, a critically acclaimed series produced by Atresmedia following her life became a hit show in Spain.

Valeria Vegas, born on August 8, 1985 in Valencia, Spain, is a remarkable Spanish journalist, essayist, writer, documentary filmmaker, and producer. She has made significant contributions to literature and audiovisual projects. Valeria studied journalism in Valencia and holds a degree in Audiovisual Communication. Her first novel, “Grandes actrices del cine español”, was published in 2015. She gained widespread recognition for her biography of La Veneno, titled “¡Digo! Ni puta ni santa. Las memorias de La Veneno”. This biography served as the foundation for the Atresmedia Veneno series, later aired on HBO in the United States. Valeria has contributed to various media outlets, including Vanity Fair Spain, Shangay, Lecturas y Jot Down, Candy, Paraíso, Chicas & maricas, and Cannabis Magazine.

In 2019, she published “Vestidas de azul”, an analysis of social and cinematic aspects of transgender women during the Spanish Transition years. Valeria directed the documentary “Manolita, la chen de Arcos” in 2016, which won the Best Spanish Documentary award at LesGaiCineMad 2016. She participated in the II Festival Cultura con Orgullo in Seville, where she screened her documentary “Manolita, la chen de Arcos”. As a contributor to La Otra Crónica (LOC), hosted by El Mundo, Valeria continues to engage with diverse audiences. Valeria Vegas is one of the most prominent transgender figures in Spain. Her life story became the subject of the HBO drama series Veneno. In summary, Valeria Vegas’s multifaceted career spans literature, journalism, filmmaking, and advocacy, making her a trailblazer in Spanish media and culture.

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