Bullfighting is a controversial traditional entertainment in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America, where a matador provokes and kills a bull. The activity has different types of bullfighters, and the final matador wears a colorful uniform and fights on foot with a sword. Bullfighters are considered brave by some and animal abusers by others. Female bullfighters have faced criticism and derision but have become symbolic of feminist movements.
Bullfighting is a traditional form of entertainment, in which a bull is provoked and stabbed to death by a matador. The activity, which has roots in ancient religious customs, is popular throughout Spain, Portugal and Latin America. A bullfighter, sometimes called a matador or bullfighter, is noted for his great courage and skill by proponents of the entertainment. For detractors, bullfighting constitutes the torture and killing of an animal for entertainment and bullfighters are considered by many to be guilty of animal abuse.
In traditional bullfighting, there are actually several different types of bullfighters. Some, called picodores, stab the bull with a spear or spear to enrage and weaken the animal. A banderillero rides a horse very close to the animal and stabs it with barbed stakes, often topped with colored flags. After the bull has lost enough blood and is angered, the final matador is brought in to finish the kill.
The final bullfighter, called a matador, usually wears a colorful uniform consisting of short pants, a white shirt and a heavily decorated jacket. Many also wear a traditional bonnet and carry a red cape. The matador’s uniform is particularly important in traditional bullfighting across Spain and Portugal, although less formal events in other countries may use different attire.
The matador fights on foot, armed with his cloak and a sword. The brightly colored cape is used to entice the bull to charge so that a matador can display athleticism and skill by artistically dodging. After the charges sufficiently exhaust the already wounded bull, the matador stabs the animal to death. The final blow must go straight to the heart of the bull, killing it instantly and, according to proponents, with little pain.
Matadores often rise from the ranks of picadores and banderilleros, gaining practice taunting and killing smaller, younger bulls. After sufficient training, an aspiring bullfighter undergoes a special test. After passing the test, the matador is later named matador.
A bullfighter risks his life in his profession, for which many people consider them brave or heroic. Detractors point out that killing a mutilated and exhausted animal may not have the glory attributed to the act, but the bullfighter puts his own life at risk for the work. In cultures where bullfighting is popular, matadors are often considered brave, cool, and fearless.
Since the origins of entertainment, bullfighters have been almost exclusively male. In the second half of the 20th century, some women successfully passed the tests to become full-fledged bullfighters, only to receive considerable criticism and derision. Bullfighters have become somewhat symbolic of feminist movements across Latin America. One killer, Cristina Sanchez, is often cited as a poster child for female empowerment after a successful career in the ring.
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