Shows of support and respect for Lgbti people flooded the streets of Caracas where the mobilization for Pride Day passed. Mothers and grandmothers displayed their own banners with messages like “I’m not your mom, but I’m proud of you” and “Free hugs from grandma.” The march was a space for members of the sex-diverse community to express themselves freely and without fear regarding how they live in the city.
Photos: María de los Ángeles Graterol | Instagram: @camagrat
A Venezuelan flag and a rainbow flag are flown along Francisco Miranda avenue in Caracas. Both occupied the central channel of that road. But those on either side were packed with the hundreds of Lgbti (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex) people who marched this Sunday, July 2, from the east to the west of the city, to celebrate Pride Day. And yes, it’s a celebration because although they maintain that there is an absent State that does not guarantee their rightsthis year they are proud of the work of the activists and Lgbti rights organizations, because thanks to them they have achieved a greater sociocultural advance in the country regarding the true inclusion of the community.
It is not denied that “arrechos fagots claim their rights”, in fact it was one of the slogans that were vociferated from the loudspeakers. But this time, from the positivity, they tried to take another firm step to make this population visible, who remembered that the legalization of equal marriage, homoparental adoption and name change are their banner of struggle; a flag without any political-partisan motivation.
That, by the way, was a clarification given by the community itself after a caravan of the ruling party was the one that led the activitywith two trucks with banners of Nicolás Maduro and government institutions and about twenty people with shirts that openly identified them with their administration.
This deployment will not disappear the fact that during his administration institutionalized homophobia has deepened, according to what members of the community and other organizations have alerted. In SuchWhich It has been explained how “make-up operation” is applied in Lgbti matters during the periodic reviews of the UN and about real progress on this issue.
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), for example, stated in 2020 that in Venezuela there is no broad constitutional protection for homosexual and trans people. But bills related to this are shelved in the National Assembly controlled by the ruling party, to which Maduro himself asked to consider equal marriage. Three years have passed since this request, but discussions of Lgbti issues are still at a standstill.
An Lgbti person holds a banner referring to the denial of rights to this population in Venezuela – Lgbti pride march in Caracas, Venezuela, 2023
“Unfortunately the movement depends on who is the national government today and that is why you see the demonstrations that relate this concentration to them. However, Those of us who are participating in this activity do not have any political-partisan motivation. We are clear that our rights are our reason for fighting and we are on the streets precisely because we want to achieve them,” Richelle Briceño, lawyer and defender of the Lgbti population, told Richelle Briceño, but this time that is not the edge with which this issue will be addressed. issue. There are positive aspects to highlight.
Briceño considered that year after year there are more who openly join this cause and are committed to providing health care and creating safe spaces for this community. That, in his opinion, could be seen in this activity.
And it is that in the same march a van opened its doors and set up its stand on Francisco de Miranda avenue to do free diagnostic tests for sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS or HIV. He belonged to Once Thirteen, a health promotion project that supports Lgbti people and other population groups, such as indigenous people and prisoners, who are more vulnerable.
Later, on the gray asphalt of that same avenue, the white of this question stood out: “How do you live your city?” Little by little, several of those attending the activity were taking a piece of chalk from the box of an activist who offered it to them. After a few minutes, a good stretch of that street was filled with words like “with love”, “free”, “with respect”, “loving myself”.
A person writes on the streets of Caracas how his city lives being part of the Lgbti community – Lgbti pride march in Caracas, Venezuela, 2023
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All these displays of support and respect for Lgbti people flooded the streets of Caracas where the mobilization passed, whose meeting point was Parque Cristal (Chacao municipality) and continued to Zona Rental de Plaza Venezuela (Libertador municipality), where a great closing concert to all who marched. Some traveled from the states of Trujillo, Mérida, Lara and Aragua to be part of the protest struggle. Along the way there were mothers and grandmothers who carried signs with messages that said: “I’m not your mom, but I’m proud of you,” “Free hugs from grandma” or “Free hugs from mom.”
In pictures SuchWhich shows how the march for Lgbti Pride Day 2023 in Caracas was experienced.
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