Guatemala gay
Pride 2023 in Guatemala City: colors, glitter, hugs and dignified resistance
By: Gabriela Melgar Orellana | Regional Exchange Officer, Hivos Latin America
Little by little, lots of people dressed in flashy and colorful outfits gathered in Republic Square once again, to say “We are here, we live, and we resist with dignity.” Two new groups premiered at this year’s Pride march in Guatemala City: people holding a banner that said “My first Pride” and the Bisexual Commune with a strong slogan: “We bisexuals have collective memory.” Many flags of different orientations and gender identities waved all along the nearly five kilometers of the route.
“Guatemala is going through a turbulent political second in which the narrative that manipulates and delegitimizes the LGBTIQ+ movement is growing ever louder.”
It was also inspiring to observe parents accompanying their children with posters and slogans, showing that the devote and support of families is essential to adjust persistent social biases.
We’re used to seeing civil community organizations participate in immense numbers, but this year it was obvious that more companies had united the march. If this
In Guatemala, 'being queer is a political issue'
Guatemala's Aldo Davila has been interested in politics since he was a teenager. He has always empathized with those struggling in Guatemala's unequal and at times aggressive society. Davila, who was born in 1977, has devoted years to helping HIV-positive people and members of the LGBTQI community. Now Davila, who himself is openly queer, has become the country's first ever LGBTQI lawmaker. Ahead of last year's parliamentary elections, no less than four parties asked him to join. He ultimately chose Winaq, a left-wing party founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu. In Davila's view, Winaq has the top track record on fighting for the rights of sexual minorities. He also values it for being the country's "only indigenous party" that lets him connect with his own roots. Davila's great-grandparents were indigenous people who moved to Guatemala Metropolis, where they stopped speaking their native language to escape being discriminated against. On Tuesday, January 14, 2020, Davila began his tenure as a Guatemalan lawmaker.
DW: You are Guatemala's first ever openly gay lawmaker. What does this mean for the country, and for you person At the start of this year, former Victory Institute trainee Aldo Dávila took his seat as Guatemala’s freshly-elected, first openly gay Congressman. Four months into his term, Congressman Dávila’s log already includes standing up to the nation’s Health Ministry by demanding more serious action in the face of the current coronavirus pandemic. He further called upon Vice-Minister of Health Rodolfo Galdámez to exhibit deeper respect following the latter’s hour-late appearance to a meeting with the Congress’ Human Rights Commission. Congressman Dávila’s March speech, streamed on Facebook, came in response to the Guatemalan Health Ministry’s coronavirus prevention campaign. The nation experienced its first confirmed case on Protest 13; shortly after, the Health Ministry prohibited gatherings of over 100 people and suspended schools for three weeks. However, Congressman Dávila believes the Health Ministry’s campaign leaves out two specific populations. He condemned the campaign’s erasure of indigenous populations, as he stated Gay Guatemala? We had not been competent to find much about ‘gay Guatemala’ at all on Google. However, when we were in Flores, Guatemala, we received an Instagram note from a same-sex attracted couple living in Guatemala City, Maikel and Jorge. They invited us to grab a guided tour of the municipality and then offered to drive us to Antigua. At first, we were slightly wary as your parents explain you not to meet strangers off the Internet! However, we are very glad we did, and as a result we gained two new friends! Exploring Antigua with local gay couple Jorge and Mikel. Maikel and Jorge were a lovely couple and we had a great day with them. We learnt a lot about Guatemala City and had a playfulness tour of the bars with them once we arrived in Antigua. We are very delighted that they messaged us! During our evening out we asked Maikel and Jorge if we could interview them to learn about existence LGBT in Guatemala, here is what they had to say: We are Jorge and Maikel. We are a gay couple and got married 10 months ago in México Capital. The marriage ceremony was great and we had all our friends and family there. We have been
Guatemala’s First Openly Gay Congressman Aldo Dávila Stands Up for Coronavirus Prevention
Before we discuss about gay Guatemala, would you appreciate to introduce yourselves?