On March 6, 2010, “Pepa” Gaitán was murdered with a shotgun by his girlfriend’s father. Authorities chose not to specify the violence, but it is clear that a hate crime took place.
For this reason, this Wednesday, like every March 7, marks the Day of Lesbian Visibility. In Argentina, this date is a symbol of struggle, a space to present the claims and rights of lesbian identities.
In our country, for many years, holding hands or kissing was not for everyone. It was not well seen that two women show affection in public. Today the situation seems to be different, but there is still a long way to claim.
The case of Mariana Gómez is remembered, who for kissing her wife Rocío Girat, at the Constitución station in Buenos Aires in October 2017, was arrested and sentenced to a suspended year in prison for “resisting authority”.
“We are going to occupy public spaces because we know that it is uncomfortable. We have our practices, which, far from embarrassing us, make us proud. At this moment, where we are in a context in which the advance and radicalization of hate speech and actions is being tolerated, visibility is a political response,” said Valentina Morales, a member of the “Alert Torta” assembly.
Currently, society has many pending claims with lesbian identities. The movement insists on the effective application of those laws that have been achieved throughout the national territory. In addition, the annulment of the criminalization of their gender expressions and the eradication of hate speech in the media.
Likewise, the member of the assembly remarked: “Educational and health spaces are the ones that most reproduce biologicism and cissexism, it is where lesbian identities receive the most violence.”
Regarding health, from “Cake Alert” the need for Research and production of prophylactics for sexual practices between people with vulva was emphasized. They also pointed out that it is essential to train health, education, public and private employees on gender and diversity issues.
The collective that makes up the lesbian identity is not homogeneous, it is made up of intersectionalities that enhance the movement. The activists insist that today trans and non-binary people have difficulties accessing surgeries or hominization treatments and in processing the change of ID.
“Being a lesbian on the street will always make you a potential focus where some type of violence is reproduced. The possibility of walking freely down the street or not will depend on whether your gender expression is more or less masculine, or disruptive, your skin color or your social class,” Valentina concluded.
A day to celebrate and claim
This Tuesday, March 7, at 6:00 p.m. in the Plaza de la Intendencia, a meeting will be held to commemorate the victims of violence against lesbian identities. They invite you to make the struggle visible through participation and the exchange of ideas. In the event there will be reading, soccer, collage, music and poetry activities.