LGBTQ+ pride parade in Caracas, Sunday, July 3, 2022. Photos: Instagram/@maxwellb_photoss and Twitter.
LGBTIQ+ movements from all over the country marched this Sunday, July 3, through the streets of Caracas to celebrate pride month, which is commemorated throughout the world and was put on pause for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The national commissioner for youth sex diversity of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), and one of the organizers of this activity, Isamari Matute, stressed that this march vindicates the struggles of the community, “struggles made invisible by capitalism,” she indicated. Likewise, she pointed out that in Venezuela full inclusion” and the freedom to raise the flags and demand rights from the State that allow full participation” of this community are guaranteed.
Despite Venezuela being ruled by socialist governments since 1999, the advances and achievements for the LGBTQ+ community are far behind what should be expected from a socialist project that respects human rights of those that do not bind to traditional sexual stereotypes but still need a minimum of civil rights to fully develop their potential as full citizens. Religious pressure groups inside Venezuela, according to many experts, are the main reason for Venezuela not fully recognizing same sex civil unions, or other sexual identities and many other demands that even other Latin American states have granted to this vulnerable population. This, along with a strong machista culture, is a feature that need to be fought in order to achieve equal rights for non-binary couples.
This march, which is the 21st that takes place in Venezuela, started from the outskirts of the Generalísimo Francisco de Miranda Park, on Francisco de Miranda Avenue, east of Caracas, and ended in the rental zone near Plaza Venezuela.
#3julio IMPORTANTE la concentración de personas en la marcha del orgullo Gay en las calles de Caracas. pic.twitter.com/7TAOnxkUgJ
— CityRadioNoticias (@CityRadioNotic1) July 3, 2022
RELATED CONTENT: Venezuela: Opposition Mayor Attacks LGBTQ Community and Single Mothers
For her part, the director of the Office for Attention to Sexual Diversity of the Mayor’s Office of Caracas, Isaura Guzmán, from the outskirts of the Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda Park, the starting point of the activity, stressed that they hand over to the National Electoral Council (CNE) ) the proposals for the recognition of changing one’s name. The representative indicated that article 146 of the Organic Registration Law on changing names for transsexual and intersex persons “establishes it so,” in her opinion.
LGBTIQ+ people claimed to feel visible with this activity and hope that the country will continue to advance in terms of the laws that protect them. The final point of the march was the Rental Zone near Plaza Venezuela, where a stage was set up on which numerous artists were set to perform.
(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/KWJ
