Background on Key Figures and Context
Nayib Bukele, the current president of El Salvador, was once known for his support of LGBTIQ+ rights. However, since taking office in 2019, he has taken numerous actions against this community. One such action was the Ministry of Education’s order to remove any gender-focused content from schoolbooks and guides last year.
Experiences of LGBTIQ+ Community Members
Daniela Bonilla, a 33-year-old transgender woman, shared her struggles with discrimination, abuse, and violence. She expressed feeling invisible to the Bukele administration.
“We are suffering from discrimination, abuse, and violence,” Bonilla told AFP. “We can’t do anything but stand by as our rights are trampled upon.”
Protest and Demands
Over a hundred LGBTIQ+ activists gathered in El Salvador’s capital to demand that the government respect their rights. They carried rainbow flags and symbols of sexual diversity, urging the legislative assembly—controlled by Bukele’s party—to pass a gender identity law.
- In 2018, several organizations proposed a gender identity law that was dismissed.
- Another proposal was submitted in 2021 but was shelved without debate by the deputies.
Karla Guevara, an activist, lamented the lack of political will to pass such a law. Aranza Santos from the Permanent Table for a Gender Identity Law stated that no government has taken the time to listen to the LGBTIQ+ community’s demands and concerns.
Protest Messages
During the protest, which took place on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, activists emphasized that their identities are rights, not choices. They highlighted societal interference in their freedom to decide who and how they wish to be.
Discrimination Statistics
According to the Organization of Salvadoran Women for Peace, 8 out of 10 LGBTIQ+ individuals in El Salvador face discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the activists? Over a hundred LGBTIQ+ activists from El Salvador.
- What are they demanding? They are requesting the legislative assembly to pass a gender identity law.
- Why are they protesting? Due to numerous actions taken by President Bukele’s administration against the LGBTIQ+ community since 2019.
- What challenges do LGBTIQ+ individuals face in El Salvador? High levels of discrimination, abuse, and violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
