Idaira Afonso, Councilor for Equality and LGTBI of the San Cristóbal de La Laguna City Council, breaks down the municipality’s Pride 2022 program and reviews the main actions in her area in favor of the rights of this group, in an interview with DIARIO DE AVISOS.
-What has the consistory prepared for this Pride 2022?
“Almost three weeks of programming that started with the presentation act. This was followed on Friday by the reading of the manifesto created by the associations that are part of the LGBTI Municipal Council and which was supported by the majority of the political forces of the council. In addition, there will be three more weeks of training programming with cultural and educational talks also focused on families, one more part of celebration that will be on the 15th and another part of film forum debate and similar things. Also talks that will have participation by the public. A transversal work that occupies sports, culture, music, parties…”
-What acts are most notable within the Pride 2022 program?
“We have a bit of everything, even holidays. We have a podcast that is going to be done live, the one on Bájame el labio by Ceci Wallace and Alex Mercurio. There are no tickets left, although we do not know if the capacity will open a little more. On the 15th we also have the celebration of diversity in the streets of La Laguna with musical performances, workshops, stalls so that associations can inform about their work, also with LGTBI literature stalls. It will be another day of celebration.”
“On the other hand, we have the third meeting of associations and entities, discussion tables on culture and folklore with an LGTBI perspective or also the sports space. All the information on the activities that are going to be carried out can be consulted through the LGTBI Equality networks of the City Council of La Laguna or through the City Council’s own website.
-Is La Laguna a “proud” city?
“Yes, definitely. We still have a lot of work to do like everywhere else, but I consider that our municipality is a plural and open city, a diverse place that accepts diversity with all its nuances. By having a university and being a meeting town, it has that characteristic. And yes, it can be defined as a municipality proud of diversity”.
-What actions has the lagoon consistory carried out in support of this group?
“In the first place, the very creation of this department, we can be proud to say that there are not many municipalities in the Canary Islands that have their own department for LGBTI equality and diversity. In addition, with its own budget that grows every year and that is focused on the visibility and dissemination of content, as well as prevention. Since confinement, one of the things we started up because we detected that need, was to put tools at the service of citizens, for example, to be able to contact them in any case of LGTBIphobia or abuse. “We also do outreach and awareness work, we started doing that from day 1 and we continue to do it transversally with areas such as Social Welfare or Sports – where we also provide LGTBI training and awareness to sports clubs in the municipality -. We also do work to enhance our Pride with the launch of an exclusive LGBTI-themed literary contest, which this year celebrates its third edition and has been consolidating. Another example would be the launch of the LGTBI Municipal Council and the Municipal Women’s Council, which are two very important consultative bodies with which we work collaboratively”.
