The lawyer Irene Aguiar regrets that the trans associations in Tenerife seek “censorship” instead of debate and denies the accusation against her of transphobia. Her presence at the III Women and Sports State Congress was announced, to be held on the island tomorrow and the day after, but she will not be a speaker for scheduling reasons. The table in which she was going to participate (this Thursday, 5:00 p.m., Auditorium of Tenerife) is maintained with the rest of the experts. The Tenerife LGTBI groups express their “indignation and disappointment” with the Cabildo for supporting this event in which “hate speech towards trans people is encouraged.”
Aguiar deplores that the groups in Tenerife intend to force an episode of “censorship” and put pressure on the Cabildo. He explains, in statements to Europa Press, that his position “is not trans-exclusive.” He defends that trans people “have to be fully included in sport”, but depending on their biological sex because in the case of men this marks a physical “advantage” “that there is no way to eliminate”.
These associations seek censorship more than freedom of expression
The specialist in sports law considers that threatening the island institution with leaving the LGBTI Table is an “exercise of censorship contrary to freedom of expression.” She emphasizes that “ideas are refuted with arguments and not by forcing silence.” «My position is that trans people have to be included in sport. The issue is in which category; I defend that it is by sex and it is the sex that must be attended to, because it determines having one body or another”, concludes Irene Aguiar.
The LGBTIQA+ and Trans associations from Tenerife announced last Monday that they would leave the Island Diversity Table if the Cabildo maintains its support for this congress. In the opinion of these groups, speakers such as Irene Aguiar or Laura Redondo consider that “trans women are actually biological men who usurp positions from female athletes.” They appreciate “transphobic discrimination”. Sergio Siverio, spokesman for Diversas, explains that “hate crime is denying the existence of trans people, disregarding them or underestimating their decision to be who they are.”
Hate speech is denying the existence of trans people as the so-called experts
Siverio questions the position of the island councillor, Nauzet Gugiliotta: “He says that he can be in favor or against certain opinions. The question is whether in this case he is in favor or not.” He values that “we have worked hand in hand these years in the Insular Table but going against the rights of trans people breaks everything”
The Iberian Sports Association (ADI) LGTBI He expressed this Wednesday his “rejection (of Congress) if it becomes a trans-exclusionary debate”. Siverio has no doubt about this. She refers to the internet “and to the hoaxes that they spread” to reject speakers like Laura Redondo or Tasia Aranguez because “they affirm that they are biological men who describe themselves as women but they are not.” For Siverio “hate crime and not freedom of expression.” She acknowledges the Diversas spokesperson that “competing in the men’s category can be the subject of a debate that is complex and broad, but with many edges and opinions, not only those of those who have taken up the sport’s flag to deny trans women” . She questions whether “a debate about women or Africans without women or Africans at the table” would be allowed.
Siverio emphasizes that the “alleged experts” announced “are against the Trans Law approved this week and already in force”. He assures that “they have misinformed and lied about what the Law says, the federations and the Olympic Committee.”
Siverio concludes with a reflection: «They say that these people take space and prizes from women; So, trans women are not women? Is Carla Antonelli a woman or is she not a woman? Not for them.”
Gugliotta, with those over 55 years of age
Nauzet Gugliotta, the Island Councilor for Diversity, the target of criticism from the LGTBIQ+ groups on the Island that threaten to leave the Island Table, maintains his position of qualifying this position as “censorship.” Gugliotta develops his agenda with absolute normality. As an example, this Wednesday he starred in the new campaign in his area to promote volunteering for people over 55 years of age. under the motto You are the greatest volunteer@.Connect The initiative aims to increase the participation of this segment of the population in the solidarity activities of the entities on the Island. The coordination is the responsibility of the Tenerife Isla Solidaria program, dependent on Sinpromi. Gugliotta believes that this group “can contribute a lot to their community and to society in general.”
The counselor maintains his support for the III Women and Sports State Congress. Tenerife will host for two days, tomorrow and the day after, a forum that analyzes “female health in the world of sport.” The panel of experts, the subject of controversy, remains under the title The inclusion of trans people in the female categories. An international vision. They have been announced, after the loss of Irene Aguilar, Marta Antúnez from Argentina; Laura Redondo, forensic psychologist; Fiona McAnena, international consultant; Tasia Aranguez, professor of Philosophy at the University of Granada, and Izara Antxia, a futsal player.
