In El Médano, Grandilla de Abona, a remarkable demonstration took place on Friday as part of the LGBTIQA+ Pride Day, with the powerful motto “Our pride, our fight: together and visible”. The vibrant march proceeded from Plaza Roja to La Plaza de El Médano, echoing the united message of “Our pride, our fight: together and visible”.
The event drew an estimated five hundred individuals who adorned the location with a sea of LGBTIQA+ and intersectional rainbow flags, accompanied by banners and signs advocating for respect towards sexual, family, and gender diversity. Chants resonated through the streets, such as “parental pin-free education”, “our existence is not a debate”, “the streets will always be ours”, “pride is not for sale, pride is defended”, “it’s not gay pride, it’s LGBTIQA+”, among various others.
The demonstration was spearheaded by prominent LGBTIQA+ organisations from Tenerife namely: CanaryPride, Fundación Pedro Zerolo, Chrysallis Canarias, Libertrans, Aperttura, Caminar Intersex and Diversas. These entities came together in a poignant protest manifesto at the demonstration’s conclusion, coinciding with the reading of another manifesto crafted by inmates of the Tenerife Penitentiary Centre, in conjunction with the Pride festivities.
Emphasising the pressing need for inclusive education, these organisations stressed the significance of asserting rights through effective legislation and fostering global solidarity amidst the surge of extremist and reactionary ideologies worldwide, endangering the hard-won rights of individuals. They adamantly proclaimed that “we must not regress even a single step in our pursuit of rights.”
Addressing the infiltration of far-right ideologies into institutions and the propagation of hate speech in society, these groups held them directly accountable for the hate crimes inflicted on the community, cautioning that “we will not tolerate being silenced again, expelled from institutions, or pushed back to the fringes of society.”
In alignment with nationwide calls, these organising bodies united to urge for a State Pact against hate speech to safeguard vulnerable groups targeted by such rhetoric, including the LGBTIQA+ community, Romani people, migrants, individuals experiencing homelessness, those living with HIV, people with disabilities, and women.
Furthermore, they commended the passing of a motion during the Tenerife Council’s plenary session, underlining the public commitment to authentic and effective integration of trans individuals in sports, while demanding tangible, supportive actions from the institution. They stressed the need to prevent instances of transphobia, advocating for an environment where trans individuals can peacefully and freely engage in the sports they love without compromising their identity.
Condemning the practices of certain Tenerife councils that design Pride and LGBTIQA+ policies without consulting relevant organisations, the associations denounced the reliance on non-specialist entities that overlook the invaluable work carried out by LGBTIQA+ associations. They also critiqued support from individuals or companies that have undermined the community’s activism.
Concluding their manifesto, the associations appealed to individuals, institutions, and governments to “heed our calls and stand in solidarity in the fight for education, LGBTIQA+ rights, and unity.”
