Millions worldwide protest Argentinian president’s hateful anti-LGBTQ+ speech

by Curated February 16, 2025 · Gay News / Gay Pride / Gay Rights / LGBTQ Nation

Argentine LGBTQ+ activists in coalition with women’s and human rights organizations wasted no time in organizing a massive protest march against Milei and his far-right agenda. On Saturday, February 1, millions took to the streets of the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires as well as over 100 other cities around the world, according to the Buenos Aires Herald.

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Sofía Díaz, a transgender woman and former civil servant who was fired by the Milei administration, told the Washington Blade that activists began organizing the march via WhatsApp the day after the Argentine president’s speech. “We were really afraid of what he had said,” Díaz told the outlet.

Argentine Congressman Esteban Paulón, a longtime LGBTQ+ rights activist, told the Blade that the protest far exceeded organizers’ expectations.

“There was no expectation that it would be so, so massive, beyond the one in Buenos Aires,” he said, noting concurrent marches in other Argentine cities like Rosario, Córdoba, Mar del Plata and Salta, just to name a few. According to the Blade, people in New York, Paris, Berlin, London, Madrid, Amsterdam, Mexico City, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and other cities around the world also marched in solidarity with LGBTQ+ Argentines on February 1.

The scene in the Argentine capital was one of joyous defiance, with protesters waving the full spectrum of LGBTQ+ Pride flags, dancing, and wearing ballcaps reading “Make Argentina Gay Again,” the Buenos Aires Herald reported. Some marchers held signs taking aim at U.S. President Donald Trump, who has praised Milei, and Elon Musk as well.

“There were health workers, students, scientists, sex workers, artists, teachers, retirees, workers of memory and human rights sites, a whole range of struggles and conflicts that said ‘Enough, Milei!’” Alejandra Rodríguez, a transfeminist activist with the Buenos Aires City LGBTQIA+ Antifascist Assembly told the outlet.

“The fight for our anti-fascist and anti-racist LGBTQIA+ pride march is also for society as a whole, this march that has the support and participation of a huge breadth of affected social sectors,” she added.

“The anti-fascist, anti-racist and LGBTQA+ cause really moves people,” said Carola Escolar, a queer English teacher at the University of Buenos Aires who marched with her union. “It gives you energy to see people react. When you hear the president’s comments at Davos, they don’t just stay at home.”

Following the February 1 marches, Argentine LGBT+ Federation President María Rachid told the Washington Blade that the protests had sent “a strong message to President Milei putting a limit to hatred, discrimination and violence.”

“Argentine society built the values of respect for diversity, equality, and true freedom and yesterday it came out to defend them with massive demonstrations throughout the country and in many cities around the world,” Rachid said. “We are proud of what we were able to build because although they want to destroy it, it is already part of the heart of Argentine society.”

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Author: John Russell