At midday on Saturday, Plaza de Mayo was teeming with people bedecked in rainbow flags, and the classic Buenos Aires inflatable rainbow arched over Avenida de Mayo. They danced in front of a large stage, the air vibrating with loud music, and walked around the stalls cramming the sidewalks selling pride pins, clothes, sex toys, vegan food, and books. Buenos Aires’ 33rd pride march was well underway.

Official figures of how many attended the largest pride march in the country have not been released, but hundreds of thousands packed the avenue, and the adrenaline was high. 

“We are very happy to be able to express ourselves and, on the one hand, celebrate all that we have achieved in Argentina and, on the other, send a message to this national government against hate speech and tell them that we will not accept any more setbacks. We will rebuild everything that has already been destroyed,” said María Rachid, head of the Ombudsman’s LGBTQIA+ Office.

Last year, marchers implored that people refrain from voting for President Javier Milei, with fears of anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiments expressed in the campaign — he would win the presidential runoff two weeks later. This year, the president was once again the subject of many posters and banners. Para Milei, mucho sexo gay (For Milei, lots of gay sex) featured prominently throughout, and the official slogans of the march included condemning government austerity measures and the dismantling of key institutions like the National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism, which protected the community.

“Despite the organizational difficulties we had this year, we pulled through. It’s the first time that the national government did not support the pride march at all,” Rachid told the Herald. “Thanks to the support of other actors like companies, the private sector, embassies, the government of the Province of Buenos Aires, and the Buenos Aires City government, we were able to fill the gap.”

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At 4 p.m., the march proper began. Demonstrators danced alongside over 50 floats that slowly — and exuberantly — made their way to the Congress building, where a second stage awaited. Hours later, between performances and warnings against not buying magic brownies because several had fallen ill, the traditional abucheos. Activists and performers led the joyful crowd in a round of enthusiastic, cathartic boos against people harming the community. On the list this year: Milei, deputies and senators who voted for his flagship Ley Bases, and hate speech perpetuated by the government.

“Because hate speech is the prelude to hate crimes! Because we won’t accept that from the spheres of power, they spew their shit against our identities!” they cried. “Because although they benefit from attacking us online or ranting publicly, we will never again go back into the closet!”

Spokesman Manuel Adorni and Milei’s biographer Nicolás Márquez were among those called out specifically — both made homophobic public remarks in the run-up and aftermath of the arson attack that ultimately led to the death of three lesbians in May. One of the rallying cries of the march was Fue lesbicidio (“It was a lesbicide”) in direct contrast to the spokesman: a call for justice and a warning for what hate speech can lead to. 

The party extended well into the night, the lights of Congress — conspicuously white, not rainbow-colored as in previous years — bright without outshining the dazzling party below.

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