Buenos Aires Herald 
Over one million people marched on Saturday in the 32nd annual Pride March in Buenos Aires City. The rally is always political, but more so this year as the presidential run-off looms large. Many at the march condemned far-right presidential candidate Javier Milei ahead of the November 19 vote and one of the central demands was to stop anti-LGBTQIA+ proposals.
“Milei hates us,” “Please, don’t vote for hatred” or “The pleasure of finishing with the right” were among the statements written on many signs, all in reference to La Libertad Avanza’s leader. Milei and many members of his coalition have spoken against the country’s Integral Sex Education Law (ESI) — which seeks to raise awareness about diverse gender and sexual experiences, among other things — and claim LGBTQIA+ people receive “privileged” treatment as a minority. “Not Milei” was chanted in front of Casa Rosada.
Many celebrities and artists were at the march, such as Moria Casán, TV diva and gay icon. Casán is a Peronist and mother-in-law to Sergio Massa, current Economy Minister and ruling coalition Unión por la Patria’s candidate. Thus she joined many at the march in calling for people to vote for him.
“There will be many other marches. We can’t lose our rights,” Casán told Télam.
Certain signs on the street read “Give me Massa” (wordplay with the candidate’s last name and a dose of sexual innuendo) while some displayed his name written on their bodies.
The march started at 3 p.m. from the Obelisk towards the Congress building. There, later in the afternoon, the Pride March Organizing Commission (COMO, by its Spanish initials) read a document in which they called for “no more budget cuts, no less rights.”
This year marks the 40th anniversary since the return of democracy following the last military dictatorship and the demands called for its protection.
“[Democracy] is in danger with far-right candidates such as Milei and [former president Mauricio] Macri,” Marcela Tobaldi, travesti activist and co-founder of the organization La Rosa Naranja, told Télam. “We are part of the support our comrade Sergio Tomás Massa needs.”
Unlike its direct English translation, travesti in Argentina is a gender identity with deep political roots that is worn with pride.
Among the main demands were also the effective implementation of the travesti/trans employment law and that the ESI be taught in all schools.
As always, the march was full of sparkles, colors, and music. This time, it mixed with fans of Boca Junior who were at the Obelisk waiting for the Copa Libertadores match against Fluminense to start at 5 p.m. Unfortunately, the team lost 2-1 but had quite the party to fall back on.
Trans actress and TV host Florencia de la V was also in one of the many floats at the march and talked about the advance of the far-right. “I am saddened, but I trust in Argentina and in our memory, that we don’t want to go through violence and dictatorship again. Never again,” she said.
You may also be interested in: Argentina celebrates Pride: why the march isn’t on June 28
—Herald/Télam
