This April 21 marked two decades since the Congress of Deputies approved the law that allowed marriage between people of the same gender in Spain. It was a historic moment, loaded with emotion and meaning for millions of people. However, the anniversary comes wrapped in concern.
According to data from a study carried out by the LGTBI+ State Federation together with the 40dB agency, 74% of LGTBI+ people fear losing fundamental rightsif an ultra-conservative party came to power. Marriage, adoption or legal recognition of trans people are the main rights that they feel are at risk.
Even more alarming: 1 in 4 people surveyed fear losing all their rights. Only 0.8% believe that their legal situation would remain intact.
A social advance that cannot be taken for granted
Paula Iglesias, president of the LGTBI+ State Federation, recalls that Law 13/2005 not only marked a before and after in civil rights in Spain, but also sent a clear message to the world: that a country that had lived under a dictatorship for four decades could become an international benchmark in matter of human rights.
Since then, laws have been approved that expand freedoms and guarantee rights for many people in the group. But the threat of retreat remains alive. “Hate speech is not new,” says Iglesias. “What has changed is that they now have more of a voice thanks to social networks and certain international leaders.”
An urgent call to action
Given this panorama, the Federation asks the current Government to take a step forward. They demand a State Pact against hate speech and the real implementation of the laws already approved, so that they do not remain empty promises. Because the rights that are celebrated today could disappear tomorrow if they are not actively defended.
“It is necessary to stop treating equality as a bargaining chip in political negotiations. The dignity, security and freedom of millions of people are not optional,” adds Iglesias. “All parties—not just progressive ones—have a responsibility to stop hate.”
What if the fear is not exaggerated?
Although it may seem alarmist, the collective’s concern does not come from the air. In some autonomous communities they have already begun to review or cut LGTBI+ policies, often under discourses of neutrality or supposed protection of “traditional values.” To what extent are we prepared to defend what has already been achieved? Who decides which rights are debated and which are not?
Social victories are not eternal. Sometimes what seems stable is just a pause in a much longer struggle.
