ACOGAT, award for a struggle that turned diversity into identity: “Torremolinos is a symbol of freedom”

The Gay Merchants Association of Torremolinos received the BaezaDiversa 2026 Award for Social Contribution. A recognition of the work of those who defend safe spaces, generate opportunities, and keep alive a history of visibility and LGTBIQ+ resistance.

Torremolinos is much more than a destination. It is refuge, memory, and conquest. For decades, this town in Malaga became a meeting place, freedom, and visibility for thousands of LGTBIQ+ people in a society that still denied them rights and recognition. Defending that legacy is also a form of activism.

With that history as a backdrop, the Gay Merchants Association of Torremolinos (ACOGAT) received the BaezaDiversa 2026 Award in the category of Social Contribution, a recognition from the City Council of Baeza for its commitment to equality, inclusion, and the promotion of tourism that has diversity as part of its identity.

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The award was presented on October 24, during the XVII BaezaDiversa Gala, held at the Montemar Theater in the town of Jaén. The president of the association, Nacho Martínez, accepted the distinction on behalf of a collective that understands that working for diversity also means transforming everyday spaces: shops, bars, hotels, streets, and places where people build their lives.

«This award is a recognition of all the people who, from commerce, hospitality, tourism, and the associative fabric, work every day so that diversity is not just a statement of intent, but a reality that is lived with freedom, respect, and equality,» Martínez expressed.

From spaces of freedom to the rights that still need to be defended

The history of Torremolinos is closely linked to the construction of spaces of freedom for the LGTBIQ+ community. Its identity did not arise from a marketing campaign: it was built with the experiences, courage, and resilience of generations of people who found there the possibility to show themselves as they were.

«Torremolinos is much more than a tourist destination. It is a symbol of freedom and diversity, built over decades thanks to the effort and courage of many people,» said the president of ACOGAT. He added a responsibility that crosses new generations and those who have been defending those spaces for years: «We have the responsibility to preserve that legacy and continue advancing so that no one has to hide who they are or whom they love.»

In times when advances in rights need to be defended and hate speech continues to challenge society, the recognition also acquires a political and social dimension. Because equality is not sustained solely by declarations: it needs institutional commitment, public policies, visibility, and spaces where diversity can be lived without fear.

«The rights won can never be taken for granted. In the face of hate speech and intolerance, we need more commitment, more visibility, and more policies that protect equality,» Martínez warned.

Diversity also transforms the economy

ACOGAT also advocates for a dimension that is often reduced to numbers: LGTBIQ+ tourism as a driver of economic development, but also as an opportunity to build more open, plural, and respectful municipalities.

The association argues that commercial and tourist activity cannot be separated from the rights of people. Generating employment, attracting visitors, and energizing the local economy can go hand in hand with inclusion, as long as diversity does not become a mere commercial label.

«Diversity also generates opportunities, employment, wealth, and development for our municipalities. But its true value lies in demonstrating that it is possible to build an economic model that advances hand in hand with rights, equality, and respect for all people,» the president stated.

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The Baeza distinction precisely recognizes that work: that of those who make diversity a daily practice and not a slogan reserved for special dates.

Seven recognitions for different voices of diversity

The XVII edition of the BaezaDiversa Awards distinguished seven individuals and collectives for their contribution to visibility, culture, communication, and the defense of LGTBIQ+ rights.

Alongside ACOGAT, the singer Blas Cantó, communicator Quique Jiménez «Torito», journalist Jorge Gallardo, the group Las Supremas de Móstoles, writer Elizabeth Duval, and Isabel Catena Melgares, distinguished in the new category of Local Reference for Diversity, were recognized.

Different trajectories, languages, and ways of building visibility that share a common horizon: to expand spaces of representation and recognition.

For ACOGAT, the award does not represent a destination point, but an impetus to continue working. «We receive this award with immense gratitude, but also with the conviction that there is still much to be done. We will continue working so that equality, diversity, and freedom are non-negotiable values of our society,» Martínez concluded.

Because celebrating diversity also means defending it. And because behind every space where one can live freely today, there are stories of people who, long before recognitions existed, dared to pave the way.