- The historic Madrid entity celebrates four decades of struggle with an institutional day in the Lower House.
- References such as Manolita Chen and Mili Hernández connect historical memory with current legal challenges.
- The event reinforces the need for collective action to protect the rights achieved against future challenges.
In the framework of its 40th anniversary, COGAM yesterday in the Congress of Deputies celebrated the day “LGTBI+ history and future challenges”. This institutional meeting brought together key figures from activism, culture and law to analyze the legacy of the movement in Spain and establish a roadmap for pending equality challenges.
An institutional commitment to historical memory
The opening of the event was attended by Beth Giraldo, vice president of COGAM, and Julio del Valle, general director for real and effective equality for LGTBI+ people. During his speech, Giraldo recalled that this anniversary is not only an exercise in nostalgia, but a tool of political responsibility to continue generating spaces for meeting and advancing rights.
For its part, the institutional representation highlighted the role of associations in the construction of Spanish democracy. The day is consolidated as the central axis of the commemorative activities that COGAM will carry out throughout the year, reaffirming its position as an essential interlocutor between civil society and public powers.
From Manolita Chen to social justice: Voices of the movement
The event was divided into two strategic blocks. The first, moderated by David Velduque, put the focus on living memory with the participation of Manolita Chen, the writer Ramón Martínez and Mili Hernández, founder of the emblematic Berkana bookstore. The speakers agreed that historical visibility is the only shield against the decline of freedoms.
The second table, of a technical and social nature, analyzed the current legal reality. Antonio Arroyo (UAM), the activist Julia Mendez and the content creator Daniel Valero (Tigrillo), moderated by the lawyer White Angels, they debated the implementation of current laws and the protection of the most vulnerable groups within diversity.
The future of LGTBI+ activism in Spain
The closing was carried out by Ronny de la Cruz, president of COGAM, who launched a message of unity and persistence. De la Cruz highlighted that the organization’s history shows that each right achieved has been the result of an uninterrupted collective effort. According to the president, these 40 years are a reminder that “there is still a way to go” to go.
The day concludes with an eye toward the coming decades, where digitalization, legal protection against hate speech and the cohesion of the movement will be decisive. COGAM will continue with its anniversary program, maintaining historical memory as an engine for the social and political transformation of the country.
