The General Director of LGTBI+ Equality analyzes the current moment, the protection of the law against regional cuts and the rise of hate speech.
- The report Rainbow map 2025 places Spain in fifth place in Europe in LGTBI+ rights, although it warns that there is no room for complacency.
- The Ministry of Equality reaffirms its roadmap with the appeals filed against the cuts in the Valencian Community and Madrid.
- Ultimate concern about the transfer of hate speech from institutions to social networks and the streets.
In a scenario where legal advances coexist with an increasingly polarized social climate, the Julio del Valle interview becomes essential to understand the future of equality in Spain. The Director General for Real and Effective Equality of LGTBI+ People analyzes for Rainbow how the rise of The extreme right has broken historical consensus and why the Government has decided to take the legislative setbacks in territories such as Madrid and Valencia to the Constitutional Court..
The Law as a shield against territorial cuts
During this interview July Valle highlights that the Government is not going to be a mere observer in the dismantling of equality policies in certain autonomous communities. “We will use all the mechanisms at our disposal,” he states forcefully when referring to the defense of Law 4/2023. According to Del Valle, using trans people as political “bargaining currency” is a strategy that a full democracy cannot afford.
Rainbow Magazine: Julio, from your responsibility in the Ministry of Equality, how would you describe the moment that LGTBIQ+ people are experiencing in Spain right now?
The current moment is good according to the data from the Rainbow map 2025 report presented each year by the Ilga organization, Spain occupies fifth place in terms of the achievement and exercise of rights within the European context. This data is not for complacency, but rather points out the path of necessary progress that lies ahead of us.
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Rainbow Magazine: Spain is often presented as a leading country in LGTBIQ+ rights. In the current context, what part of that story is still true and what parts do you think should be reviewed more honestly?
If we review, for example, just last week, the Government has declared Tefía, a place of democratic memory honoring and repairing the people who preceded us in the fight for equality, the essential protocol has been signed with the unions of accompaniment of trans people in the company, the use of injectable prep has been approved or a constitutional appeal has been filed due to the cuts to rights in the Valencian Community. We are not going to leave the equality roadmap.
Rainbow Magazine: In recent years we have seen clear legal advances, but also a more tense social and political climate. Where would you say the main tensions are at the state level today?
Unfortunately, LGTBI+ people and especially Trans people are at the center of an artificial debate, being used as a scapegoat and bargaining chip to reach political agreements. A democracy is full when it welcomes different minorities and places them on an equal footing with the rest of society. We advance immensely only when we are able to leave no one behind.
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Rainbow Magazine: The rise of the extreme right in Spain is no longer just an electoral phenomenon, it is also cultural and discursive. How is this affecting equality policies and, specifically, LGTBIQ+ rights?
Spain, after equal marriage and the possibility of changing the sex register 20 years ago, took a qualitative leap that was reflected in great social and political consensus approving a significant number of autonomous laws. The entry of the extreme right into the institutions completely breaks these basic consensuses, radicalizing a debate that should be situated exclusively in that of human rights.
Rainbow Magazine: Are you concerned that certain discourses that were previously on the margins are becoming normalized in public and media debate?
A lot, we already know from studies that there is a direct translation of the institutional debate to what happens later on the networks and in the streets. It is something that we must decisively address, Congress is currently studying implementing an agreement against hate speech that we hope will go forward with broad political support. We are at risk for the type of society we want to be.
July del Valle, General Director for Real and Effective Equality for LGTBI+ People. Ministry of Equality[/caption]
Rainbow Magazine: When some autonomous communities stop or dismantle LGTBIQ+ policies, what real margin does the Government have to guarantee rights throughout the territory?
The Government has already taken the autonomous communities of Madrid and Valencia to the Constitutional Court for cutting rights embodied in Law 4/2023 in their regional legislation. We are not going to accept any step back and we will use all the mechanisms at our disposal to defend them.
Rainbow Magazine: From the General Directorate, what are the most urgent priorities right now so that LGTBIQ+ equality is effective and not just on paper?
Last year we approved the first LGTBI Strategy and the Trans Strategy that are aligned with its European counterpart, it is the first time that we have this planning and evaluation instrument, it builds a public policy that affects all ministries and institutions. A comprehensive diagnosis of the inequality that affects us was carried out with civil society and corrective actions were proposed. It is one of the most important developments of the law.
Rainbow Magazine: Beyond the laws, are you worried about a possible social erosion of the consensus around LGTBIQ+ rights in Spain?
Pedro Zerolo said that laws are first conquered, then enjoyed and defended. No progress is definitive if there is no social consensus behind them. It is important to convey with data that there is still great inequality that must be corrected to fulfill the constitutional mandate. We are very lucky to have a well-articulated associative movement present throughout the territory that does great work in this regard.
