In a context where hate speech resurfaces strongly and inclusive laws are questioned, the Diània LGTBI+ Federation has launched a clear and forceful message: “Trans people exist, they have rights and we will not take a step back”. This is how their statement begins, released by La Vall Diversa, a Valencian collective that has decided to stand up to the increasingly systematic attacks against the trans community.
It is not an exaggerated warning. It is an urgent need.
A wave of hatred that is not casual
La Vall Diversa is not the only voice that denounces it. More and more groups are pointing out the same thing: transphobia has been institutionalized in some territories. Violence does not only come from insults in the street, but also from offices, headlines and political decisions.
In its statement, the group denounces:
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The regression in public policies that protected trans people.
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Dehumanizing statements from political tribunes.
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The dismantling of institutional spaces for LGTBI+ participation.
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Complicit silence in the face of the increase in physical and symbolic attacks.
In particular, they point out the case of the Valencian Community, where the PP government has proposed modifications to Law 8/2017 on LGTBI+ equality and has ignored the call for advisory councils where the associative fabric participates. All this, added to the European context (Hungary, United Kingdom, Italy), paints a worrying picture.
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It’s not just a law. It’s a life.
When a law that protects trans people is questioned, what is being questioned is not just a piece of paper. It is its very existence.
We are talking about a historically marginalized population, with very high unemployment rates, difficulties in accessing health, discrimination in education and a daily reality marked by violence.
And yet, when you take a step forward in rights, setbacks are always around the corner. As if moving forward was a threat. As if asking for dignity was asking too much.
“Davant l’odi, más drets i más rain”
That is the motto of the statement. And it is not just any slogan. It is a resistance strategy. Because when hate becomes institutionalized, the only possible response is to organize. Network. Raise your voice.
La Vall Diversa demands:
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The immediate convocation of the LGTBI+ advisory bodies with the participation of Councilor Susana Camarero.
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The withdrawal of the proposed regressive reforms.
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Respect and maintenance of Law 8/2017 as a key tool for equality.
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The active defense of the rights of trans people at all levels: health, educational, legal and social.
The trans struggle is memory, present and future
Trans people did not come to this fight yesterday. They have been there since the beginning. They were protagonists in Stonewall. They were in the first marches. They have led networks of care, resistance and art. But they have also been, for a long time, the most invisible.
Today, seeing them in front is no coincidence. It is a debt that is beginning to be paid off. And it is also a beacon to understand that the LGTBIQ+ fight will not be complete if it is not also transfeminist, intersectional and radically inclusive.
What can you do?
You don’t need to be part of an association to defend trans rights. Here are some real ways to show support:
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Get informed: follow trans media and activists who tell their reality in the first person.
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Correct with respect: If you hear transphobic comments, don’t normalize them.
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Participate: attend rallies, support signatures, information days.
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Share content: giving visibility to these struggles is also resisting.
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Demand public policies that put life at the center.
Because the opposite of transphobia is not just tolerance. It is active complicity.
⚠️ A critical look: what if resisting is not enough?
It is necessary to resist, yes. But we also need to build. If we are always on the defensive, putting out fires, when will we have time to imagine possible futures? What if, in addition to resisting, we allow ourselves to dream of spaces where the law is not the limit, but rather the starting point?
Organizations like La Vall Diversa do immense work, but they cannot (nor should they) do it all alone. The burden cannot fall solely on those already on the front lines. We need allied institutions, responsible media and committed civil society.
There is no turning back
The reality is this: trans people exist. They live, work, love, study, fight. They are not a fashion. They are not an ideology. They are not a mistake.
And if there is one thing that history has shown, it is that, no matter how hard you try, dignity cannot be revoked.
So no, we will not take a step back. Not a single one.
