One word, many wounds
The tongue can caress, but it can also hit. This week, the deputy mayor of Medina del Campo, and by chance a right-winger, Olga Eugenia Mohíno Andrés, referred to the LGTBIQ+ collective as “la purrela”, a word that does not frequently appear in headlines, but that has made all the headlines jump. alarms.
The PSOE has denounced these events as hate crime, and it is no wonder. But beyond the judicial, it is advisable to stop at the semantic, the symbolic and the social. What exactly does purrela mean? Why does it hurt so much? And what does this episode tell us about the normalization of contempt?
What does “purrela” mean?
Purrela is a colloquial and derogatory word used to refer to something or someone considered trash, of low quality or worthless. In some contexts, it can also be used as a synonym for “rabble”, “riff” or “scum”.
It is not a technical word. It appears in the RAE dictionary with that connotation, and in addition, its popular use makes it a violent term, with a strong classist and contemptuous charge. Its use in public speeches reveals the hatred with which people who do not respond to the canon established by them are treated, even when it is not accompanied by explicit threats.
What does it imply that it is used to refer to the LGTBIQ+ group?
When a public official describes the LGTBIQ+ community as “purrela”, he is doing more than just throwing an insult. This:
- Dehumanizing an entire social group.
- Minimizing or ridiculing a historic struggle for civil rights.
- Normalizing institutional contempt.
These types of statements do not occur in a vacuum. They arrive in a context of growing hate speech, legislative setbacks and attacks on social networks and public spaces. That someone with political power refers to diversity as garbage is serious. That he does it without consequences is even more so.
What hurts is not just the word, but its echo
Calling the LGTBIQ+ group “purrela” is replicating centuries of exclusion with a single word. It is looking at people who have survived aggression, discrimination and silence, and telling them: “You are worthless.” It is denying their humanity and their history.
And the most disturbing thing is that this does not happen from a bar counter, but from a democratic institution.
The response of the PSOE and the legal context
Following the statement, the PSOE of Castilla y León has filed a complaint for a hate crime, arguing that the words of the deputy mayor “foster contempt and hostility against a vulnerable group.”
Article 510 of the Spanish Penal Code punishes with prison sentences acts that incite hatred, violence or discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, among others. Will this declaration fit into that legal figure? That will be decided by the courts.
But in the meantime, political and social responsibility should be immediate.
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Freedom of expression or hate speech?
There is debate here. There are those who argue that statements like this are “personal opinions” protected by freedom of expression.
However, freedom of expression is not unlimited, and even less so when it is used to denigrate historically discriminated groups. The right to express an opinion does not include the right to insult, discriminate or incite contempt.
And when the person who says it has political power, the damage is multiplied, therefore the penalty must be multiplied and exemplified.
A silence that also hurts
Beyond the phrase, another disturbing aspect of this case is the institutional silence. Neither the Medina del Campo City Council nor other public figures around the councilor have issued a firm condemnation.
This lack of public reaction sends a dangerous message: that these types of comments can pass without consequences. That homophobia or transphobia disguised as opinion is not so serious. That “purrela” is just a word.
But it is not. Because every word builds the world. And this, in particular, builds a more hostile environment for many people.
What do we do about this?
From the LGTBIQ+ community, we cannot allow hatred to become normalized. Some necessary actions are:
✔️ Make these speeches visible, name them and denounce them publicly.
✔️ Ask for political responsibilities, not just legal ones.
✔️ Educate and educate ourselves about how hate speech operates.
✔️ Take care of each other, generating support networks and safe spaces.
✔️ Defend language as a tool of dignity, not contempt.
What if we normalize contempt as “part of the political debate”?
There is an uncomfortable question we must ask ourselves: how much hate are we willing to tolerate in the name of plurality? If we make it acceptable to call an entire community “purrela,” where do we draw the line? What do we legitimize without realizing it?
Perhaps the great trap of contemporary hate speech is not in the screams, but in the silences that allow it. In the smiles that justify it. In the “it’s not a big deal” that covers it up.
“Purrela” is not just a word. It is a stone wrapped in syllables. It is a form of violence that seems small, but leaves deep marks.
As an LGTBIQ+ media, from Rainbow Magazine we say loud and clear: we are not purrela. We are diversity, dignity and resistance. And every time someone tries to erase us with insults, we will respond with words that build, make visible and heal.
And from here, we say directly to Mrs. Olga Eugenia Mohíno Andrés:
WE DON’T WANT YOUR TOLERANCE, WE DEMAND YOUR RESPECT.
