Uruguay’s LGBTQ community finds itself in a moment of strategic reflection and coordinated action in this crucial election year.
With presidential elections on the horizon, diverse voices inside and outside the Uruguayan political arena are advocating for representation. They are also working to confront the challenges facing the country’s queer population in obtaining positions in Congress.
Uruguay is one of the first countries in Latin America to implement legislation and public policies to improve the quality of life of LGBTQ people. Uruguay, in fact, is considered one of the safest countries in the world for queer tourists.
In recent years, however, LGBTQ people been underrepresented in Congress and other political spaces. And activists see the Oct. 27 election as an opportunity to gain space.
Diego Sempol, a renowned Uruguayan political scientist, told the Washington Blade that LGBTQ participation in national politics is important.
“It is crucial for the LGBTQ+ community to hold positions in Congress to make their issues visible,” he said. “This not only drives more inclusive legislative advances, but also challenges existing social prejudices.”
“I think it would seem important to run for a position in Congress or in the Senate because it would contribute to make the LGBTIQ+ population visible at the political level, which is very good because it is still a great centrality for a large part of the population and therefore achieving voting places, important places voted for, confirms that there is an advance or a setback in social prejudices about dissident gender identities,” added Sempol.
Daniela Buquet, a spokesperson for Colectivo Ovejas Negras, a Uruguayan advocacy group, explained how the LGBTQ movement is approaching this electoral cycle.
“We find ourselves in a context where the major political discussions are still centered on traditional figures, mostly white, upper-class cis males,” said Buquet. “However, we are moving forward strategically,
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