What is it , and what does the Vallarta LGBT Collective do?
By Hector Ramire Betancourt
It is a group for the defense and promotion of the human rights of sexual diversity, respect, equity, responsibility, strength, solidarity and loyalty. Generating high-impact actions on sexual orientation and social and political incidence that help contribute to generate a society, where equal civil and human rights are guaranteed for the LGBT population. As well as to promote sexual and reproductive health, from the people's empowering and the citizens exercise of their own rights in the young LGBT population to achieve full inclusion in society.
The group was born at the beginning of 2012, due to the need that in our city there was not an organization that fought in favor of the lgbt population, there were and there had only been HIV prevention and support organizations.
Throughout this time, different types of talks and workshops have been given, highlighting those of the writer Alejandro Toledo, as well as different members of the Vallarta society have given us talks, amongst them the ones which train us; Lic. Daniel Canales and Psychologist Kary Ceja, participating in organizing a meeting of activists in Puerto Vallarta, where people came from Tepic and Guadalajara. Points of view were exchanged amongst them, they have participated in marches against homophobia, and one of them was organized to demand justice by Hector Jonathan. As well, they have participated in marches in different cities such as Guadalajara and Mexico City, in which we have been proudly representing Puerto Vallarta and in which we have led the contingent.
We have attended different forums at the national and international level, and as a collective we are part of several groups at the national and international level, in which collaboration with other organizations in the country is feedback to work for the human rights of the lgbt population.
With state sister organizations and national ones too, we work in favor of equal marriage, a struggle that has not ended yet, we will rest until it becomes a reality throughout the nation and in Jalisco the congress finally abides by the court's resolution.
The Municipal President, Ing. Arturo Dávalos, was able to personally marry the first same-sex couples in our municipality.
In order to achieve this, a protection of 8 couples was filed before requesting to carry out their civil union, the protection was about to come out when the court's resolution happened, now there are already several civilly married couples in our municipality.
And we have a regulation to reduce and end the discrimination which was approved by the plenary session of the city council, as well as by the city. It is also possible to rectify the gender and name of trans people and the registration of children of homoparental families.
This has been thanks to the political incidence that we have had as a group with the authorities of our municipality, there is still much to do and we will continue as a group making this happen as we walk.
In the same way, awareness courses have been given to the lgbt population, to the entire public security department of Puerto Vallarta, as well as in Canaco and in some hotels and restaurants. These workshops are given free of charge to those who request it, depending on the time available of the people who teach it. More information at the Vallarta lgbt collective facebok page.
