Puerto Vallarta stands as a beacon of LGBTQ+ community activities, recently exemplified by the hoisting of the rainbow flag at five different locations across the city, marking the celebration of Sexual Diversity.
The city’s premier LGBTQ+ event, ‘Vallarta Pride’, scheduled from May 20 to 26, will be packed with an array of activities. Víctor Espíndola, the coordinator of the Movement for Equality (MOVI), disclosed the plans for the event.
Highlighting the continuing struggle against hate crimes and sexual discrimination, Espíndola drew attention to the significance of May 17th, the day when, in 1990, the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged that homosexuality was not a pathological condition.
To promote a deeper understanding of sexual diversity, a training initiative has been launched for the municipal police in Puerto Vallarta. This initiative is expected to benefit 250 officers, arranged in ten groups of 25 each.
Espíndola underscores Puerto Vallarta as a beacon of hope for sexual diversity. He appreciates the sense of respect and inclusion predominant in downtown Vallarta. Nevertheless, he notes a powerful machismo culture and stigmatization on the city’s outskirts.
He draws attention to groups such as the Family Front, which he feels work against expressions of sexual diversity. “We persist in our efforts to dismantle such attitudes. The current police training initiative aims to curb unwarranted arrests and extortion,” Espíndola commented.
In addition, training will also be provided to the custodial staff at the Puerto Vallarta Prison, ensuring respectful and humane treatment of incarcerated LGBTQ+ individuals.
Espíndola referenced 2022 data from the National Institute of Geography and Statistics (INEGI), suggesting that 5 percent of Puerto Vallarta’s total population identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
The organizers are optimistic about the forthcoming ‘Vallarta Pride’, anticipating an attendance of around 20,000 participants.
