Buenos Aires, Argentina – Tens of thousands of people participated in the 34th Pride March in Buenos Aires amid strong calls for attention to the growing hate speech and violence suffered by the LGBT+ community in Argentina.
The event began Saturday morning with a festive atmosphere and colorful displays at the Pride Fair, as well as live shows in the Plaza de Mayo in front of the Casa Rosada, the seat of the Argentine government.
In the mid-afternoon, the march began towards Plaza de los Dos Congresos, where a stage was set up at the entrance of the Argentine Parliament, with concerts that lasted until nightfall.
“Against hatred and violence: more pride and unity” was chosen as the main slogan for this year’s march by the organizing committee, which consists of over 60 non-governmental, trade union, and political organizations.
The committee’s list of demands is extensive and includes ending the stigmatization of trans children and adolescents, reopening gender and diversity spaces and programs, and increasing public funds for health and education.
“This generates a lot of emotion and happiness for me. It’s the second time I’ve come, and it’s wonderful. It’s where I can be myself and fight for our rights,” said Daira Rebeca Maldonado, an 18-year-old nurse, in an interview with EFE.
Slogans at the march condemned the criminalization of protests in Argentina and requested a general strike against the government of Argentinian President Javier Milei’s adjustment policy.
María Rachid, leader of the Argentine LGBT+ Federation (FALGBT in Spanish) and member of the organizing committee of the march, explained to EFE that this year’s central slogan “is a response to the discrimination, violence, and hate crimes that have increased as a result of the Milei government’s legitimization of hate speech.”
“Hate speech is increasing and becoming real violence. In the first half of the year, violence in Argentina increased by 70%. Hate speech erodes democratic processes, and we must put a stop to it,” said Matías Cooke of the Zona Igualdad organization.
According to the LGBT+ Hate Crimes Observatory’s latest report, 102 crimes occurred in the first half of 2025 (70% more than in the first half of 2024), in which the sexual orientation, identity, or gender expression of the victims was used as a pretext for discrimination and violence.
Of the 102 cases, 17 were murders, deaths by structural violence, and suicides; the remaining 85 corresponded to injuries to physical integrity.
“Nowadays, when you go out into the street, you don’t know if you’re going to live or die. As a young transgender person, I have unfortunately experienced many things that have led me to consider suicide or made me feel uncomfortable in both public and private places,” said Maldonado.
It is the second Pride March since Milei took office in late 2023. In 2024, the demands focused on Milei’s austerity and state downsizing policies, which included shuttering the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (INADI in Spanish) and slashing public policies related to diversity.
“I’ve noticed that people in our community have retreated to their homes because society discriminates against us more than before. We must stress the importance of not transmitting hatred, regardless of political ideologies,” said Sasha Gestoso, a first-time participant in the Pride March, held in Buenos Aires since 1992.
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