"There is still much to do and build so that being different is not an obstacle that prevents us from loving whomever we choose, regardless of their skin color, place of birth and/or language, religious belief, age or gender; the really important thing - always - is to maintain minimum standards of coexistence and accept with absolute normality and once and for all that our society is and must continue to be diverse.
We still have a lot, a lot... but we can start by eliminating any type of label, even though we ourselves are very fond of putting them on. Although it may seem like a contradiction, sometimes they are necessary if we think about visibility in, for example, political and/or public acts, but ideally none would exist. We must eliminate any type of stigma that walls off individual and collective freedom. Only then will we be more free and tolerant of that "difference" that the multicolored flag represents.
We must share our defeats and our victories with everyone; remember the struggle of previous generations after which many fell into oblivion. On a day like June 28, we have the obligation to remember all those who sacrificed themselves so that today we can celebrate and share a new day of happiness, where each of us feels that we have found our place in the world.
We cannot forget that rejection is out there, that it exists and unfortunately will continue to exist, but, although it is of no consolation, we must not believe that we are the only ones who can receive that show of disaffection. Our 'Rainbow Flag' has seven colors, colors that represent women, men, the different, the absent and, above all, people with good hearts.
June 28 should be the day where we tolerant people feel proud of the work well done without forgetting the work that we still have to do, so I think we should be the first to fill our windows with colored flags. On this day, LGTBI groups will remind us that above all we are people.
We are like you. We love like you. We suffer like you".
By Isaías González Rijo, Socialist Group for Lanzarote
