This past June 18, the World Health Organization finally de-pathologized transsexuality. Once and for all, identity diversity is no longer considered a disease. It is a half-hearted celebration for part of the trans activism, since feeling like a man or a woman without coinciding with the sex of birth, is still considered an 'incoherent' issue of the person, a "gender identity disorder".
However, although it has not been to everyone's liking, there are many trans people who celebrate this advance, it is still an important step that transsexual people are no longer considered by the scientific community as mentally ill. Now we must land this achievement in our laws, taking a further step, to ensure that both in our regional law, and in the state law - currently in process - the total depathologization of transsexuality, without any stigma, becomes a reality.
This edition of the ICD-11, which still has time to come into force (in 2022), will replace the one in force since 1990, which then removed homosexuality from the list of diseases. That was the other day, and let's not forget that in more than 80 countries around the world being gay or lesbian is still illegal, and is still punishable by death in a dozen states.
It was only 13 years ago that equal marriage was established in Spain. Since then, living out of the closet not only socially but also legally has been a huge step forward for thousands of homosexual families, who today can lead their lives normally. In schools, boys and girls are increasingly aware that there are many different family models, with a dad and a mom, two moms, two dads, among others. And it is surprising to see the naturalness with which they live this diversity, demonstrating a level of adaptation and tolerance far superior to that of adults.
We can be proud to live in the Canary Islands, possibly one of the most open and tolerant autonomous communities in the entire State. This is historically so because of our culture and our people, but not precisely because of our laws, where we still have a long way to go to guarantee the recognition of all rights to the trans reality in equal conditions, and non-discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression and sexual characteristics.
Currently, the trans people's groups of the Canary Islands are working on the draft of a new Law that overcomes the deficiencies of the current one, which even though it is relatively recent, from 2014, was born with important shortcomings and protocols that never came to be developed. The groups know that they have the support of Podemos, and that from the Parliament we will fight to achieve the best possible law, defending each and every one of their demands.
This year's LGTBI Pride celebration is especially dedicated to the "T" of the trans reality. The state Pride demonstration, which will run through the main streets of Madrid on July 7, and which many Canarians will surely attend, will have as its motto; "Conquering equality, TRANSforming society". This Saturday, June 30, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the island Pride demonstration will take place, which will run through the streets under the motto "Repressed, Victorious, Together for trans liberation", dedicated to all those people who ran persecuted by the police in the Pride of 40 years ago, and all the women and men who paid with jail, with beatings, with discrimination and even with death, their identity and their feeling.
In this Pride, above all, we want to recognize those who fought and suffered repression to make it so that today, we can enjoy the sea breeze, out of the closet.
By María del Río (Secretary of Equality, Feminism and LGTBI of Podemos Canarias)
