Gay Pride in Mexico, 1982 PRESENIE SUS people.
prison with no charge brought against them. murder of gays is common he against background of repression I1 SUCICLi 'at large. oren encouraged by the state, that gays have begun organise. The first groups were small clandesthe situation has changed dramatically and gay pride marches have been held annually.
On 26 June last year 4000 marched through Mexico citv on the annua Gay Pride demonstration.
The atmosphere festive, with music, balloons, brightly oured banners and flags, and with the marchers in colourful dress.
The mood of festivity was intended CHLAŘI, the the National Coalition of Les bians Homosexuals, to be in contrast general conditions of gay existence in Mexico.
In the south-centre of the country, and especially in Guadalajara, the third city of Mexico, where machismo is strongest and the Catholic church has The greatest hold, the Gays from working class nee bonstands lise with Colistall risk violence macho heterosexual men, and are subjected intimidation extortion oy une ponce Grupo Lambda an of lesbians orzanisauul / men, lesbian organisation, the initials of which stand for Strong Women Warriors Who •Spread Flowers on the Road, now lead gay resistance. They came in 1981 to form CHLARI, both organise the Gay Pride march and to supDorl une cecuor camoay that year of Rosario Ibarra de Piedra, the presidential candidate of the PRT (Mexican section of the Fourth International).
The role of the PRT has been important in the growth of the gay move ment, for it was comrades of the PRT who were centhe of Grupo Lambda, PRT is the only Mexico which stand intransigently for gay liberation.
The 1982 elections allowed the PRT CHLARI to reach out to parts of the Counta previously untouched by organised gay or revolu tionary left politics. Thess organisations are now touch with and giving support to the women workers of the free trade factorie strung the Unitedr the border with the States These factories take parts imported the US Europe and Japan for final assembly re export.
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IN MEXICO there is a savage repression against gay Their clubs are raided. Gays are often flung into