On June 26, 2020, the Cordoba government raised an LGBT flag in Parque Sarmiento in anticipation of Pride Day on June 28, 2020. But the gesture of support was ruined by alleged veterans of the 1982 war who attempted to take the pride flag down. They claimed they took this action because the only flag that had the right to be displayed was the Argentine flag. This action led to a series of protests, some of which resulted in vandalism and violence. If you can read Spanish, you can learn more about what happened here.
Now back in 2012, I wrote a blog entry called "Are Gays Safe in Argentina?" At that point, my husband and I had been here for five months, and I had no reason to believe that gays weren't safe. Not only had they legalized gay marriage, but LGBT couples walked around kissing and holding hands in public without anyone reacting unfavorably towards them. But what happened on June 26 of this year has made me question whether gays are indeed safe in Argentina.
There's a level of homophobia in this country that I thought was long gone, or at the very least suppressed. Clearly, I was mistaken. So, I interviewed a young man named Maxi Tassi to get a better perspective of what gay people face in Argentina. The interview was originally in Spanish, so I included the Spanish version and the translated English version.
So without further to do, let's get to know Maxi.
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Hello Maxi! Please tell us a little about yourself.
Well, my name is Maximiliano Javier Tassi. I'm 22. I'm about to turn 23. I came out 3 years ago when I was 20. It was very difficult for me. I knew what I was since I was about 7 or 8, but because of the society we live in, I couldn't really come out and say it until I was in college. There were a lot of open minded people there and this helped me tremendously. So I will always be grateful for that because there were lots of parties and I had a friend who always supported me there. I am currently studying social communications. I've worked in various places like ice cream parlors and clothing stores. I've also been a waiter but I'm currently unemployed.
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Hola Maxi! Por favor, contanos un poco sobre ti.
Bueno, me llamo Maximiliano Javier Tassi. Tengo 22 años. Estoy por cumplir 23. Me acepte hace 3 años atras a los 20. Para mi fue dificil. Estuve sabiendolo desde chiquito mas o menos desde que tenia 7 o 8. Por la sociedad en que nacemos no pude decirlo hasta que fui a la facultad. Habian gente muy abierta ahi y eso me ayudo muchisimo. A si que siempre agradezco eso, sumado que hay un monton de fiestas y tenia un amigo que siempre me apoyo. Estudio comunicacion social y eh trabajado en varios lugares como heladerias, locales de ropa, de mozo, pero actualmente por la pan de mia no estoy haciendo nada.
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What do you identify as?
I identify as gay and demisexual. Demisexual is when you can only have sex when you're in love or you have a strong connection with someone. This made it more difficult to find love because everything is so sexualized in life. And since sex isn't my main focus when looking for someone, finding a partner was very difficult. But eventually I learned to accept that this is how I was and took responsibility for that.
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Como describis to preferencia sexual?
Me describo como gay y demisexual. Demisexual es cuando solo podes tener sexo, o sea, pasarla bien en el sexo cuando estas enamorado o tenes un vinculo fuerte con alguien. Eso me costo mas todavia porque no podia encontrar [una pareja] porque todo el mundo esta o sea como que todo esta muy sexualizado en la vida y al que no me atrayera tanto el sexo fue dificil. Pero bueno despues lo aceptas y te haces responsable de eso, calculo.
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Can you tell us about a time where someone in the LGBT community was discriminated against in Cordoba province?
They hit a bunch of guys with chains not too long ago because they were trying to raise an LGBT flag. The flag was raised by order of the local government in Cordoba. But that's when an anti-rights group went out and started attacking people. I also recall a time when a guy was punched repeatedly for dressing up too effeminate, and they broke his jaw a few years back. So yeah, Cordoba's pretty intense.
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Nos podes contar sobre una situacion en cual alguien de la comunidad LGBT enfrento discriminacion en la provincia de Cordoba?
Hace poco le pegaron a cadenazos por subir una bandera LGBT a unos chicos. Por orden de la municipalidad, se subio una bandera LGBT y fueron grupos anti-derechos a pegarle a las gente. Tambien a un chico le pegaron un bollo porque iba vestido muy gay y le rompieron la mandibula hace un año aproximadamente, y es bastante fuerte Cordoba.
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Were you ever discriminated against based on your sexual orientation?
Yes. Recently a group of five guys were driving past me and called me a faggot. But this tends to happen all the time when you dress different from other people. It's why I think it's very important to deconstruct these stigmas. For example, dressing differently, wearing makeup that people will see is one way to go. That way, people will get used to this and eventually feel less shocked, so they won't discriminate as much. At the very least, I think that such a change is bound to benefit someone down the line. But having people yell obscenities at me has happened to me many times. There was also a lot, and I do mean a lot of discrimination at the university even before I came out.
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Alguna vez fuistes discriminado por tu orientacion sexual?
Si hace poco me gritaron en la calle "Puto" cinco pibes en un auto, y sale pasar siempre cuando te vestis diferente a lo que la gente cree que es normal. Pero bueno yo creo que esta en eso en desconstruir esas cosas. Por ejemplo vestirse diferente, maquillarse para que la gente vea y la proxima vez que vean alguien asi no le choquen tanto, no discrimine tanto porque al menos yo pienso que si hay un cambio, a alguien le va resultar. Y si tambien me paso varias veces de que me griten cosas. Si en el colegio hay mucha, mucha discriminacion aunque no lo habia admitido todavia.
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Did you ever feel as though your life was ever in danger for being gay?
As far as being afraid of being killed, no, I've never felt that. But I know friends who have experienced this fear that they may get beaten and it's pretty sad that our society continues to be this way.
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Alguna vez sentistes que tu vida estaba en peligro por ser gay?
Y sobre el peligro de morir no, pero si tengo amigos que lo han pasado. Que los cagan a bollos y es bastante feo que la sociedad siga siendo asi.
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Do you believe that members of the LGBT community are less likely to experience a hate crime in Argentina versus other Latin American countries?
I believe we're [Argentina] a bit more advanced than other Latin American countries like Paraguay, Peru or Bolivia who are far more conservative than we are. I believe that the issue stems from the eurocentric way of thinking that was proposed by countries like Europe which ultimately brought racism, homophobia and lots of things that come with religion, because obviously these hateful beliefs come from the church itself. So I think we need to deconstruct these beliefs. We will potentially become better people once we have accomplished this. But these issues continue to be a major problem in Argentina but not so much as in other Latin American counties like Brazil, where it's very dangerous [to be gay].
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Crees que las gente LGBT corren menos riesgo de ser atacados en Argentina que en otros paises latinoamericanos?
Creo que somos un pais un poco mas avanzado que los otros en latinoamerica por ejemplo paraguay... si nos comparamos con Paraguay o con Peru o con Bolivia que son todavia muchos mas conservadores que nosotros. Yo creo que el problema es el pensamiento eurocentrico que hay que colonizar (que eh estado estudiando hace poco), que es que a nosotros nos propucieron un mundo como Europa y nos trajeron el racismo, el homofobia y un monton de cosas que vienen con la religion obviamente porque eso eran pensamientos de la iglesia. Asi que creo que hay que desconstruir eso. Una vez que se descontruya vamos hacer otros. Pero si sigue siendo bastante problematico en Argentina pero no es tanto como en otros lugares de latinoamerica. Brazil por ejemplo es mucho mas peligroso.
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Please explain what happened in Parque Sarmiento with the LGBT flag during Pride Day? Who was protesting? What were they trying to do to the flag and why?
Well, in Parque Sarmiento, they raised an LGBT flag, and a group of militants (or rather alleged patriots of the Argentine flag), who were in fact established homophobic groups, came to stop them. In reality, they were part of the Ultra Derecha [a political movement that promotes and sustains nationalist and ultra conservative positions], but they pretended to be part of something else because if people knew what they truly represented, people would lose faith in them. So they found other ways [patriotism] to reach a broader audience and get their support much like the news media does. It's why using television to stay informed is such a problem because it continues to ferment all this hateful shit.
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Por Favor, explicanos un poco de los que paso en Parque Sarmiento con la bandera durante el dia de orgullo aqui en Cordoba Capital? Quien protesto? Que intentaron de hacerle a la bandera? Porque?
Bueno en Parque Sarmiento subieron una bandera, y fueron militantes (en realidad supuestamente patrioticos por la bandera), pero en realidad son grupos homofobicos que se establecen. En realidad es la ultra derecha nada mas que se la pintan de otra cosa porque si la gente se enteran que es la ultra derecha, no confiarian en ellos digamos. Entonces se la ingenian de otra forma para llegar a mas y es lo que hacen los noticieros. Por eso que es tan problematico informarce de la tele porque siguen fermentando toda esa mierda digamos.
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Do you think the level of homophobia and hate crimes towards members of the LGBT community are higher in Cordoba than in other provinces like Buenos Aires?
Yes. I believe it's different in Cordoba than Buenos Aires, but I can't imagine what it must be like in Jujuy, Salta, or in smaller provinces. Things are also very different in small provinces where the level of homophobia, racism and classism is disgustingly high. So let's just say that smaller provinces are the worst [in regards to hate].
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Crees que hay un nivel mas alto de homofobia y/o ataques contra las gente LGBT en Cordoba que en otras provincias como Buenos Aires?
Y si creo que es diferente en cordoba que en Buenos Aires pero no puedo imaginar lo que debe ser en Jujuy, en Salta, o en provincias mucho mas chicas. Tambien es muy diferente en los pueblos chicos, Es un asco la homofobia, el racismo, el clasismo, toda esas cosas. Los pueblos chicos son lo peor digamos.
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Do you believe that the provincial government of Cordoba and the national government of Argentina has done enough to support the LGBT community? Do you think they should be doing more to help out? Are there laws that protect the LGBT community against discrimination in the workplace?
Yes. The Cordoba government has been part of the Peronista party for many years. They have a mix of genders (including trans) but they keep that hidden to avoid the chaos that occurred when someone placed the LGBT flag in Parque Sarmiento. The same day that they raised the flag, the government tried to once again introduce the trans hiring quotas but it was repealed. So clearly, raising a flag isn't enough, which is something I've always said. But I do believe that the national government does more for us. They hired 50% of women and people who are LGBT, the other half is men in all businesses from the Sociedad Anonima (S.A.). They also approved the trans hiring quota in Banco Nacion. We need more obviously and we need visibility and exposure, which is something that President Alberto Fernandez does on his forums, where he's known to show his support for the LGBT movement. I think that having a child who is non-binary gives him a different perspective, too. But there's still room for improvement [in Argentina]. We're not going to be satisfied with trans hiring quotas for 280 people when we have 12,000 trans in Argentina. So clearly we need more but at least we have something.
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Sentis que el gobierno provincial y nacional les da el suficiente apoyo a las gente LGBT o crees que tendrian que hacer mas para ayudar a la comunidad? Hay leyes que protegen a las gente LGBT contra la disciminacion en el trabajo?
Si el gobierno provincial en Cordoba es Peronista por hace muchos años. Tiene una comision de generos (y de trans, todo esto) pero lo tienen como oculta escondida justamente por esto que pasa porque por el solo hecho de poner una banderita hacen todo este quilombo. Tambien el mismo dia que subieron la bandera fueron para hacer de vuelta el cupo trans laboral y la derogaron, que es no tratar una ley. Asi que no basta con solo una banderita, que es lo que digo siempre. Y si pienso que el gobierno nacional hace mas. Ahora pusieron 50% mujeres y personas LGBT... 50% hombres en todas las empresas de Sociedad Anonima y se aprobo el cupo laboral trans en Banco Nacion. Falta un poco mas obviamente. Y falta la visibilidad que eso es lo que creo que hace un poco Alberto (Presidente Fernandez) en sus redes que agita bastante para el movimiento. Yo creo que al tener un hijo que es no binarie es como que el tiene otra perspectiva. Sin embargo faltan cosas. No nos vamos a conformar con un cupo laboral para 280 personas cuando hay 12,000 Argentinos trans en Argentina o sea falta, falta pero bueno al menos suma un poco.
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Are there places in Cordoba where members of the LGBT community can hang out?
Yes. In Cordoba we have a bar. They were going to open another one but they couldn't because of the quarantine. We used to have two bars, but they shut them down. Gay bars don't have a lot of success here because at the end of the day, the people who open them are heterosexuals pretending to be gay in order to make a profit. We have about six parties/parades, three or four of which are run by members of the LGBT community and then the heteros throw their own parties to make money at our expense, which is something we don't like. So, no one goes to those events. We don't support them because this isn't something we need.
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Hay Lugares en Cordoba donde la gente LGBTQ puede reunirse?
Si. En cordoba tenemos un bar. Ahora iban a abir otro pero no lo abrieron por la cuarentena. Hemos tenido dos bares pero cerraron. No tienen mucho exito por quienes los abren son al final... son heterosexuales disfrazado que quieren ganar plata con eso. Tenemos alrededor de seis fiestas, siempre funciona la de los gays las mismas digamos que son tres o cuatro y despues los heteros abren otras fiestas para ganar plata con nosotros que no nos gusta entonce nadie va mas y no las apoyamos porque no es lo que necesitamos.
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One last question: How have you been handling the quarantine?
Well, emotionally, I suppose the quarantine has made me more sensitive [emotional]. Once in a while I'll watch a movie. But sometimes, things happen in life, like the poverty level and everything that's happening with the pandemic that makes me cry a bit. But all in all, I'm doing quite well.
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Como has estado pasando la cuarentena?
Y la cuarentena emocionalmente me trae mas sensible creo. Por ahi veo una peli o pasan cosas en la vida como no se... la sumada de la pobresa y todo lo que esta pasando por la pandemia ... nada... me hace llorisquiar un poco pero entre todo estoy bastante bien.
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Thank you Maxi for your input on the LGBT community in Cordoba and Argentina in general.
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Make sure to follow Maxi on his Instagram, and as always, remember to be a little nicer to each other. We're all on this Earth for such a limited amount of time. It doesn't make sense to waste it on hate. So do a little less hating and a little more elating. Okay?
UPDATE 9-4-2020
Argentine President Fernandez has decreed that 1% of all public employments must have transsexual, transvestite and transgender people.
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Thank you Maxi for your input on the LGBT community in Cordoba and Argentina in general.
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Make sure to follow Maxi on his Instagram, and as always, remember to be a little nicer to each other. We're all on this Earth for such a limited amount of time. It doesn't make sense to waste it on hate. So do a little less hating and a little more elating. Okay?
UPDATE 9-4-2020
Argentine President Fernandez has decreed that 1% of all public employments must have transsexual, transvestite and transgender people.
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