“Not Going Back to the Margins”: LGBT+ Leaders Advance a Political Equality Agenda in Lima

The Global Equality Caucus (GEC) was present at the VII Meeting of LGBTIQ+ Political Leaders in Lima, organized by the LGBTIQ+ Consortium of the Americas and the Caribbean. Over three days, legislators, political representatives, activists, and organizations from across the region gathered to strengthen democratic equality and reaffirm their commitment to human rights and diversity.

The event—co-organized by Caribe Afirmativo, Yaaj México, Somos CDC, Promsex, the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, and Diversidad Dominicana—is one of the largest regional gatherings since the recent rise of authoritarian and exclusionary movements that threaten rights.

Under the theme “Not Going Back to the Margins,” participants discussed strategies to deepen legislative rights, ensure the political representation of diverse communities, and resist the multiple forms of violence that hinder democratic participation. Throughout the meeting, participants shared inspiring initiatives such as Colombia’s Diversity Caucus, a legislative effort paving the way for broader and more inclusive representation within parliaments across the region.

Peruvian Congresswoman and GEC champion Susel Paredes reminded attendees that “everyone participates in politics, and our community must do so as well.” She also underscored the urgent need for greater funding to sustain equal democracies, noting that many organizations—working on environmental, LGBTIQ+, and migration issues—are facing cuts and restrictions.

Meanwhile, Carolina Giraldo, Representative to the Congress of Colombia and GEC champion, emphasized the importance of transcending ideological divides: “We cannot remain confined to one sector. We cannot allow ourselves to be pushed out. Political participation must go beyond the left or the right.”

Among those present from GEC were Carolina Giraldo, Representative of the Congress of Colombia; Jaime López Vela, Deputy of the Congress of Mexico; Jack Patrick Lewis, State Legislator for Massachusetts United States; and Susel Paredes, Congresswoman of Peru, along with international figures such as Argentine politician Alba Rueda, and Spanish Senator Carla Antonelli, who shared their reflections on what it means to be present and powerful in a global context marked by democratic backsliding.

These gatherings continue to serve as vital spaces where legislators, emerging leaders, and social actors gain tools to advance democratic equality, and transform social imaginaries around diversity. GEC is grateful to have been able to participate at this event and continue to strengthen our relationship with legislators across Latin America.