Citation:
Date Presented:
February 3Abstract:
My thesis examines strategic dilemmas in the movement for LGBT rights in Mexico City. Despite making substantial gains in recent years, including the 2009 legalization of same-sex marriage, the movement now faces increasingly robust backlash from conservative anti-gay groups throughout the country suggesting that they pose a threat to Mexican families and children.
Through twenty-eight qualitative interviews and textual analysis, I explore how goals and strategy differ amongst movement factions and which of these factions are best able to effect cultural change. I argue that despite broad recognition that internal tensions represent the largest challenge for the movement’s future, they remain divided on whether or not to pursue change through the political establishment and whether or not gaining nationwide marriage equality should be their primary goal. I then argue that while mainstream activists collaborating with politicians and advocating for marriage have more power in the cultural environment, this occurs at the expense of addressing other pressing issues including violence and access to employment.
Additionally, I explore the consequences of framing LGBT rights as human rights, a common framing throughout Latin America. I argue that while activists recognize invoking sexual and gender minorities’ “right to be human” as both an apt strategy and a reflection of their true beliefs, they remain concerned that the frame may fail to uproot homophobic attitudes, cannot set unified goals for the movement, and compels LGBT people to assimilate by underscoring similarity instead of celebrating diversity.