The queer community in Mexico is currently experiencing an uncomfortable, terrifying backlash on marriage equality. After winning the right to same-sex marriage back in 2009, queer couples are now facing a newly launched, well-funded attack from the radical, religious right. The religious right has held over 100 marches across the nation and shows no signs of stopping. The Mexican queer community fears not only for regression of previously passed, supportive legislation but also fears what it could mean for any pending/future protection(s). This battle has put the country in a terribly uncomfortable, tumultuous place.
It might seem removed from us, considering that it's happening in Mexico, but what we need to realize is that this could happen here, and soon. This is not to suggest that it's not important to focus on Mexico, but rather to encourage people to pay attention to the world as opposed to passively going along with it. There's this idea of a perpetually progressive America (i.e. it's 2016, things are better now), but it's a lie. People regress all the time.
How do you explain North Carolina's bathroom laws against trans citizens? Or conversion therapy? Or people like Mike Pence? Things might be better in some ways, but they can also be worse with the rise of white supremacy and Neo-Nazism, empowered by the connectivity and platforms allowed by social media.
The point is, we can never get too comfortable. As marginalized people, we always need to be ready to fight back. America has yet to prove to us, or any other group of marginalized people, that we're safe. Lesbian and bisexual women in media are still underrepresented or killed off on basically every show they do make it on. Gay people are still attacked by straight male mobs. Trans women of color are still disproportionately targeted and murdered. Face facts: the people who tell you that things are better are usually the same people who have something to lose if you keep fighting. Privileged people never want to stir the pot and they don't want you to either.
So stay tuned to Mexico's fight. See how things go from here. It's hard to say what will happen, but it's important that we watch because soon enough that could be us. We've won battles for equality before but the world is different, our community is different, activism has changed. If we don't invest time and really think about what we're doing, our oppressors will take away everything before we even have a chance to organize. Or worse, they could make us feel that it's "normal" to be second class citizens, as many of our ancestors were taught to feel.
I hate to burst anyone's bubble but our rights are not protected. It's clear that if we let our government go unchecked, we'll get the chance to see just how unsafe we, and our rights, are.
