huffpost:Here’s What This Puerto Rican Neighborhood’s LGBTQ Community Can Teach Us About
huffpost:Here’s What This Puerto Rican Neighborhood’s LGBTQ Community Can Teach Us About ActivismAlong the northern coast of Puerto Rico, there’s a densely populated, bustling barrio called Santurce. In this neighborhood, nestled between the Bahía de San Juan and the Atlantic Ocean, you’ll find a thriving LGBTQ community that has found solace in its colorful buildings and vibrant streets. Here, along the sand and sun, you’ll find artists who push the limits on what we think we know about our bodies and identities. You’ll find queer student activists using social media to expand the conversation on gender and sexuality. On cool November days, you’ll find the annual Puerto Rico Queer Filmfest. When the sun sets on Santurce, inclusive LGBTQ parties rage on. The drag scene is also popular and its influence has spread far past the borders of Puerto Rico — “RuPaul’s Drag Race” has featured a Puerto Rican queen in every season. “You’ll always see people who are open about expressing who they are,” said Pedro J. Serrano, founder of LGBTQ advocacy group Puerto Rico Para Tod@s, which was launched in 2003. Thanks to the work of LGBTQ groups and allies, Puerto Rico is ahead of 32 states and the other four U.S. territories in terms of LGBTQ rights and equity, according to the Movement Advancement Project. The territory allows for gender and name changes on all identity documents, such as driver’s licenses and birth certificates. Continue reading here. -- source link
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