The voices and stories that inspired lesbians, bisexuals, trans people, and transvestites to join a historic march. Sexual diversity groups added their demands. "We are striking in defense of sexual and gender diversity," stated the #NiUnaMenos document read at the closing of the event in Plaza de Mayo.

Photos: Ariel Gutraich

"I came as a worker, a lesbian, and a feminist because of the dead and imprisoned women."

“I came from Ituzaingó, from the western suburbs, as a worker, a lesbian, and a feminist to demand justice for the women who are imprisoned, for those who are dead. I started my activism, first as a worker and then from the perspective of sexual diversity. It is very important that we are here to make ourselves visible. We have experienced that, even in our own workers' organizations, lesbians were looked down upon. We work from within to change that.” GIA, 27 years old, member of FOB (Federation of Organizations in Struggle) "I come from Claypole with Tortas de Barrio, but also as workers from cooperatives. We march against the violence that all women suffer, especially lesbians. When they realize it, they rape us, torture us, kill us. We come to demand 'not one more lesbian,' freedom for Higui and for all visible lesbians." Ernestina Arias, Tortas de Barrio, member of FOB "We march to demand justice for the death of our Otrans colleague Pamela Macedo Panduro, who died on January 1st while in custody. We say 'Not One Less' because the State recognizes us legally but then represses us and denies us our rights. We are women within the legal framework, but we are excluded from decent work, healthcare, and so much more." Jem Rodríguez and Angélica Zambrano, Otrans CABA

"Trans people suffer all kinds of violence"

"This #8M there isn't a trans contingent, but there is a trans presence. We are here because gender violence affects all women in society. The trans and travesti community has been hit particularly hard, in its various forms. Furthermore, we suffer exclusion from healthcare and the justice system. For us, one of the most common forms of violence is exclusion from employment, a fundamental right denied to us simply for being trans." Marcela Tobaldi, La Cámpora Diversia

"We pay for our dissident gender expression"

“We are marching here because we are working lesbians. Our bodies bear the brunt of neoliberal policies that the State imposes on us most severely. We pay the price for our dissident gender expression, for example, when we are fired from our jobs for being lesbians. I work at a teacher training college, and I know that many teachers are afraid to come out. We are marching with the National Campaign Against Violence Against Women, and we find it historic that they have adopted the demand for the release of Higui de Jesús, imprisoned for being a lesbian, as the rallying cry to lead the march.” Sandra Aguilar, From the Fire

"Break with the biological, put desire above all else"

“If sexual diversity has done anything, it’s broken with the biological paradigm, prioritizing desire. It’s no coincidence that our community is being attacked so much lately; it’s because the patriarchal system is relentless and governments are falling in line. Today, lesbians, trans people, and gay men, all feminists, have come together. Our organization joins the call for Higui de Jesús’s freedom and demands the modification of the anti-discrimination law, which doesn’t include sexual orientation as a ground for discrimination. We also support the Comprehensive Sex Education law, which they are dismantling.” Greta Pena, president of the organization One Hundred Percent Diversity and Rights

"Without the lesbians and the trans women, there is no 'Not One Less'"

“Without lesbians and trans women, there is no Ni Una Menos (Not One Less). Starting with the Permanent Lesbian Assembly, which we created primarily to demand the freedom of Higui de Jesús, we reclaimed our agenda to reflect on ourselves internally. We are the ones who always fill the streets and support all feminist and social demands. The lesbian agenda needs us to organize.”

"Making it visible that we are bi"

“We are against all heteronormative pressure, because it is violence and phobia. We are against biphobia both outside the LGBTI community and within it, which is also very strong. We support all the struggles of the LGBT movement and march for Higui's freedom, but we also think it's important to make visible that we are bi, that this is our identity.” Luisa Stegman, Bisexual Feminist collective.

We are striking in defense of sexual and "gender" dissidence.

#StopViolenceAgainstDissidentBodies (excerpt from the document read at the closing of the event in Plaza de Mayo) Stop criminalizing us for defending ourselves: We demand freedom for Higui, attacked for being a lesbian. Imprisoned for defending herself. A political prisoner of the patriarchy. We demand the dismissal of charges against our six comrades, activists from various organizations, including the Ni Una Menos Collective, who were arrested and imprisoned yesterday, Lesbian Visibility Day. They were carrying out outreach activities related to the International Women's Strike on March 8th. The case was classified as aggravated assault. We demand the dismissal of charges against the six comrades and an investigation into the actions of the security forces in alliance with a group of alleged civilians who harassed and persecuted them. We want to be alive and free! We demand the full implementation of the Gender Identity Law: real access to the right to comprehensive healthcare, to expedited legal gender recognition, and to respect for one's own identity. For the protection of trans children so they can live free from violence, pathologization, and harassment in schools and healthcare facilities. For the integrity and respect of intersex bodies, we say no! to forced surgeries that seek a normality that is nothing but oppression and repression. We demand the approval of the Historical Reparation Law for our trans and travesti sisters who have been persecuted, criminalized, and tortured by the State through the still-valid codes of conduct. We want our vital desires to be present in schools, neighborhoods, factories, public squares, offices, and everywhere. We want representation in textbooks and in the media. Compulsory heterosexuality is also violence. [READ MORE: #8M] Police cracked down on and arrested lesbians: they have since been released]

"For the right to be a mother and not to be one"

"We are striking against discrimination and violence against lesbians, bisexuals, and trans people. For greater lesbian/bisexual visibility. Against hate crimes against trans women, lesbians, and bisexuals. For the Comprehensive Trans Law and access to all rights. For a trans employment quota throughout the country. To demand an end to institutional violence against our community. For the right to choose not to be a mother and for the immediate passage of a National Anti-Discrimination Law. For a secular state. For freedom for Higui, Belén, and Milagro. For safe and legal abortion." Claudia Castrosin, lesbian activist from La Fulana   Follow Presentes: ]]>