Activist, journalist, and PhD in Literature, Bruno Bimbi is a leading figure in the fight for marriage equality in Argentina and Latin America. He has just published his second book, "The End of the Closet: Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Trans People in the 21st Century" (Marea Editorial), in which he paints a contemporary portrait of sexual diversity. By Paula Bistagnino. What does it mean to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans in the 21st century? Guided by this question and through real stories, both personal and from others, " The End of the Closet" (Marea Editorial) constructs a picture of sexual diversity today in the world, and particularly in Latin America, from the construction of prejudices and the role of religions to hate crimes and the ongoing struggles. “It’s a question with a difficult and diverse answer: being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans in the 21st century can be a struggle or a death sentence. It depends on where you are in the world,” says Bruno Bimbi, PhD in Literature/Language Studies and journalist, former press secretary of the Argentine Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Trans (FALGBT) and a leading figure in the fight for marriage equality in Argentina.

– How do you see the current global map of LGBT rights?

While Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia have marriage equality by law, in Brazil and Mexico it was achieved through court decisions. And in many other countries, nothing yet, but at least it's being promoted or discussed. Mind you, there are also cases like Venezuela where there's a state-sponsored homophobic policy. This breaks down the barriers between left and right, conservatism and progressivism. But there are other regions where things are getting worse. For example, African countries, with the growth of Pentecostal churches exported by the United States and especially Brazil, which use their influence to push through laws that criminalize homosexuality. Or the Middle East, where, except for Israel, which is like an island, the rest is completely controlled by fundamentalist Islamic dictatorships. Whether they're allies or enemies of the United States, they kill gay people all the same. And there's also Belgium, where there's a school that teaches children about marriage by holding a mock wedding between students, and where last year two boys were married and it was taken very naturally.

-The title of the book is “The End of the Closet.” Is there an end to the closet?

I say that the closet is a place you never enter, because you're born inside it. Any LGBT person is born involuntarily into the closet, which is a social construct based on the presumption of heterosexuality. That's inscribed from the moment of birth: male or female gender and heterosexuality. And you're educated and raised from that perspective, which is that of your mother, father, uncles, grandparents, neighbors, teacher. So, before you can even know what your gender identity is, you already have a system that imprisons you. And at the same time The closet is not a place you only leave once.: You live going out, even when you live outside of it. I say: I'm an activist with access to the media, I was a national leader of the FALGBT, I've written two books about this, etc., etc., but tomorrow I'm starting a language course and I have to say it again. That's in Buenos Aires or Rio de Janeiro, so imagine what it's like in provinces or smaller cities.

-One of the longest chapters in the book is about the role of religions in prejudice and violence against the LGBT community. Is this the biggest battle?

-Definitely. Hate speech against the LGBT population is almost entirely of religious origin.In all countries policies against advances in rights -in the best-case scenario- and directly homophobic policies -in many others- They are fostered, supported, and even imposed by religions.In the Middle East, there are outright theocratic states that impose the law, but in Brazil, for example, evangelical churches form an economic corporation, if not a mafia. They have a political party, media outlets, links to drug trafficking, and a great deal of real power. Much more than the Catholic Church, which also has power and is very strong.

-What's going on with Pope Francis?

-Francisco is (Jorge) Bergoglio. The same old Bergoglio, but with a very well-functioning marketing and public relations department. What he does is engage in massive propaganda of a false progressivism within the Church, but in practice, he hasn't produced any concrete, real, or tangible changes in the Catholic Church's doctrine on these issues. The catechism of the Catholic Church continues to say the same outrageous things it always said: it continues to consider homosexuality as a perversion and continues to treat homosexuals like trash. And that's what they teach all Catholic boys and girls in every church in the world every day. And Francis did nothing to change that. I dedicate a chapter to analyzing how, for weeks, newspapers around the world talked about how revolutionary the changes were going to be introduced at the Synod on the Family were, and yet nothing changed. Or how he remained silent during the Orlando massacre. Shortly before, when the attack on (the French satirical magazine) Charlie Hebdo happened, he condemned it in the media, at Mass, in bishops' meetings… But when there was another identical terrorist attack, this time against homosexuals, he kept quiet. He's still the same old Jorge Bergoglio.

-The last chapter, “Transgender Life in the 21st Century”, brings together how much is still lacking in prejudices, struggles, and rights.

-Precisely. No segment of the LGBT population suffers as much discrimination and violence as trans people.Just look at the hate crime statistics. But going back to the topic of the closet, because it's relevant, a gay person can stay in the closet until adulthood, even their entire life, but a trans person can't. Because transsexuality is expressed in the body: it's like being Black. So, they begin to suffer discrimination and hatred from childhood, even before they have any tools to cope. That's why there are more cases of people being kicked out of their homes. But also more school dropouts and a lack of rights. Why is being trans almost synonymous with prostitution? Because it's the only option society leaves them: it's the place society assigns them, the place where it "tolerates" them; not as teachers, nurses, or bank tellers, no. We only tolerate them in the red-light district. And even then, only there: because they suffer police harassment and mistreatment from everyone.

-You reflect on the trans subsidy project promoted by María Rachid and the discussion it generated to demonstrate that. Do you think it could be revived?

"What happened with the project was shameful; it was excellent. The scandalous part is the controversy caused by the proposal to give a subsidy to trans people over 40. They are survivors: people who managed to reach that age alive, without being killed by the police, a neighbor, a client, or by illness due to lack of access to medical treatment. For these survivors, who are also very few, María proposed a subsidy not because they are lazy, but because they can't find work. And it was also a way to somewhat repair the damage that society had caused them by denying them all their rights… I believe it's never too late. Unfortunately, many died without receiving anything, but We still have time not only to repair it but also to ensure that they won't need a subsidy in the future. Because they had rights: to education, to work, to health, to life. We have to fight for those rights.

The book makes an effort to dismantle prejudices with infinite patience. Do we still need to convince people?

When the fight for marriage equality was underway, I said that the law itself was very important, but so was the debate it generated. Months of discussion allowed the issue to reach people and circles who hadn't even considered it before. It also led many to come out of the closet because they needed to discuss firsthand the prejudices they encountered, often within their own families or friend groups. Along the way, I learned that the key was to explain, to share, to talk, to persuade with information, because that was the only way to pass a law. You can't reach people you disagree with through dogmatic, closed-minded, and arrogant rhetoric. This book embodies that same spirit. But it also contains information and stories that might interest activists or anyone else. [START READING BRUNO BIMBI'S BOOK: The End of the Closet]]]>