International LGBTIQ+ Pride Day (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other identities) is commemorated every June 28th to celebrate the different gender identities and sexual orientations around the world. The day seeks to promote tolerance and end the prejudice, discrimination, and marginalization suffered by millions of people belonging to this diverse community. During this date, marches, rallies, parades, concerts, shows, and various events are held in cities around the world.

The origin of LGBTIQ+ Pride Day dates back to June 28, 1969, when in a New York bar called the Stonewall Inn, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ+) people, tired of constant police harassment, decided to confront the police, rebelling against a political system that endorsed discrimination, persecution, harassment, and systematic violence against the community. This is how the first gay pride march was held in New York.

That event was a turning point in the history of the international sexual diversity movement, the first step toward recognition of the rights of LGBTIQ+ people and the first public demonstration of gay rights. In commemoration of that day, events, rallies, and marches are held each year in New York and many cities around the world.

The basic notion of LGBTIQ+ pride is that no one should be ashamed of who they are, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

About the Equal Marriage Law in Argentina:

The history of same-sex marriage in Argentina is a fundamental milestone in the fight for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and a regional and global benchmark. Argentina was the first country in Latin America and the tenth in the world to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.

On July 15, 2010, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to recognize the right to same-sex marriage at the national level. Article 2 of Law 26.618 on Civil Marriage (2010) (known as the Equal Marriage Law) establishes that “marriage shall have the same requirements and effects, regardless of whether the spouses are of the same or different sexes.” This law is the result of extensive campaigns by LGBT organizations, ranging from draft civil union laws to a series of injunctions and court rulings.

The sanction of Law 26.618 not only has to do with couples outside of heteronormativity who wish to get married, but also represents access to rights such as the ability to share health coverage with one's spouse, the right to inheritance, ownership of shared assets or the right to receive a pension in the event of the death of one of the members of the couple.

Discrimination and harassment toward people of gender diversity is common, and one of the tools available to combat this discrimination since 2011 is the Equal Marriage Law, which allows for the creation of care networks without relying on family members, who are often the ones who expel their members for considering them different.

Brief guiding definitions:

Gender identity is the internal, individual experience of gender as deeply felt by a person, which may or may not coincide with the sex assigned at birth. Gender identity may correspond to no gender, more than one gender (such as gender fluidity), feminine, masculine, or another gender, such as non-binary gender. Gender identity is not the same as sexual orientation.

Sexual orientation refers to each person's ability to feel emotional, affective, and sexual attraction to people of a different gender than their own, of the same gender, or of different genders (heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, or asexual).

Distinction between sex and gender:

Sex: refers to the biological characteristics that distinguish males and females. These characteristics include chromosomes, hormones, and anatomy. Sex is generally assigned at birth based on external genitalia and is considered a biological category.

Gender: is a social and cultural construct that refers to people's roles, behaviors, expressions, and identities. It is influenced by social norms and expectations and varies across cultures and over time. Gender is not limited to the male/female dichotomy but includes a diverse spectrum of identities. It is strongly related to how a person feels and expresses themselves.