Threats will not dim the LGBTQIA+ Parade, says ANTRA president

“It’s not a threat that’s going to take the shine off the party.” This is the defense of Keila Simpson, president of the National Association of Transvestites and Transsexuals (ANTRA), who will be at the 26th edition of the LGBTQIA+ Parade.

The event takes place on Avenida Paulista, in São Paulo, next Sunday (19), after two years without face-to-face meetings due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The São Paulo LGBT+ Pride Parade Association reported that it received death threats and attacks. A police report was filed against the senders, whose names were not disclosed.

THE CNN Radio , on CNN no Plural, Keila was categorical: “We hope that Sunday we will have a beautiful party on Av. Paulista and from then on people become more aware of their rights, we have lived with threats on the internet for three years and we are not going to be intimidated by that.”

“We don’t know how to move without a party, it’s a place for those who want to do politics, do politics and whoever wants to party, have a party, has no prejudice”, he said.

The president of ANTRA states that “in the face-to-face return, people want and have the right to have fun.”

The Parades, according to Keila, also came to Brazil to “raise flags”: “They become an instrument of struggle for each one, this year it brings an important element for the defense of democracy, plurality of ideas and defense of our people”. rights.”

According to her, LGBTQIA+ pride “is translated into resistance”, despite episodes of violence against the community.

“It is unacceptable that two people of the same gender, by holding hands, suffer violence, from people they don’t even know, imbued with extremism.”

For this reason, she said that “we are striving to make these violations into law”, as there is no federal legislation that specifically addresses the LGBTQIA+ population.