Yucatán deputy proposes sexual diversity support for all municipalities

Larissa Acosta Escalante, a deputy for Movimiento Ciudadano, has proposed the ‘Municipios con Orgullo’ (Municipalities with Pride) initiative in Yucatán. The proposal aims to establish sexual diversity service areas and permanent commissions for sexual diversity and non-discrimination within all 106 municipalities in the state.

The initiative seeks to provide guidance and support for people of diverse sexual orientations and genders facing discrimination or violence, ensuring access to services is not limited to the capital, Mérida, but extends to rural communities and Mayan localities. Acosta Escalante emphasized that municipal staff must be trained in human rights to prevent the re-victimization of individuals during public service interactions.

Additionally, the Yucatán Congress voted in favor of a decree to criminalize transfeminicide in the state penal code. This measure aims to recognize and sanction extreme violence against trans women based on their identity or gender expression, requiring investigations to be conducted with a gender perspective.