Guatemala has elected its first openly gay congressman.
According to the AP, Aldo Iván Dávila Morales, who is living with HIV, will take his seat in Guatemala’s congress in January. He will represent a Guatemala City district.
“I’m happy, with a lot of mixed feelings,” the 41-year-old Dávila told the outlet. “The worry is I’m putting myself in a snake pit. But at the same time, I’m no slouch, and I’m ready and able to fight when it needs to be done.”
Dávila, however, did not emphasize his sexuality during the campaign and only the name of his party, not Dávila’s name, appeared on the ballot.
“It’s not that society has said, ‘A gay man, affirmative action, let’s vote for him,’” Gabriela Tuch, a lawyer focusing on the LGBT community, told the AP. “He was favored by the votes and the position he was in. Now the challenge begins.”
Dávila, who lives in Guatemala City with his partner of 19 years, was until recently the director of an organization devoted to supporting people who are HIV positive.
He said that it’s possible his colleagues will not want to sit next to him.
“With all the homophobia there is, they could even boot me from my seat,” Dávila said.
by Carlos Santoscoy
Source – On Top Magazine
