When in La Paz... March in a Pride Parade?

Last Saturday, as we were walking to see a Mississippi blues musician play in La Paz, Bolivia, my friend and I noticed a lot of commotion on the other side of the Prado. Considering all the parades and markets that we’ve heard about on this street, we didn’t think much of it. That is until we got to the end of the stretch and saw people in drag and lots of rainbow decorations. We had stumbled upon the pride parade of La Paz and were ecstatic. We quickly got lost in the hustle and excitement. We got our own little flags and buttons and partially by accident, but mostly on purpose, ended up filing in line behind a group of marchers. And so began our participation in the 2016 Pride Parade in La Paz.

“Todos son iquales ante la ley” is posted on a wall in nearly every restaurant I’ve stepped foot in. This tells me that Bolivia, or La Paz at least, is maybe some steps ahead of environments elsewhere in the world (Go Judge Reeves). Though these signs do exemplify the illegality of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender, same sex marriage is still illegal in Bolivia. A 2013 PEW study found a 49/43 split between those who think homosexuality should not be accepted by society and those who think it should. In the same year in the US there was a 33/60 split.

Yet, last Saturday, the streets were filled with people who came to support the parade and those whom the march represents. At one point, someone turned to us to inform us we had just marched past the mayor of La Paz.

This leads me to a host of questions. What measures have been taken legally to guarantee the rights of these citizens? How do people’s views on this subject vary from region to region? And what accounts for these variations? We have discussed the theory that urban migration can account for more progressive constituents in city centers. Seeing all the support in La Paz, I wonder at why reforms have not been implemented yet. Of course, coming from the environment in Mississippi, I see that a group is not representative of the majority, even if you think it seems so or that it should be that way.  So then, what is the current consensus among Bolivian citizens? Who is showing their support, and why hasn’t Evo, a president devoted to expanding representation and inclusion, fought more for these rights?  Considering what he has said about women, I am willing to take the jump to say that he is only interested in expanding certain rights.