The organization Diversas Canarias has expressed deep concern over the escalating hostility faced by the LGTBIQ+ community in the archipelago. According to the entity, a "critical situation" is unfolding, marked by a significant rise in both hate speech and physical assaults, a context that intensifies as the visibility and public defense of this community's rights gain traction.
“"There is an increasingly aggressive reaction from far-right sectors and those who support these discourses."
This warning was issued by Sergio Siverio, secretary of Diversas Canarias, during the presentation of the results of the Asterisco project. Siverio also referred to the Estado del Odio 2026 report, prepared by FELGTBI+ in collaboration with the Institute of Public Policies and Goods of the CSIC. The activist pointed out that, despite advances in visibility and growing institutional support, an "increasingly aggressive reaction" from certain far-right sectors is observed, leading to greater rejection and discrimination.
As an example of this tension, Siverio mentioned the controversy that arose in La Laguna after the placement of an asexual community flag at the City Council. He denounced that this institutional gesture unleashed a "witch hunt," fueled by narratives that question or ridicule diverse sexual orientations. He also rejected the dismissal of organizations defending affective-sexual diversity as "chiringuitos" (slang for dubious organizations), urging a social response based on respect and recognition.
For her part, Patricia León, insular director of Equality and Diversity for the Cabildo de Tenerife, agreed on the intensification of rejection, attributing it in part to the firm commitment of institutions to defending LGTBIQ+ rights. León emphasized the need for society to reflect on whether it is willing to allow the rights of minorities, including asexual people, to be questioned or erased. She called for a clear stance against hate speech, arguing that ambiguous positions are not enough when fundamental rights are at stake.
The insular director highlighted the role of the Cabildo de Tenerife as a "bulwark" against hate speech. She stressed that the LGTBIQA+ strategic framework approved last year seeks to establish solid policies, with an intersectional approach and network collaboration, to ensure that the protection of the community's rights does not depend on political changes or the temporary will of those in power, but on a stable and lasting strategy.
