A version of this article was originally published by Mic on November 26, 2013.
“With an Argentine Pope, there can’t be any Argentine fags!”
That was what Pedro Robledo heard yelled at him as he was violently attacked for dancing with his boyfriend during a university party in Buenos Aires earlier this year.
The hate crime sent shock waves across Argentina, and was an especially jarring incident for a country widely considered to be a world leader in LGBT rights. In 2010, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage. Last year, it passed landmark legislation that makes it easier for transgender individuals to change their identity documents to reflect their true gender and guarantees free sex reassignment therapy.
And this Wednesday, the national legislature debates a civil code that will impact families with same-sex parents. But even with progressive legislation on the books, the attack against Pedro shows just how complicated the road to equality can be.
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