On the 11th of January, our team welcomed Rufino Arco Tirado, social activist and member of the LGBT community, to discuss the role of online media in combating hate crimes and building a more inclusive and equal society.
Arco is the Vice President of LGTBI Policia Emblematico en la Glorification de la diversidad, an organisation that promotes diversity among members of the LGBT community in Spain.
In an interview for Tribuna Valladolid, Arco talks about his mission at the LGTBIPol. He plans to build a society of tolerance and respect, where citizens can be themselves, regardless of sexual orientation, religious or political views. The only way to eliminate hate crimes is through freedom of expression, collaboration and empathy.
The digital space plays a significant role in creating an environment of openness and dialogue about sexual minorities. The article in Tribuna Valladolid is a plea to all readers and members of society but especially to media influencers, bloggers and journalists that have the authority to address the problem of hatred against minorities.
LGBTIPol needs the support of digital platforms to equip the community with the right tools to defend themselves from the threats they face. Grindr offers alerts on all its apps for LGBT users when they travel to countries where sexuality is punished by law. Facebook allows people to select from various gender identities and Microsoft is promoting the act of speaking out against discrimination to protect their staff and users.
Ending violence against LGBT people requires education and the active involvement of the society. Digital platforms play an important role in keeping the dialogue open.
You can reach the LGBTIPol association via their website at http://www.lgtbipol.es or through their social media accounts.
