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Constructing Spaces Of Queer Latinidad In Peru Through Artivism And Testimonio, Cynthia Melendez

Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies Symposium

In this work, I look at the construction of queer space and identity in a LGBTQAI organization in Peru. This activist collective – which I call Voces Libres – is based out of the capital city of Lima and, over time, has become an important representation for LGBTQAI communities across the country. Since Peru is an incredibly diverse nation that lacks both laws to protect LGBTQ communities and education in understanding these issues at the governmental level, activists are playing a fundamental role to create spaces of knowledge and resistance to state violence. Voces Libres illustrates the intersections of this …