By Maricela Estrada, Mercy Associate
Pride month in Honduras, beyond the celebration, remains an act of resistance, remembrance and demand for change. The LGBTIQ+ community continues to fight to live with dignity and freedom and without fear in a country that still owes them justice and full recognition.
Violence against LGBTIQ+ people is alarming. In the first five months of 2025 alone, at least 11 violent deaths have been registered, many of them against trans women and young gay men. The crimes, mostly uninvestigated, reflect high levels of viciousness and hatred. Impunity in these cases exceeds 90% according to the Monitoring Report on Violence Against LGBTIQ+ People (2009–2020) done by Cattrachas organization.
This is why, every June, LGBTIQ+ Pride is marked by protests, cultural activities and awareness-raising campaigns, led by organizations such as Cattrachas, Arcoíris and Kukulcán . Though festive and colorful, these actions are deeply rooted in the demand for human rights, in response to the ongoing violence and exclusion faced by this community.
Pride month activities include parades in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, forums on human rights, artistic expressions and social media campaigns. These efforts aim not only to make sexual and gender diversity visible, but also to denounce the lack of legal guarantees and state protection.
The movement’s key demands are urgent and clear: legal recognition of equal marriage, a gender identity law for transgender people, justice for hate crimes, equal access to health, education and employment, and inclusive education free of discrimination. These demands persist, due to the government’s limited and often symbolic responses.
A significant milestone in this ongoing struggle was the 2022 ruling by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR), which condemned the Honduran state for the murder of Vicky Hernández, a trans woman killed in 2009. Although the Court ordered the creation of a gender identity law among other measures, as of May 2025 these have yet to be implemented. In April, the Ministry of Human Rights announced the formation of a technical working group to follow up on this ruling, but no concrete progress has been made.
Hate speech also continues to circulate widely on social media and in mainstream media, especially targeting inclusive education. Conservative and religious groups have lobbied to halt legislative developments and education campaigns, creating an increasingly hostile environment for the community.
This context of violence and exclusion has led to an increase in forced migration, as many LGBTQ+ individuals, especially transgender people, are fleeing the country, seeking asylum in the United States, Mexico and Costa Rica.
Despite these challenges, LGBTQ+ organizations remain active and resilient. In June 2025, a national protest is being organized under the banner With pride and dignity, we demand justice and rights. Campaigns have also been launched to raise the voices of survivors of hate crimes and older transgender people, to preserve their stories and safeguard their dignity.
I dedicate these words to the Honduran LGBTQ+ community, with deep respect, justic and mercy, honoring their inalienable right to live with dignity, freedom and without fear. May this text serve as a small echo of their struggle, their resistance and their hope.