SOMOSGAY was born in May 23th, 2009, as a bet on solidarity and hope. The creation of our organization was a consequence of two decades of crisis and instability of a Paraguay in a democratic transition after one of the longer dictatorships of Latin-America. The Paraguayan LGBTI+ movement was no stranger to this problem.

 

Our organization was born in this context: in the middle of a fragmented civil society, unable to articulate democratically due to a strong authoritarian culture. To have merged in the middle of the Paraguayan social crisis, with a firm and non-negotiable bet for the social change, it has made us strong and resilient.

 

Since our origins we forge a renewed militancy with the clear aim of to advance towards the Yvy Marane´y, the Land without Evil, a paradise on earth free of oppression. We hold that it is possible to build collective with solidarities and communitarian logics, that points to the transformation of the society.

 

In this decade of perseverance, resistance and fight we have achieved some unimaginable goals in an extremely homophobic country, with the most higher rates of the continent according to ONUSIDA, in very hostile circumstances in comparison with other Latin-American countries: 

 

• More headquarters and the achievement of our own house: We have come to own a house in the Asunción downtown, a fundamental fact that guarantees the sustainability of our organization. In addition of the Community LGBT Center presents in the historical downtown of Asunción, we have a headquarter in Ciudad del Este, an important border city, and other in Villeta, that also is headquarter of the GayLatino net. 

 

• Kuimba´e: Since 2013 we have bet for an integral men healthcare model, with hundreds of people assisted with fast, free and confidential tests, psychological and medical consultancies, HIV and STD prevention.

 

• We are moving forward so that HIV soon ceases to be a public health problem in Paraguay: from our beginnings we have influenced the Paraguayan public health system, with different actions so that the key population of homosexual, bisexual men and men who have sex with men (MSM) we receive the attention we deserve. We insist on the combined prevention strategy, PrEP and PEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis) and adherence to treatment so that more people living with the virus reaches undetectable status (which cannot transmit the virus).

 

• We have installed the need of Paraguayan community LGBTI+ equal rights guarantee in the political and cultural agenda: we have signed agreements with important institutions of Paraguayan state for the protection of our community human rights. Trough festivals, events and campaigns we have awaked the awareness of our community from the visibility. Likewise, arts, media, sciences and political personalities have referred positively to our actions. These facts depict true advances for an extremely conservative society like Paraguayan. 

 

• We plan internationally to make progress: for Paraguay to take a great step forward, we understood that it was essential to strengthen ties with the region and overcome isolation. Thus, united in networks, we also fight internationally for advances in human rights and HIV care. We have received support of some of the most important organizations in the world and we have also integrated the UNAIDS Program Coordinators Meeting and the Global Fund Directors Meeting. In addition, we are the current secretary of the Latin American network of gay activists, GayLatino. Our activities could not be possible without the support of UNAIDS, the European Union, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Robert Carr Fund for Civil Society Networks, ViiV Healthcare, Triangle Foundation, All Out colleagues, and more.