Queering political representation in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges and opportunities in an LGBTI+ South-South/North-South network

Abstract

In recent decades, Latin America has become a significant leader in LGBTI+ rights in the international arena, serving as a reference point for queer activism within the Global South. Yet research on transnational LGBTI+ activism has largely neglected the region, especially concerning cooperation among Latin American activists and organizations. Could Latin America be an overlooked “laboratory” for innovative experiences of transnational LGBTI+ South-South activism? And to what extent do these experiences challenge or reinforce inequalities of power between the North and the South? In this article, we explore the experiences of transnational cooperation among Latin American LGBTI+ activists, parliamentarians through the participation of #VoteLGBT, a grassroots Brazilian organisation, in international forums and at the Encuentro de Liderazgos Políticos LGBTI de las Américas, a biennial event and activist network established in the 2010s to foster connections among activists, organizations, and political leaders working to promote LGBTI+ political participation. Drawing on interviews with LGBTI+ activists and elected officials, we highlight the main challenges and opportunities for South-South transnational mobilization within this network. Our findings suggest that despite criticisms of ongoing Global North influence within this network, Latin American activists draw several advantages from participation in the Encuentro, including connection with other grassroot organizations in the region, access to resources, skills, visibility, political support, and the socialization of a new generation of Global South LGBTI+ leaders in transnational politics.