LGBTQ+ activists gather in Mexico City to create “world’s largest human LGBTQ+ flag”
– 2 min read
In a vibrant celebration of Pride, over 5,000 LGBTQ+ activists gathered in Mexico City’s Zócalo (the main square in central Mexico City) to create the “world’s largest human LGBTQ+ flag”. Despite the rain, participants used colourful umbrellas to form a striking display that covered the historic Plaza de la Constitución, drawing global attention and breaking previous records.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada joined the crowd and led the choreography, declaring, “Mexico City is and will continue to be the city of rights and freedoms. This monumental image we create with our bodies and colours sends a powerful message to the country and the world: Mexico City is the capital of Pride, diversity, peace, and transformation.”
Organised by the city government, the event saw participants move in unison to the iconic anthem A quién le importa by Alaska y Dinarama. Drone footage of the event quickly went viral, with many praising the community’s resilience for continuing despite the rain, using umbrellas that matched their flag segment.
Mexico City has a long history of LGBTQ+ advocacy. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1871, and in 2009, the city became the first in Latin America to legalise same-sex marriage. However, early movements like the Frente de Liberación Homosexual, founded in 1971 by Nancy Cárdenas, operated under repressive conditions.
Despite progress, violence against trans and non-binary individuals remains a serious issue across Latin America. Mexico has one of the world’s highest rates of trans murders, with over 95% of homicides going unpunished in 2022. In response, Mexico City passed a landmark transfemicide law in July 2024, imposing sentences of up to 70 years for murders targeting trans people.
This powerful visual performance was part of the city’s Pride Month programming and served as a prelude to the annual Mexico City Pride March, set for Saturday, 28 June. In recent years, the march has drawn over a million participants, making it one of Latin America’s largest Pride celebrations.
