Los recortes, el Partido Popular, y la comunidad LGTB en España The Budget Cuts, the Partido Popular, and the LGTB Community in Spain

This past semester while studying abroad in Granada, Spain, I volunteered at an LGBT association called Nos. The stated goals of the organization are to “completely eradicate Lesbian, Gay Transsexual and Bifobia and fight against all types of discrimination motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity.” To achieve these goals, NOS does a variety of programming in Granada including weekly discussion groups about gender identity, youth issues, labor rights, etc. They also offer workshops focusing on topics such as safe sex practices, HIV/AIDS, visibility, and bullying in schools. Apart from this, they provide support for victims of homophobia and host social events. In my short time working there I came to see how vital these services are to the Granada LGBT community but also came to understand how the organization and, even more so, the people who depend on its services, are struggling as a result of budget cuts and laws put in place by the current right wing government, the Partido Popular. Unfortunately, we’ve seen throughout history that in times of crisis, the populations that are already vulnerable tend to suffer the most. This paper examines the way in which the politics of the Partido Popular will affect the LGTB community