Plaza de la Diversidad Sexual

Plaza de la Diversidad Sexual, Montevideo: A Symbol of Inclusivity and Recognition

The Plaza de la Diversidad Sexual in Montevideo, located in the Ciudad Vieja neighborhood, stands as a significant symbol of inclusivity and recognition of sexual diversity. Proposed by eight activist groups including Grupo Diversidad, Grupo LGTTBI, and Amnistía Internacional Uruguay, it received unanimous support from Montevideo's legislature.

Officially inaugurated on February 2, 2005, by Mayor Mariano Arana, the opening ceremony was attended by LGBT and human rights collectives, intellectuals, and artists like Eduardo Galeano and singer Arlett Fernández. Montevideo thus became the fourth city globally and the first in Latin America to dedicate a plaza to sexual diversity.

Central to the plaza is a monolithic structure of granite with a triangular base, about one meter high. At its top is a plaque shaped as an inverted equilateral triangle, reminiscent of the pink and black triangles that Nazis forced gays and lesbians to wear. The plaque's inscription honors diversity and pledges respect for all genders and sexual orientations, marking 2005 as a significant year in this endeavor.

Photo by: Ray Valido, CC BY-SA 2.0