Honoring Homosexuals

This note is going to make a lot of people mad, specially within the ranks of the Partido Popular and the Spanish chapter of the Catholic Church.

It was published today by EITb:

Life

At Basque prison

Homage to homosexuals pursued by Franco’s regime

02/03/2008

The Basque Government paid tribute to the homosexuals pursued by Franco’s regime at a Basque prison.

The Basque Government paid tribute to homosexuals and transsexuals who suffered persecution, repression and imprisonment under Franco’s dictatorship because “they were heroes, able to survive the regime that neither recognized them, nor admitted them”, said Javier Madrazo, the responsible of the Basque communist party EB.

Madrazo led Sunday the homage at the Basque prison of Nanclares de la Oca, an act to pay tribute to this group pursued by Franco’s regime in accordance with the laws of “Layabouts and Criminals” and “Dangerousness and Social Rehabilitation”.

Apart from Madrazo, many Basque important figures also attended the act.

Juan Soto, one of the main figures

Juan Soto was imprisoned in Nanclares de la Oca in 1944 for being homosexual and being member of a Republican family. A video of him was screened during Sunday’s act.

There, he reminded everybody that “they were despised by people of the two camps” because even those who did not support Franco’s dictatorship used to tell him: “You should be ashamed of yourself, you are a communist’s son and you are just a fag”.

Several members of groups of lesbians and transsexuals also attended the act.

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