https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/feb/11/fabricio-alvarado-evangelical-christian-costa-rica/
Costa Rica recently held a contentious presidential election dominated by a debate over same-sex marriage. This came only weeks after a January 9th decision by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights affirming the requirement by the American Convention on Human Rights allowing same-sex marriage. The court also ruled that all 20 countries under its jurisdiction should adopt a simple, free, and confidential process that allows anyone to change their name and affirm their self-perceived gender identity in all public records and documents.
Fabricio Alvarado, “a once-obscure Christian evangelical singer,” won the February 4th election, but must face off against progressive candidate, Carlos Alvarado, in April. If elected, F. Alvarado has threatened to withdraw from the international tribunal rather than submit to the order from the court. He has tied into his platform a question of nationalism, arguing that the court is overstepping its bounds and imposing decisions that are meant for Parliament to make. What do you think?
This topic seemed fitting considering the book our class is reading, Pathways of Desire: The Sexual Migration of Mexican Gay Men. Mexico is under the court’s jurisdiction and it would be interesting to hear what effect the ruling has had on the LGBTQ community there. Do some of them still have the same desire to migrate to the U.S. for sexual freedom?
-SCL