1 mins
INTERNATIONAL ACTIVIST
AWARD RECIPIENT
Dafne Muñeca Aguilar (Mexico)
A human rights defender from southern Mexico, Dafne Muñeca Aguilar is a trans woman advocating for sex workers and a cultural manager with projects such as the Bazarita LGBT and the Nuevas Aventureras.
In 2019, she founded Comando Trans Interseccional, a collective that supports trans sex workers in the country. Muñeca Aguilar also teaches workshops on sexuality to Mayan-speaking communities.
After she was awarded as International Activist, Dafne Muñeca Aguilar thanked the crowd through a video, as she wasn’t able to attend the GALAS ceremony in person. “This award is very important for us people who live in the outskirts, primarily of Latin America, the Caribbeans, us who fight for our territory and the rights of LGBT+ people, mainly for trans women and sex workers.”
The award was accepted on her behalf by Front Line Defenders.
NOMINEES
Anna Sharyhina (Ukraine)
Anna Sharyhina is a Ukrainian feminist and LGBTQ+ activist who has been involved in the queer community in her country for over a decade. She is the co-founder of Sphere Women’s Association, a lesbian feminist group that operates in Kharviv. Moreover, she founded the NGO Kyiv Pride. Her activism has faced continued opposition in Ukraine, with some events also facing extreme-right violence against participants.
Yıldız Tar (Turkey)
A journalist and author from Turkey, Yıldız Tar has made an unparalleled contribution to the LGBTQ+ movement with their activism. Working with KaosGL, the largest LGBTQ+ organisation in Turkey, they have created visibility for the issues that the community is fighting while themselves being the target of hate speech and harassment. Together with other activists, Yıldız Tar has been crucial to the resistance fighting against the State’s bans on Pride and trying to promote equality in their country.
By Beatrice Fanucci