Image PROUD BUSINESSES: A MUNICIPAL INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE RESPECT FOR LGTBI DIVERSITY

PROUD BUSINESSES: A MUNICIPAL INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE RESPECT FOR LGTBI DIVERSITY
2025/01/29

Rivas City Council has launched the "Proud Shops" campaign, an initiative that seeks to raise awareness about respect for LGBT people through the local commercial network. More than twenty establishments have already expressed their interest in being part of this project, which remains open to new members.

The proposal, promoted by the Department of Feminism and Diversity, aims to create safe spaces in the city's shops. Its main objectives include respect for pronouns, active listening, intervention in possible situations of violence and the promotion of an environment free of discrimination. In addition, participating establishments will be able to record incidents on the city's online map of LGBTIphobic attacks and join in activities such as Pride Week, held every June.

A business commitment to diversity

Blanca Bernal Gómez and Nerea Santos García, owners of the Wildwoman Tattoo tattoo studio in Plaza de Blimea, 10, are some of the merchants who have responded positively to the invitation from the City Council. Both, who were heralds of the 2024 Ripense Pride, consider their business to be a safe space that respects diversity. "Can we contact you if something happens or if we need more information?" Blanca asked the municipal facilitator during the institutional visit on January 15. Like them, other merchants have already begun to receive the program's badges: a poster with the principles of the campaign and a sticker with the colors of the LGTBI collective, which must be placed in a visible place in the premises.

Another of the participating establishments is the language academy At Home English, located in Plaza de Monte Ciruelo, 6. Its owner, Irene Pais, has been offering training in the municipality for over a decade and considers the initiative to be key to social education. "It's not just about it being a safe space, it's also a matter of raising awareness. Many people will see the logo," she says.

Data that reinforces the need for the initiative

The Report on the evolution of hate crimes in Spain 2023, prepared by the Ministry of the Interior, reveals that crimes motivated by sexual orientation and gender identity are the second most frequent, only surpassed by racist attacks. In total, 522 attacks were recorded in the country, of which 407 occurred in commercial and leisure establishments. In the Community of Madrid, the Madrid Observatory against LGBTIphobia recorded 209 hate incidents in its latest report.

To make this problem visible, more than two years ago the Rivas City Council created a digital map where anyone can anonymously report episodes of LGBTIphobic violence. By January 2025, this resource had recorded 26 attacks in the town. Testimonies such as "The midwife reprimanded my partner and said that women need a man" or "I was insulted on the 332 bus to Madrid" reflect the persistence of these attacks. The map and the complaint form are available on the municipal website rivasciudad.es.

Businesses committed to diversity

To date, the following establishments have expressed interest in becoming part of "Proud Businesses" and have already scheduled visits to receive the campaign materials:

  • Seafood Restaurant Atlántika Rice Restaurant
  • Kids & Us
  • SoHo School of Art
  • The Vegan Footprint
  • The Black Key
  • TB Kids
  • SG Consumables
  • Youth Footwear
  • Groceries & Bulk
  • The Ecologist
  • Wildwoman Tattoo
  • At Home English
  • Dotics Automation
  • The Rivas Varadero
  • Bettoy Collectors
  • Brooklyn Fitboxing
  • Athena optics
  • Bamoa
  • Vensal Clinic

In addition, the municipal platform Todo en Rivas, which promotes local commerce and online shopping, has created a route through the participating establishments, reinforcing the visibility of these inclusive spaces.

Businesses interested in joining the initiative can contact the City Council via email at lgtbi@rivasciudad.es .