Participants and activists of the Pride parade attacked in the Chilean capital

Cristian Egüez (he/him), one of the founders, explains: “In this region, far-right and ultra-religious narratives are widespread, promoted by very conservative authorities. In such a difficult context, collectives are needed with the courage to confront them and maintain a critical approach to the violence that prevails there.”

Pride Month and the violence that followed

The Altillo Benni Museum, the city’s largest, commemorated Pride Month for the first time on June 1, 2022. It opened an LGBTQ art exhibition titled “Revolución Orgullo,” or “Pride Revolution,” led by La Pesada Subversiva. The collective’s groundbreaking LGBTQ art exhibition was met with fierce opposition.

“We decorated the façade of the museum with trans and LGBTIQ+ flags,” says Egüez, “but that lasted less than a day because a group of neighbors came to protest violently and aggressively.”

Nevertheless, the exhibition attracted over 400 visitors, demonstrating growing public support for their cause.

Combating online harassment

To the collective’s surprise, the museum director defended the exhibition, saying that no artwork would be removed and that the exhibition would remain until the end of the month. But then an unimaginable wave of digital violence hit them. Egüez recalls the aftermath: “The event devastated us emotionally. We had to endure threats and harassment online every day for the entire year.”

Alejandra Menacho (she/her), another founder of La Pesada Subversiva, recounts her experience: “They threatened to rape me to teach me how to be a woman. That overwhelmed us; it really started to hurt because we felt like everything we said or did was being monitored.” The collective was constantly harassed on social media, as human rights groups monitored their activities and instilled fear in them with false threats.

Seek protection from the Digital Defenders Partnership

As the onslaught escalated, the collective sought refuge and support. They applied for a grant from DDP to receive digital protection and security. With support from DDP, they underwent extensive training in digital security measures that enabled them to effectively protect their online presence. Members learned to protect themselves and their accounts, not to post certain things, and to be cautious about disclosing their whereabouts. DDP’s training gave them a comprehensive understanding of digital security tools and provided clear guidelines on how to handle and report future incidents.

In addition to these digital security skills, they learned physical self-defense techniques, combining martial arts with a feminist approach.

“This has strengthened us enormously. We now understand digital security holistically and always secure our networks,” emphasizes Menacho.

The ongoing battle for online resilience

Despite all the challenges, La Pesada Subversiva remains true to its mission.

“Digital security must be integrated everywhere. It is not something you attend a workshop for and then forget about. It must be practiced continuously,” says Egüez.

Although Menacho has experienced a lot of frustration and anger, learning to combine these digital tools with psychology and art has helped her express herself and achieve emotional balance.

“We want to do these things because we are rebellious. And because we don’t want these injustices to continue in Santa Cruz. That’s why we keep coming back and reinventing ourselves,” Menacho said.

La Pesada Subversiva’s journey is an example of the resilience and determination of marginalized communities in the face of adversity. Through collective empowerment and solidarity, they navigate the complexities of digital violence and emerge stronger and more united in their pursuit of equality and justice.

The Digital Defenders Partnership (DDP)managed by Hivos, is an emergency grant mechanism for threatened digital activists, funded by the Freedom Online Coalition in 2012. It provides a holistic response to digital threats and creates resilient and sustainable networks to support human rights defenders.