By The Star Staff
In recognition of the Gay Pride celebration this June, the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the San Juan District 3 seat in the island House of Representatives, Cristofer Malespín Díaz, and San Juan PDP Senate candidate Ivonne Lozada, promised on Sunday to be allies of the LGBTQI+ community and promote a legislative agenda inspired by the absolute and unrestricted protection of human dignity.
“I will present legislation to expand labor protections so that no person is discriminated against in employment based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, real or perceived, an amendment that was defeated this [four-year term] by the New Progressive Party [NPP],” Malespín Díaz said.
Lozada stated that “I will fight so that the trans community has full access to health services and medical-hospital coverage that includes, as part of its benefits, access to the medical process to reaffirm their identity as adults, if so desired.”
Likewise, Malespín Díaz said he will address the problem of access to affordable housing. In this area, the LGBTQI+ community has historically experienced the highest degree of exclusion and violence, the candidate noted. In addition, he will legislate to “prohibit discrimination against older members of the LGBTQI+ community who need to live in a nursing home or receive extended care, a measure that was vetoed by the NPP government this term.”
The proposed law will have no exceptions,” Malespín Díaz said.
Lozada also stressed the fundamental role played by nonprofit organizations that serve the LGBTQI+ population, which is why she committed to defending them and allocating more outstanding funds and resources in annual budget allocations in the Legislative Assembly.
“Likewise, I will demand more fiscal resources for the Civil Rights Commission so that it can be a strong voice that monitors and supervises the government’s compliance with this public policy,” the lawyer said.
An additional initiative that Malespín Díaz says he will promote from the House will be to include the LGBTQI+ community within an innovative agenda to train and finance 5,000 new business people and entrepreneurs established in District 3 and throughout Puerto Rico. The candidate said he will defend “a greater presence of the trans community in the three branches of government, a sector that is underrepresented in the power structures where matters relating to their life, dignity and security are decided.”
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