“Don’t take under consideration stereotypes, prejudice or anything apart from reason”
These are some of the wise words expressed on Tuesday morning by the amazing Ana Irma Rivera Lassén, President of the Puerto Rico Attorney’s College, feminist activist and human rights defender. During the morning of Tuesday March 5 2014, the University of Puerto Rico- Mayagüez had the pleasure to welcome the third woman, first –ever African-Caribbean and first LGBTT elected president of the Attorney’s College, as the opening magisterial conference ¿Del Otro La’o Del Derecho O El Derecho Del Otro La’o? for the V Coloquio ¿Del otro La’o?: perspectivas sobre sexualidades “queer”.
Rivera Lassén’s conference was focused on her area of expertise, human rights; she told the audience that “Puerto Rico speaks about civil rights, but not human rights”, which is why a change of perspective is needed in the country. She also mentioned that debates push society to be aware of their rights, fighting makes for recognition and education. The main idea of her conference was the need of inclusion of all people, that’s what all civil groups fight for; they want to share all the same rights.
The speaker mentioned Puerto Rico’s today topics such as the struggle for same-sex couple to have parental rights on their children and the recent law approbation for anti-discrimination for sexual orientation in workplace; and the extension of the Law 54 for same-sex household members. One of the aspects Rivera Lassén explained was that the concept of Law itself is non-top growing; it maintains its meaning but continues expanding to incorporate more people and satisfy the needs of the context.
“We must not confuse our identity as a trap; instead see it as our home.” –Ana I. Rivera Lassén