Families, Law, and the Fight for LGBTQ+ Rights in Argentina with Andrea Rivas
“Sometimes the thing that gets you in trouble is the same thing that allows you to change things.”
– Andrea Rivas
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In this episode of Living Queer, Erwin de Leon speaks with Andrea Rivas—lawyer, activist, and founder of Asociación Familias Diversas de Argentina (AFDA)—about building a movement that centers families, community, and access to justice.
Andrea reflects on her early legal activism helping advance Argentina’s groundbreaking gender identity law, one of the most progressive in the world. At a time when legal protections did not yet exist, activists and lawyers used strategic litigation, creativity, and bold arguments grounded in constitutional and international human rights law to push courts toward recognizing LGBTQ+ rights. Ep 6 Andrea Rivas
Today, Andrea leads AFDA at a moment of growing political backlash in Argentina. Through legal advocacy, research, and support for families across the country, the organization is working to defend rights, challenge hate speech, and ensure LGBTQ+ people can access healthcare, justice, and dignity.
TL;DR
Andrea Rivas is a lawyer and founder of Asociación Familias Diversas de Argentina (AFDA)
AFDA centers LGBTQ+ families and community networks in its advocacy
Early strategic litigation helped advance Argentina’s landmark gender identity law
Legal creativity and boldness were key tools in winning rights before laws existed
Rising hate speech and policy rollbacks are reshaping LGBTQ+ life in Argentina
Civil society organizations continue fighting for equality through courts, research, and community support