One day after controversy erupted over the theme and slogan of the posters for Pride celebrations in the capital, the Social Policies department announced a new phrase for the campaign. The chosen slogan, "Diversity is lived in Madrid," is positioned as the primary message, while the previous slogan, "Proudly from Madrid," is now considered "complementary."
According to the department led by José Fernández, the campaign aims to "highlight how the city protects and promotes the rights of LGTBI+ people." Addressing criticism about the lack of representation of these individuals in the posters, the council states that the three designs—a balcony, stacked chairs, and candy jars—"represent how diversity is defended and also integrated into Madrid's neighborhoods, businesses, and homes, which proudly display the rainbow flag."
These are the first statements from the Social Policies department, which initially deferred to the mayor's remarks. José Luis Martínez-Almeida did not elaborate on the posters' meaning and criticized the opposition, asserting that "we are working to ensure that Pride is celebrated just as it has always been, with the same joy, and that the diversity which is a hallmark of this city is championed."
The delegate for Social Policies, Family, and Equality emphasized that "In Madrid, LGTBI diversity is not a proclamation or a mere institutional declaration; it is naturally incorporated into the city's daily rhythm and way of life." The campaign "demonstrates that diversity appears not only in major visible moments but is present every day of the year in small gestures and in the city's daily life," according to the note distributed by the City Council.
The council highlights that this idea is also conveyed in the complementary message on banners displayed throughout the city: "Proudly from Madrid." This expression celebrates the "pride of belonging to a city where diversity is lived in freedom."
“"It seems more like a promotion of a 'Madrid Day' or a mere empty aesthetic festival, forgetting that June 28th is not a backdrop, it is a historical demand."
Organizations such as Arcópoli have harshly criticized the campaign, deeming it an "insult to memory" that "completely distorts the meaning of Pride" and carries out "a systematic erasure of LGTBI+ people, whom they do not even deign to mention." They denounce the initiative as "conscious political provocation aimed at depoliticizing, disarming, and making sexual and gender dissent invisible in the public spaces of our city."
